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8 / 10  Review Rating

Xfinity Internet in a Nutshell

  • Offers Service in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
  • Major Cities Covered: Tucson, AZ, Sacramento, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, Denver, CO, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Jacksonville, FL, Miami, FL, Orlando, FL, Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Minneapolis, MN, Saint Paul, MN, Portland, OR, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, Memphis, TN, Houston, TX, and Seattle, WA
  • Residential Pricing: $24.99+ per month

Xfinity (formerly Comcast Xfinity) internet is well-known across the United States for fast internet speeds, great sports packaging for their TV plans, but also for customer service-related issues. Still, Xfinity stands out among its neighborhood competition because of its great deals and fully-featured internet plans.

It’s fair to say Xfinity’s monthly pricing and additional fees are on the higher end of the spectrum. So I’ll take you through Xfinity’s plans, including the features that make their prices worth paying. You’ll also get to see how reliable Xfinity’s network is, additional fees you’ll have to pay, and ways to navigate their customer service.

Is Xfinity Internet Reliable?

Cable internet has come a long way since Xfinity first started. For Xfinity, two things have remained consistent: fast internet speeds and having some of the latest technology. Having a steady internet connection plays a big part in Xfinity’s remaining a top choice for customers. Xfinity’s cable network handles congestion pretty well: My internet speeds slow down when all my neighbors are home, but I’m still able to stream on multiple TVs, use my iPad, and have my phone connected to the Wi-Fi.

The picture below is of my internet speeds at night.

Xfinity Internet Speed Breakdown
Xfinity Internet Speed Breakdown

My plan (up to 600 Mbps) has enough speed to support more than 12 devices, but I lose about 80 percent of my speed in the evenings. It’s true that internet speeds fluctuate throughout the day, but that’s something to expect with any type of internet connection, especially cable.

Reliability and peace of mind are worth paying for when it comes to internet service. However, that doesn’t mean I’m a fan of Xfinity’s pricing. Their regular monthly rates and additional fees are higher than what I usually see from cable providers. And it doesn’t help that part of Xfinity’s popularity comes despite complaints about their customer service.

None of the complaints about Xfinity’s high prices and poor customer service have kept Xfinity from being the largest cable company in the nation. Over the last six years, Xfinity has made significant improvements and has earned a spot among the top three ISPs for customer satisfaction.

Pros and Cons of Xfinity Internet

Pros

  • Widely available
  • Unlimited data plans available
  • Wide range of reliable, high-speed plans

Cons

  • Higher monthly prices
  • Contract required for promotional prices

Xfinity Plans and Speeds

Xfinity offers plans with speeds ranging from 50 to 1,200 Mbps. Xfinity has a wide range of plans, but you may not have access to all of them depending on where you live.

Plan Connection Type Download Speed Data Cap Monthly Price (Introductory)
Performance Starter Cable Up to 50 Mbps 1.2 TB $20.00
Performance Cable Up to 100 Mbps 1.2 TB $40.00
Blast! Cable Up to 300 Mbps 1.2 TB $50.00
Extreme Cable Up to 600 Mbps 1.2 TB $50.00
Extreme Pro Cable Up to 900 Mbps 1.2 TB $60.00
Gigabit Cable Up to 1,200 Mbps 1.2 TB $70.00

There are many fiber internet providers that provide similar speeds for lower prices. Cable internet providers charge the highest monthly rates, which is odd since fiber offers a better connection. If you’re looking for an affordable plan with Xfinity, then I recommend the Fast plan. Up to 300 Mbps is more than enough speed to support a three- to four-person household.

Unlike fellow cable providers Spectrum and RCN, Xfinity places a 1.2 TB data cap on all its plans. That’s a pretty generous cap; you’d have to watch more than 13 hours of HD movies a day to exceed it. It’d be difficult to watch that many movies a day, but, if that’s your goal, you may be glad to know Xfinity offers an unlimited data add-on for an extra $30 a month.

If you’re a sports fan, NBCUniversal fan, or new cord-cutter, Xfinity’s pricing may be worth it. All Xfinity plans come with a free Peacock account, giving sports fans a free pass to the Olympics and everything on NBC Sports. Peacock is also home to NBCUniversal exclusive content and on-demand versions of old favorites such as Law & Order: SVU. New cord-cutters will enjoy the Xfinity Flex, Xfinity’s streaming device that has a voice-activated remote.

Xfinity Internet Additional Fees

Xfinity has the standard internet fees you’d expect with any provider, especially if they have contracts.

Fees Cost Avoidable? Type
Professional installation $89.99 Yes One-time
Early Termination fee Varies No N/A
Router fee $14 Yes monthly

These fees are pretty standard, though you may be able to get a fee or two reduced if you track down the right Xfinity deals and discount offers. In fact, some of Xfinity's plans are quite affordable, which is why this ISP made our list of the best cheap internet options.

