TDS and Xfinity have two things in common: high speeds and rapidly evolving fiber or hybrid fiber offerings. The differences that matter for choosing one over the other are mostly in the details. Shoppers will need to consider everything from TV offerings to promotional pricing when making a judgment call.
Xfinity by Comcast provides broadband internet, cable TV, and phone service via their hybrid fiber coaxial network. Xfinity is one of the most widely available cable Internet providers in the US.
Xfinity by Comcast offers Internet, TV, and phone service to consumers primarily via their hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network. They are also rolling out fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) installations in some regions.
Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) networks are used globally by cable providers to deliver broadband internet access to consumers. In short, HFC networks deliver a fiber optic connection to a node within a neighborhood, which then branches off to service 25-2000 homes. By using this network structure, Comcast and other cable providers are able to take advantage of their existing coaxial infrastructure to offer competitive broadband speeds at a lower up-front installation cost to the company.
In the case of FTTH installation, fiber optic cable is run directly to consumers residences or businesses. This network structure is preferred over hybrid networks. Unfortunately, they aren’t widely available due to the high costs associated with running fiber optic cable.
TDS provides DSL, cable, and fiber Internet connectivity across much of the US, in addition to TV and phone services. Select areas within their network have access to gigabit speeds via 100% fiber connections.
TDS offers broadband Internet, phone, and TV service to residential and business subscribers via DSL, cable, and fiber networks.
DSL offerings are delivered from a local TDS office near the subscriber via existing copper phone cable infrastructure. Cable, on the other hand, is generally delivered via fiber until it reaches a “node” in individual coverage areas, at which point data is switched over to an existing TV “cable” coaxial network for the final distance.
Fiber offerings from TDS are delivered via 100% fiber optic connections, generally fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), allowing next-generation download speeds up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) under ideal circumstances. Keeping the data in an optical format for the entire journey from ISP to consumer avoids the slowdowns associated with “switching” to an electric signal for DSL and cable.
Customer reviews are the best source for insider opinions
The ACSI ratings above are based on data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a nationwide standard for assessing consumer happiness. Data is collected manually by trained professionals to ensure the highest accuracy possible. IP-verified ratings, on the other hand, are also significantly more trustworthy than unverified online reviews or comments. BroadbandNow uses IP address verification to ensure that only existing customer are able to leave ratings for their provider. Broadband is central to personal and work communication, so a provider with high customer ratings for quality of service and fast dispute resolution is probably worth choosing, even if their plans are slightly higher priced.
The details are worth looking at before you sign
It’s common practice for broadband communication companies to offer promotional pricing to new customers. This makes sense, and also draws in subscribers switching from other providers out of frustration. There are some great deals to be had, but it’s critical to make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to. First, average in the final monthly price when you decided which plan to pick.
If the final price is high, even a very appealing sign-up promotion might not be worth it, since it’ll just cancel out and switch to the regular price after a few months. Additionally, keep an eye on what your early termination fees will be if you break the contract early. Students, young professionals, and anyone who moves on a semi-regular basis should be careful about signing a multi-year contract with a steep early termination fee.