Charter Spectrum VS CenturyLink

CenturyLink and Charter offer a dizzying variety of services, making it tricky to decide which makes more sense for your household. While the technologies they use to deliver your connection are different, the speeds and prices are often very similar, which pros and cons based on location. Choosing a plan comes down to details like quality of service and TV offerings.

Charter Spectrum
Cheap Internet
SETUP SERVICE

(844) 273-1634
  • PRICE RANGE $44.99 to $69.99 / mo.
  • TECHNOLOGY Cable
  • SPEED RANGE (DOWNLOAD) 30 mbps to 940 mbps
  • SPEED RANGE (UPLOAD) --

Charter Spectrum OVERVIEW

Charter Communications provides residential and business broadband cable and fiber Internet, phone, and TV under the “Spectrum” brand name. Their 2016 acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks expanded their cable network to become one of the largest in the US.

Charter Spectrum TECHNOLOGY

Charter Communications offers broadband Internet, TV, and phone service to consumers via their hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network.

Hybrid Fiber Coaxial is a broadband infrastructure that uses fiber optic cables as it’s backbone, only resorting to slower coaxial cables for the “last mile” between customer residences and a local “optical node.

The optical node translates optic signals into electric signals, which are generally distributed via existing cable TV networks. A node may serve anywhere from 50-2,000 homes in an area.

This type of connection is widely called a “cable” internet connection due to the use of coaxial cable, which was historically used to offer “cable TV.”

Charter Spectrum RATINGS AND REVIEWS

Cheap Internet
Cheap Internet
50.8% recommendation rating according to 48,662 verified Spectrum users.
CenturyLink
Cheap Internet
SETUP SERVICE

(844) 366-4801
  • PRICE RANGE $45 to $80 / mo.
  • TECHNOLOGY DSL
  • SPEED RANGE (DOWNLOAD) 10 mbps to 1,000 mbps
  • SPEED RANGE (UPLOAD) Up to 1,000 mbps

CenturyLink OVERVIEW

CenturyLink is a communications company that provides DSL and fiber Internet, phone, and TV service. Their TV offerings are marketed under the name “PRISMTV.”

CenturyLink TECHNOLOGY

Centurylink offers internet, TV, and phone service to consumers using two primary technologies: DSL and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH).

DSL is an older internet technology that uses Centurylink’s existing telephone infrastructure to deliver internet service. While DSL networks don’t offer the fastest speeds or lowest latencies, they are widely available and generally less expensive than other alternatives since they travel over the same cheap, readily available cables that carry telephone data.

 

If you are considering DSL, make sure to check the speeds available in your area as they can vary dramatically depending on your local infrastructure and distance between your house and the provider’s local office.

Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), on the other hand, is widely considered the next generation of consumer internet access. In an FTTH implementation, Centurylink delivers a fiber optic connection directly to your residence, resulting in higher bandwidth and lower latency. The only problem with FTTH is that installing fiber optic cables are expensive, so this type of service is not widely available and usually comes with a higher monthly cost than DSL, cable, or fixed wireless.

CenturyLink RATINGS AND REVIEWS

Cheap Internet
Business Internet
35.3% recommendation rating according to 55,293 verified users.
Business Internet
THE BATTLE FOR BETTER SERVICE

Customer service matters, and not all online reviews can p trusted

When you find yourself in an area where both broadband providers offer interchangeable speeds and pricing, customer service might be the most important factor to consider. Broadband internet and phone service in particular are vital for emergencies and communication, and having a company that will respond quickly to service issues makes a huge difference.

That said, figuring out which online reviews of a provider’s customer service can be tricky. Look for two key phrases: “IP verified” and “ACSI.” IP-verified reviews use sophisticated network-detection protocols to ensure that each person leaving a review is a unique user on a computer actually on a given provider’s network. Additionally, safeguards are put in place to stop anyone from leaving a review twice, cutting out review manipulation. Ratings throughout BroadbandNow are IP-verified.

ACSI stands for the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a nationwide benchmark for customer satisfaction in the US. Experts at ASCI survey customers manually to ensure the most accurate results.

READING THE FINE PRINT

ETFs, hidden fees, and other “gotchas” to watch out for

Centurylink and Charter Communications, like most broadband providers, will often make special “sign-up promotions” to encourage new customers to sign up, and preferably bundle multiple services from their company. These promotional prices can save consumers money, but shoppers have to be careful about a few things.

First, ETFs, or “early termination fees,” could cancel out your savings if there’s a chance you’ll need to switch locations or providers in the near future. Second, surprise fees often show up on broadband bills, and it’s always worth calling your provider and complaining (or at least asking for an explanation) if you see fees that weren’t mentioned when you signed up. Third, be careful to factor in the final monthly price when comparing plans, not just the reduced sign-up promotion or bundle deal. Promotions usually time out within the year, leaving you with a bill that might be higher than you bargained for.

Business Internet
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