Quantum Fiber Plans: Pricing, Speeds and Availability In contrast

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Professionals

• Quick add and obtain speeds
• No knowledge caps, no contracts
• Value for all times assure

Cons

• Availability restricted to pick areas
• Few plan choices

Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier knowledge

Quantum Fiber, a division of Lumen Applied sciences (together with CenturyLink), has one of many largest fiber-optic networks within the US. As such, accessible plans could fluctuate from one location to a different.

In most markets, at the least those I’ve checked (and that’s many, from Phoenix to Florida, Minneapolis to Seattle and Boise in between), the supplier’s two flagship plans, 500 megabits per second and 940Mbps, are the principle choices. Extra decisions could be preferrred, nevertheless it’s price noting that 500 or 940Mbps is ample pace for many households.

The 200Mbps plan hearkens again to pre-Quantum Fiber days when the service was often called CenturyLink Fiber, however it might be accessible to new prospects in choose markets. The brand new multigig plans arrived below the Quantum Fiber model, with speeds as much as 3 and eight gigabits per second. Presently, 3- and 8-gig availability is proscribed to a choose few places, one among which is Denver, Colorado.

Whatever the Quantum Fiber plans accessible in your space, the web service, together with service particulars, promotional presents and the way it compares to different web service suppliers, is basically the identical. Together with plans and pricing, right here’s all you could learn about Quantum Fiber earlier than signing up.

What to anticipate in your Quantum Fiber invoice

Quantum Fiber retains it pretty easy with regards to plan pricing and the wonderful print, so there shouldn’t be any surprises — within the type of value hikes or an added charge for going over your knowledge restrict, for instance — in your invoice.

Granted, taxes, miscellaneous charges and (presumably) gear rental prices will add to your invoice, however Quantum Fiber doesn’t inflate the preliminary or month-to-month value the identical as different suppliers may.

No gear charges, most likely

Quantum Fiber contains gear rental at no extra price for an “preliminary interval.” That’s an awfully obscure time period and one which muddies the supplier’s in any other case clear pricing. Nonetheless, you may count on free Wi-Fi gear rental, at the least initially. 

If and when that preliminary interval ends, how a lot your gear rental will add to the invoice can also be a little bit of a thriller. We’ve seen a charge of $15 prior to now (and it’s price noting CenturyLink additionally costs $15), however the precise price could rely in your particular gear and variety of mesh Wi-Fi pods you’ve gotten. 

Quantum Fiber’s 360 Wi-Fi service presents as much as 4 Wi-Fi pods, relying on what number of your set up tech determines your private home wants, along with the SmartNID optical community terminal gadget. Most units will function Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, although Wi-Fi 7 is offered in choose areas.

It’s a formidable setup designed for whole-home protection, so take pleasure in it whereas it’s free. If the rental price, when and if relevant, is greater than you’d wish to pay, there may be the choice to use your individual gear and skip the charge. You too can attempt calling customer support to negotiate for higher service phrases, together with free gear.

No knowledge caps, contracts or set up charges

Tools rental is considerably of a wild card, however different Quantum Fiber service phrases are extra simple. 

All plans include limitless knowledge. Meaning you’re free to make use of your web the way you need (throughout the phrases of the suitable use coverage, in fact) with out having to look at your knowledge with a purpose to keep away from overage charges or pace throttling.

There are no contracts, so you may cancel or make modifications to your service at any time with out incurring an early termination charge. Simply take into account that doing so could include shedding the price-for-life assure in your plan.

Skilled set up can also be at the moment fee-free, however Quantum Fiber states within the wonderful print that “this might change sooner or later, and a few prospects with extra services or products might need additional set up prices.” So just like the gear rental, take pleasure in it if it’s free, however don’t be completely shocked if it does find yourself costing additional.

About that price-for-life assure

Many ISPs, significantly of the cable web selection, have promotional and customary pricing. The promotional charge is commonly good for one or two years, after which the worth jumps to the usual charge. Some suppliers (taking a look at you, Astound, Cox and Xfinity) improve the speed considerably, generally by double the promotional charge or extra relying on the plan. 