Installation

Most internet providers charge installation fees even though they offer deals to waive them. Professional installation fees typically range from $50-100, so Xfinity’s ($89.99) is on the higher end. The nice thing about Xfinity, however, is that their techs will come and set up internet at night and on weekends.

Xfinity offers self-installation for most of its plans. I recommend self-installing even if it’s your first time. Xfinity’s self-install kit costs $15 and includes your equipment, necessary wires, and instructions on installing everything. I watched the how-to self-install help videos on Xfinity’s website for guidance.

Xfinity also offers its own streaming hardware. The Xfinity Flex is 4K-capable streaming TV box that is available to customers who aren't opting for Xfinity's pay-TV service. Like a Roku or Fire TV device, the Xfinity Flex makes it easy to stream on services like Netflix.

Equipment Fee

I don’t like equipment fees, but I do like having peace of mind. Like their monthly rates, Xfinity’s equipment fees are higher than most at $14 a month. It’s worth paying when you don’t know much about internet technology (or if you just aren’t interested in keeping up with it). I can rely on Xfinity to troubleshoot or replace my modem when there’s an issue, or it’s time for an upgrade.

Xfinity has a couple of different versions of their modem, the xFi Gateway. You can see mine in the picture below.

Xfinity Router
Xfinity Router

I have the xFi Wireless Gateway, which you’ll get if you choose the Extreme Pro+ or any lower-tier plans. I know when there’s a problem with my connection since the lights are labeled. I like that it stands on its own — I usually lay modems down on their side since they don’t stand on their own too well. If you get the Gigabit plan, you’ll get the xFi Advanced Gateway, which looks like a small box.

Contracts

Xfinity requires a minimum one-year contract for their promotional prices. You could choose not to have a contract, but Xfinity’s contract-free plans cost $10 more per month. No matter what you choose, Xfinity offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for each internet plan. If you decide to cancel service on a contract plan after 31 days, you’ll have to pay an early termination fee. Xfinity doesn’t make it easy to find out how much their ETF is.

I’ve seen most cable providers charge $10 per month left on a contract. With Xfinity, I recommend planning to pay the monthly rate for each remaining month. In other words, if there are six months left on your contract and you have the Blast Pro+ plan, you should expect to pay about $390 in ETFs. It’s rare for a provider to charge more than $200 in ETFs, but it won’t hurt to be prepared.

Xfinity Customer Service

Customer service is one area that many complain about regarding Xfinity. I haven’t really had any issues with them; however, their customer service reps can be a little bit pushy trying to upsell you into upgrading your plan. It is usually easy to get an issue resolved with Xfinity. My internet has gone out a few times, but I’ve always been able to get a customer service rep to help we fix it within an hour. I never had to go for days without internet.

Most of the reps I’ve spoken too are friendly. However, you often have to deal with robo-operators for 5-10 minutes before you can get an actual human on the phone. Dealing with them, and being put on hold, is the most frustrating part about contacting Xfinity. Thankfully, Xfinity has multiple ways to reach them online, like Twitter (@XfintySupport), Reddit (/r/comcast_xfinity), online chat, and their community forums.

Verdict

Overall, the most notable things about Xfinity internet are its high speeds and exclusive features. I can’t say Xfinity is one of my top choices for internet because of their prices, but they provide a reliable network that could handle any cord cutters’ heavy internet usage. Just be mindful of Xfinity’s data cap when you’re binging Psych.

15 thoughts on “Xfinity Internet Review

  1. Nwak says:

    COMCAST has the worst customer service of any internet service I know. I was recently charged $252.52!! when I called to resolve the bill the Rep was very un-knowledgeable and unhelpful. After 1 hour wasted, I had to call back the next day. I got a Rep. who traced back the bogus bill to an ACCIDENTAL OVER-CHARGE due to a credit that was never applied, instead I was charged again!!! She ended up crediting me $110. I paid the balance she told I owed on that day and ended the service. Fast forward 1 month later – today (1/18/20) comcast still has me on record as owing them some $85 plus…
    In a fruitless attempt to resolve the issue, I kept on the phone for almost 1hour, passed from one billing depart to another, where Reps were not helpful at all, asking me to proove this and proove that even though the mistake was made at their end and all they need to do is credit my account as they noted they would. IT’S VERY FRUSTRATING.
    Comcast’s confusing price increases and accidental overcharges can be tough to unravel as you jump from one unhelpful representative to the next. aS i WRITE, MY OVER-BILL IS UNRESOLVED AND I HAVE TO CALL COMCAST BACK AFTER WORK.
    COMCAST is the worst. … stay away from them if you can!!!

    1. Disgruntled Customer says:

      I think everyone who has a question with Comcast goes through it. It reminds me of Kmart before they closed.

