But Astound’s prices change depending on where you live, making it difficult to nail down expectations. And those promotional prices stick around only for one year. So is Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) internet worth it? We did the research, so let’s dig in and find out. For example, a 600 Mbps plan in New York City costs $34.99 a month, while a similar 940 Mbps plan $39.99 a month in Chicago. Despite muddying the waters with regional price changes, Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) internet remains cheap. Here’s a quick look at its prices for Chicago, IL: On the other hand, Astound Broadband’s higher-speed plans are perfect for the majority of families with kids want to play Xbox in the basement and parents want to stream HBO upstairs. (Or finish up that work project at home.) At the top of the speed charts is Astound Broadband’s 1200 Mbps plan, with enough power to fuel a small business and to compete with some of the best ISPs for gaming. For example, Verizon Fios Home Internet offers a 400 Mbps plan for about $65 a month. Astound’s price for the same speed is almost half the cost. Another ISP you’ll find in the same areas as Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) is Xfinity and Optimum, which both offer pretty good deal for the speeds you get. Xfinity also offers a 400 Mbps plan, but Astound’s 400 Mbps plan is about $20 cheaper. Its slower-speed plans, like 110 Mbps Internet, plans are a great place to start for a small family—and the speeds just get better from there. Thankfully, Astound Broadband offers a modem rental option for $16.00 a month. And you can add an eero whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system for an extra $10.95 a month.
eero Pro 6: $11.95 a month eero Whole-Home Wi-Fi system: $10.95 a month for one base and one beacon Additional Whole-Home Wi-Fi beacons: $5.00 a month NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro gaming router: $12.95 a month Standard modem/gig modem: $16.00 a month
If prefer to buy your own gear, then make sure that you get a DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 compatible modem. Also, keep in mind that a whole year of renting Astound’s gaming router will cost you about $155, so buying your own modem-router combo might be a better deal.
Installation fee: $79.95, but Astound regularly offers free installation deals. Activation fee: $9.99 Early termination fee: None Service call fee: $79.95
Astound Broadband is sadly no exception to this unwritten rule. In its latest customer satisfaction report, HighSpeedInternet.com reported Astound received a 3.5 out of 5 for customer service3.
Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) customer service phone number: 1-800-RING-RCN (1-800-746-4726) Online chat Twitter: @RCNConnects Facebook:@RCN
But you could also call it inconsistent. Astound is available only in a handful of large cities, its prices and policies vary by location, and its customer service seems to be getting worse, not better. This means that Astound Broadband might not be the best overall, but it’s still a great option for those in specific areas of the US who want fast, no-contract internet at a fair price. We place a heavy emphasis on the technical details such as overall download speeds, upload speed, and any included data caps. However, we also consider overall availability, affordability, and contracts involved. Here are the factors we considered when reviewing services:
Overall download/upload speeds Price of each provider’s plans Whether contracts are required Geographic service availability Included equipment and fees
WashingtonOregonCaliforniaTexasIllinoisIndianaNew York Massachusetts Pensylvannia Virginia Maryland
Keep in mind that each region will offer different plans and pricing so we recommend checking what plans are offered in your specific region.