Quantum Fiber doesn’t have promotional pricing, so that you’re paying the usual charge from the beginning and also you don’t have to fret about set value will increase a 12 months or two later. That’s not essentially distinctive, as just a few suppliers do the identical, together with AT&T Fiber, Google Fiber and Verizon Fios.

Nonetheless, Quantum Fiber takes it a step additional by guaranteeing your charge for so long as you retain your plan. If 500Mbps is $50 while you join, 500Mbps might be $50 one, two or three years later and on.

That’s to not say your invoice won’t ever go up — that gear rental charge could finally seem, after which improve sooner or later down the highway. Moreover, taxes and miscellaneous charges could go up at any time, to no fault of Quantum Fiber.

Quantum Fiber availability

Till late 2022, CenturyLink had one of many largest mixed fiber and DSL networks, accessible in elements of 36 states coast to coast. It was then that Lumen Applied sciences offered a good portion of its networks (principally to new ISP Brightspeed) on the East Coast and within the Midwest and South. The ISP now operates primarily in Florida and west of the Mississippi River.

Nonetheless, Quantum Fiber’s protection is spectacular, accessible to just about 2% of US households, making it the fourth largest fiber web supplier nationwide. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have the best Quantum Fiber availability.

Main cities with respectable (over 25%) Quantum Fiber serviceability embody:

• Boise, Idaho
• Denver, Colorado
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Portland, Oregon
• Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah
• Seattle, Washington

How does Quantum Fiber examine?

If Quantum Fiber is offered in your space, you’ll most likely have the choice of at the least one different ISP, doubtless a cable web supplier, however 5G dwelling web might also be accessible. 

Most of the time, I might suggest fiber web over different connection varieties reminiscent of cable, DSL or 5G, and that’s the case with Quantum Fiber.

Cable suppliers reminiscent of Astound, Mediacom and Xfinity could have a decrease beginning value than Quantum Fiber (assuming the $30 200Mbps plan isn’t accessible in your space), however the decrease pricing might also include slower speeds. Moreover, the low value doesn’t final without end, and cable web will virtually assuredly be the dearer service a 12 months or two down the highway.

Pricing between Quantum Fiber and 5G ISPs together with T-Cell House Web and Verizon 5G House Web is extra carefully matched, however you’ll get quicker speeds and higher reliability from Quantum Fiber.

Sooner uploads, higher reliability

One other benefit Quantum Fiber, and all fiber ISPs, have over cable or 5G ISPs is symmetrical add and obtain speeds and supreme reliability.

Whereas add speeds play much less of a job in typical dwelling web use — video conferencing, on-line gaming, and importing photos and movies to social media are the largest makes use of, all of which require round 10Mbps or much less — it’s good to have the additional pace while you want it. 

The reliability, 99.9% in response to Quantum Fiber, is far more invaluable. Cable and 5G dwelling web are vulnerable to community congestion, so speeds can drop throughout peak utilization occasions or, within the case of 5G, as extra customers be part of the community.

A have a look at Quantum Fiber buyer satisfaction

Final 12 months was the primary 12 months the American Buyer Satisfaction Index scored fiber and non-fiber ISPs individually. The transfer favored Quantum Fiber (proven as CenturyLink Fiber) nicely, because the ISP scored a 78 out of 100, second solely to AT&T Fiber (80). The rating was three factors above the trade common for fiber suppliers.

J.D. Energy didn’t differentiate between CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber in 2023, so the general rating might be (and doubtless is) lowered by Lumen Applied sciences’ DSL facet of the enterprise. CenturyLink landed a 709 out of 1,000 within the North Central area, once more second to AT&T (726), however didn’t fare as nicely within the West the place a rating of 687 fell nicely beneath the area common. 

The low rating within the West is regarding, however once more, I might attribute that to CenturyLink’s DSL service, particularly contemplating Quantum Fiber’s excessive ACSI rating.

Quantum Fiber recap

Quantum Fiber doesn’t offer you numerous choices — 500 or 940Mbps is it in most places — but when the accessible speeds meet your wants, then the ISP is definitely price contemplating. 

Together with quick, constant add and obtain speeds, Quantum Fiber comes with limitless knowledge, no contract necessities and free gear rental (form of). That’s par for the course with most fiber suppliers, however Quantum Fiber stands out additional with its price-for-life assure that locks in your month-to-month charge for so long as you retain your plan.

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