  2. Zoey Tomassone says:

    Comcast completely halts my wifi for about 5 seconds every minute

  3. Tom Deen says:

    Horrible horrible horrible service. I have not had cable for four weeks now. Two techs have spent over 4 hours each on two separate occasions and nothing. If you call, the customer service department, starts over (every time) as if there are no notes. I would give them less than one star if possible.

  4. michelle jenkins says:

    switch, contractor messed up , charged 210 dollars in one month by cbs all access and 60 by your companhy after loosing my cable and internet for a week

    1. Margaret aka Peggy Leetzow says:

      URGENT

      Fraud Case IH214385227

      i tried to make a $200 payment on my florida account but your online system took $686.20 and applied it to a closed account that apparently has a final bill due of $216.02 and your representative at the south wadsworth store neglected to return my equipment to your inventory so i called and spoke with alvin on 3/18 who gave me his supervisor jason at 7167728620 who stole another $100 from me for a covid discount on my florida account. On 3/20 i called again and talked to sarah who agreed to refund $470 no later than 3/29 but it remains unrefunded. I called on 3/29 and was told it would take 7 to 10 days so to wait until 3/31 if no refund was there to call 412/011-0627 the dispute department. Now i am being told that number is not a working number. I called customer service and now cannot get beyond your f-ing recorded tape answering service.

  5. Malcolm says:

    2 years ago when i setup my new pc, and comcrap over throttled my speed for some unknown reason. I complained on thier support chat and the issue was fixed. But since that time i regarded them as being a distrusting and unpredictable corporation. Ironically, we are still using thier services.

  6. RLM says:

    I strongly disagree with the article…
    Over the years I’ve had experience with Charter, Charter Spectrum, AT&T, and CenturyLink
    internet and cable services. I recently signed on with xfinity much to my regret. The whole setup process is overly complicated. Why the hell should I have to reconfigure my system to accommodate xfinity’s requirements? Additionally, as a nApple user, it is near impossible to use Apple TV. Both Apple and Xfinities have pages worth of complaints but no clear solutions. Xfinity does not play well with Apple products.

  7. bob says:

    COMCAST has the worst customer service of any internet service I know.
    The price structures listed here are stale by months/years.
    All of the complaints listed above are common.
    Regardless of how long you have been a customer, there are few if any retention rates.

    Price gouging during a pandemic.
    5G and whole-home mobile systems will soon level the playing field. Talk with your feet and wallet. Cut the cable

  8. Frank says:

    Im buying Roku for all the TVs. for a one- time charge of 30 or $40 per TV, and a reasonable small monthly charge, it’s all I ever watch. I’m dumping cable which is costing me hundreds of dollars a month. but they’ve got me by the short hairs because I have to stay with Comcast for my email addresses which all my customers have.

  9. Joe says:

    Those rates are for new accounts only. Existing customers looking to cut their bill be losing the TV package do not qualify.

  10. Gina says:

    Terrible customer service and will still your money then show no effort to return it! I have my payments on autopay and in October switched to a different card for my payments (in my review card A to card B). I have the basic internet plan that is $20/month after a $10 discount for automatic payments. On Oct 1, they charged me $20 on card A. On Oct 12, they charged me $60 on card B. On Nov 12, they charged me $92.26 on card A. On Dec 5, they charged me $65.43 on card B. For Oct, Nov and Dec, I should have paid a total of $60 for services ($20 for each month). They have charged me four times on two different cards for a total of $237.69, meaning they STOLE $177.69 within 2 months. Between Oct and Dec, I have spent almost 5 hours on the phone to resolve these issues, each time with no help. The last call they told me they would submit a ticket to their finance department but I have heard nothing. Terrible customer service, terrible business, and terrible experience for a service that consistently goes in and out.

  11. Greg Malmberg says:

    I found 5g home internet. $50/mo no contract. Speeds are INCREDIBLE! up to 400Mbs. Currently have Xfinity with cable TV. Speeds advertised is up to 275Mbs. Best I get on average is 60mbs. They charge $170/mo for this.

    They advertised a 50mbs plan for $19.99 per month, but since I am a good longstanding customer of 18 years, they said they could only do $64/mo at best.

    I am cutting cutting cord. 5g is going to kill these cable companies and their monopoly. Best part about the 5g service I have is that it is portable! Ahahahahaha. Good luck dragging the cable cord with you.

    See ya Xfinity, and I wouldn’t want to be ya!

  12. Sheldon Brown says:

    Your comments are spot on… Thanks

  13. Ronald says:

    Xfinity/Comcast is very expensive. Yes, they do offer an unlimited data plan but either you have to pay an additional $30/mo. or $25/mo. for their xFi Complete (which also forces you to use one of their modems/router). Every year you will have to call and threaten to leave to try and get a promotional price which is a pain the ass. Forget about bundling because their cable packages are outrageous and include almost $40 in additional fees (Local Broadcast fee and Sports fee). They do not offer any packages without sports…therefore, everyone that does not care about sports is subsidizing everyone else in addition to that horrid sports fee.

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