Frontier vs AT&T Internet Service Review

Pablo Mendoza

Pablo Mendoza

Updated:10/23/24

Published:05/15/20



If you are shopping for internet service providers and wondered if Frontier or AT&T offers internet service, this comprehensive review of both AT&T and Frontier's High speed internet should give you everything you need to make your decision on the best internet service provider.

Frontier vs AT&T Internet Service Review

Frontier vs AT&T Internet Service


The average American spends about 6 hours and 42 minutes online each day. Between work, streaming video, and connecting with others on social media, that might not sound like a lot of time, but it adds up to be about 27% of your time every year- over 100 days total!

Because high speed internet is a much-used utility, it's important that you have the best connection from a top-tier provider. There are a huge number of internet providers out there, but today we're going to look at two of the best- AT&T and Frontier internet.


Read on for a comprehensive review of AT&T internet (including ATT TV) and one of its top alternatives, Frontier. This should provide you with some in-depth insight as to which one will work best for your needs!

A Review of AT&T Internet

First, we're going to look at AT&T internet. Not only will we be talking about the basics and the packages that this provider offers, but we're also going to weigh some of the biggest pros and cons of AT&T. Read on for one of the most comprehensive online reviews of this major provider!

The Basics

AT&T doesn't offer a lot of variety in their plans when it comes to internet speed. Your options are:

  • AT&T internet up to 100mbps, which costs $49.99/month and has a download speed of 100mbps
  • Internet 300, which costs $50/month plus tax for the first year (it goes up after that) and has a download speed of 300mpbs
  • Internet 1000, which costs $49.99/month plus tax for the first year (it goes up after that) and has a download speed of 940mbps

Note that the first two plans have a 1TB data cap while the third plan offers unlimited data.

There are generally two different types of plans that AT&T offers. The first is known as fiber plans, which operate over a fiber-optic network. In short, they're cable plans, and they're generally faster and has better coverage. If you live in an area covered by a fiber plan, this is the option that you're going to want to go with. You'll have access to all the features that make AT&T so great and you won't need to become frustrated with internet that shuts down too quickly.

The second type of plan is called a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) plan, and it connects you to the internet using a phone line network. You probably colloquially know these as satellite plans. These plans tend to be a lot slower than fiber ones, but you can get them all across the US. This includes some rural areas where you may not have the option for a fiber plan.

ATT TV and Beyond


One of the best features of AT&T is that you get access to ATT TV when you buy one of their plans. You can read an in-depth review of this service here, but the bottom line is that you'll have access to hundreds of shows in this alternative to DVR. If you're someone who loves to watch a lot of shows, this alone may be a reason to purchase an AT&T package!

There are a few more features that you will also get with AT&T:

  • VIP deals on movie tickets, dining, and more
  • Call block, call forwarding, and call return
  • The ability to set up mobile hotspots
  • Fast, reliable long-distance calling
  • Connectivity from multiple devices

Pros and Cons

There are many pros to AT&T internet:

  • Inexpensive, high-speed plans that will have you covered no matter what you want to do
  • Amazing features like ATT TV
  • Fast internet even in big-city areas that you may otherwise not be able to access pages in
  • The ability to add unlimited data for $30/month to any plan that does not already have this feature
  • Great customer service and high satisfaction rates

There are also a couple of downsides:

  • No coverage in rural areas, so this is unlikely to be an option if you live in the country
  • You get locked into a plan because of a contract- even if you don't like your service, you'll be stuck with it for a while
  • Not a lot of different plans to choose from

A Review of Frontier Internet

AT&T internet is pretty awesome, but Frontier definitely has its advantages. Here, we're going to look at the packages that Frontier offers and discuss why they might be for you. We're also going to take a close look at some of the benefits and downsides to choosing one of these packages so that you can make as informed a decision as possible.

The Basics

Frontier offers many more speed options that AT&T does. They offer slow DSL internet at an incredibly low price:

  • Simply Internet Core internet for $19.99/month with download speeds up to 6mbps
  • Simply Broadband Ultra internet for $25/month with download speeds up to 12mbps
  • Simply Internet Elite internet for $39.99/month with download speeds up to 24mbps

As you can see, the highest of these plans is more expensive than AT&T's lowest-cost plan. Additionally, it offers much slower speeds. There are higher-speed internet plans from Frontier, but they're significantly more expensive than those at AT&T. Prices range from $40-50/month.

That being said, Frontier internet isn't all gloom and doom. It has a much larger coverage area than AT&T does. You can get it in nearly any part of the country, including rural areas and farms that are nowhere near towns. You can get Frontier in 29 states, which is 6 more than AT&T serves. Many of them are rural farmland, so this may be your only option if you live in an area like that.

Frontier Internet Special Features

In theory, Frontier has just as many special features as AT&T does. This means

  • Over 400 digital channels streaming to your TV and HD video streaming options over the network
  • Mobile hotspot set-up for easy access anywhere
  • 1gbps speeds with certain plans
  • A private internet connection

While the private connection part is 100% true, the rest is a bit more complicated.

Theoretically, Frontier does offer all these things. However, they only are available in areas covered by their cable connections- those who use satellite internet are unlikely to be able to load these high-data functions because of their slow bandwidth. Unless you are in the appropriate location and/or can afford these special features (usually at high prices), you won't be able to access them practically.

Pros and Cons

There are some pros of Frontier internet:

  • Brings internet to rural areas that otherwise wouldn't have any
  • Has a lot of plans to choose from- something is bound to meet your specific needs
  • High-speed fiber-optic plans all come equipped with unlimited data
  • Price lock-in for two years so you never need to worry about your bills going up
  • No-contract plans that allow you to bow out at any time

However, there are also some cons:

  • Plans are priced highly for what you get- you'll be paying at least $40/month if you want reliable service
  • Frontier connectivity is slow and pages will take a long time to load
  • Most plans are too slow to stream video effectively
  • There have been a lot of complaints about poor customer service in recent years

Who Are the Right Internet Providers for You?

Neither AT&T nor Frontier is inherently superior to the other. They offer comparable speeds and prices. The provider that you want to go with depends almost entirely on your needs, location, and desired additional features.

If you live in a less populated area, then you may need to go with Frontier. However, if you live in an area that is more densely populated, then AT&T may be your only real option for fast and efficient internet (when it's being compared solely to Frontier.)

AT&T is good for those who stream a lot of television programs because ATT TV is one of the best streaming services out there. If you're interested in always having your favorite programs, news sources, and sports games at your fingertips, Frontier's streaming services can't compete.

However, if you require a lot of data, Frontier might be the provider for you. While AT&T packages generally have a 1TB data cap before forcing you to pay an extra $30 a month, Frontier packages almost always provide unlimited data to users. This means that you'll never be cut off from using the WiFi or location services on your Smartphone when you don't have your computer and WiFi nearby.

Frontier also is a good choice for those who don't want to be locked into a contract. While AT&T plans usually are a year-long commitment, Frontier allows you to back out whenever you don't feel like the services are for you any longer. This means that you can try using Frontier and switch to AT&T later if it doesn't work for you.

Get High Speed Internet Today

Ultimately, the high-speed internet provider that you choose depends on what you do online. If you work remotely, you should just select the service that gets the strongest connection in your area. If you watch a lot of streaming television, ATT TV might be something to look into.

Now that you know all about AT&T internet and how it's different from Frontier, it's time to learn more about our services. When you check out the rest of our website, you'll get a greater understanding of what we do and how we work to connect you with the perfect internet providers to suit your individual needs. Whether you choose to go with AT&T or Frontier internet, there's an affordable and easy plan for you!


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