Writing this in case anyone in the Coachella Valley is trying to decide between Spectrum and Frontier. TL/DR is Frontier wins, Spectrum loses.
So it was finally a farewell to Spectrum. We had been with them in Culver City simply because the TV portion was paid through our HOA fees. That was based on a decade long deal that came out to $23 a month per resident. Had no other choice for internet. Really. No choice but going back to DSL.
Boring Number Part
We were ready to cut the cord in Palm Desert two years ago, but they gave us a bundle deal and (I must admit) we still watched a few things on cable. I’m looking back now and see that TV was $52 with DVR at $13 and “Spectrum Receiver” at $7.50. The internet was more complicated: $65.99 discounted to $39.99 for 12 months. Ultra internet free.
One year later, TV up to $67.97 with added $13.50 “Broadcast TV surcharge,” and internet at $49.99, Ultra still free.
Skip to last May, all promotions off. TV would now be $94.97. Internet with Ultra would soon be $95.
- 2019 – $110.43
- 2020 – $136.24
- 2021 – $189.97
I did two things the next day: cancel the TV and check out Frontier. As I was dropping off my DVR at the Spectrum store, the Spectrum guy suggested that I get a phone line that would bundle with my internet, bringing it back down to $65 with free Ultra. I did it. Next bill was $117 with $95 for the internet, $12.99 for the phone and $9.99 for an “activation fee.” Thanks Spectrum Guy!
Here Comes Frontier
So…Cable TV is finally dead to us. We’ve been adding to Netflix for years. Everything we watch is now on Discovery+ or Britbox. All my soccer needs are covered by ESPN+ and Paramount Plus. Night after night, we were basically using the Roku and never bothering with the cable.
That leaves the internet, and we really need the internet. We work from home with some very large files going up and down, and some very complicated apps running in the cloud. We need wide open and fast internet!
First off, Frontier had a concierge for our neighborhood. Next I learned that my house had already been wired for fiber! No installation fee. Finally, the deals. $60 for 500Mbs, same as Spectrum wanted $95 for. This was for one year, after which it would probably go up to $70. Gig Internet for $80, for three years. That’s the one we went for: twice the speed of Spectrum’s top plan at $15 a month cheaper.
I was worried about downtime during the changeover, but I shouldn’t have worried at all. Frontier tech guys came out unannounced the next day and ran the fiber from the street to the box. We had an appointment four days later for the connection. Gabriel, the Tech, showed up early and got everything changed over in one hour. We were off the internet for 10 minutes.
Conclusions
- Spectrum does not care about keeping internet or TV customers anymore. They seem to only care about Spectrum Mobile (offered to me about 20 times during this fiasco).
- Frontier has better and faster internet in the Coachella Valley, if you are in their fiber areas.
- Frontier Reps and Techs are honest, straightforward and courteous.