Quantum Fiber Evaluation: 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 (one other is CenturyLink), has one of many largest fiber-optic networks within the US. As such, accessible plans could differ from one location to a different.

In most markets, a minimum of 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 selections could be perfect, but it surely’s value 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 could be accessible to new prospects in choose markets. The brand new multigig plans arrived beneath the Quantum Fiber model, with speeds as much as 3 and eight gigabits per second. Presently, 3- and 8-gig availability is restricted to a choose few places, certainly one of which is Denver, Colorado.

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

What to anticipate in your Quantum Fiber invoice

Quantum Fiber retains it pretty easy on the subject of plan pricing and the high-quality print, so there shouldn’t be any surprises — within the type of worth hikes or an added payment for going over your knowledge restrict, for instance — in your invoice.

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

No tools charges, in all probability

Quantum Fiber contains tools rental at no extra value for an “preliminary interval.” That’s an awfully imprecise time period and one which muddies the supplier’s in any other case clear pricing. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to count on free Wi-Fi tools rental, a minimum of initially. 

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

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

It’s a powerful setup designed for whole-home protection, so get pleasure from it whereas it’s free. If the rental value, when and if relevant, is greater than you’d prefer to pay, there may be the choice to use your individual tools and skip the payment. It’s also possible to strive calling customer support to negotiate for higher service phrases, together with free tools.

No knowledge caps, contracts or set up charges

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

All plans include limitless knowledge. Which means you might be free to make use of your web the way you need (inside the phrases of the appropriate use coverage, in fact) with out having to look at your knowledge so as to keep away from overage charges or pace throttling.

There are no contracts, so you’ll be able to cancel or make adjustments to your service at any time with out incurring an early termination payment. Simply remember that doing so could include shedding the price-for-life assure in your plan.

Skilled set up can also be presently fee-free, however Quantum Fiber states within the high-quality 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 tools rental, get pleasure from 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 commonplace pricing. The promotional fee is commonly good for one or two years, after which the worth jumps to the usual fee. Some suppliers (taking a look at you, Astound, Cox and Xfinity) enhance the speed considerably, typically by double the promotional fee or extra relying on the plan. 

Quantum Fiber doesn’t have promotional pricing, so that you’re paying the usual fee from the beginning and also you don’t have to fret about set worth will increase a yr 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.

Nevertheless, Quantum Fiber takes it a step additional by guaranteeing your fee for so long as you retain your plan. If 500Mbps is $50 whenever you join, 500Mbps will likely be $50 one, two or three years later and on.

That’s to not say your invoice won’t ever go up — that tools rental payment could ultimately seem, after which enhance in some unspecified time in the future down the street. 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 components of 36 states coast to coast. It was then that Lumen Applied sciences offered a good portion of its networks (largely 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 almost 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 accessible in your space, you’ll in all probability have the choice of a minimum of one different ISP, probably 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 akin to cable, DSL or 5G, and that’s the case with Quantum Fiber.

Cable suppliers akin to Astound, Mediacom and Xfinity could have a decrease beginning worth 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 worth doesn’t final endlessly, and cable web will nearly assuredly be the costlier service a yr or two down the street.

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

Quicker 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 pictures 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 whenever you want it. 

The reliability, 99.9% in line with Quantum Fiber, is rather more precious. Cable and 5G dwelling web are prone 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 yr was the primary yr the American Buyer Satisfaction Index scored fiber and nonfiber 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 could possibly be (and possibly 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 a number of choices — 500 or 940Mbps is it in most places — but when the accessible speeds meet your wants, then the ISP is actually value contemplating. 

Together with quick, constant add and obtain speeds, Quantum Fiber comes with limitless knowledge, no contract necessities and free tools rental (kind 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 fee for so long as you retain your plan.

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