Verizon vs. Astound Broadband: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
Verizon is faster, but Astound is a good alternative if you can’t get Verizon’s fiber.
Jun 5, 2023 | Share 
Provider Comparisons (Versus)
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Best for speed
- Customer rating: 3.9
- Price: $49.99–$119.99/mo.*#
- Speed: 300–up to 2,048 Mbps
- Internet type: Fiber, DSL
- Data cap: No cap
- Annual contract: No contract
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Best fiber alternative
- Customer rating: 3.5
- Price: $20.00–$70.00/mo. †‡§
- Speed: 100–1,200 Mbps
- Internet type: Cable, fiber
- Data cap: 300–1,000 GB in WA, OR, and CA only
- Annual contract: No contract
* w/ Auto Pay. Available in select areas.
#w/ Auto Pay and select 5G mobile plans. Available in select areas.
† Regional price differences may apply. No contract required. 24 Month Internet Pricing. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Observed speeds may vary. Excludes surcharges and fees. New residential customers only.
‡ Regional price differences may apply. 24 Month Internet Pricing. No contract required. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.
§ Regional price differences may apply. for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.
Compare Verizon and Astound Broadband head to head
Verizon and Astound Broadband compete mainly in Pennsylvania and high-density areas like Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC. Go with Verizon’s fiber internet if it’s in your area, as it offers faster uploads, better reliability, and better long-term pricing. If you can’t get fiber, Astound Broadband’s cable internet is an excellent yet costly alternative.
Pros and cons: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
Pros:
- No data caps
- No annual contracts
- Symmetrical fiber speeds
Cons:
- Limited availability
- No DSL service for new customers
Pros:
- Affordable promo prices
- Optional gaming router
- No annual contracts
Cons:
- Data caps in the West Coast region
- Limited fiber availability
- High price hikes
Plans and pricing: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
Generally, Verizon’s fiber internet competes against Astound’s cable internet in the Northeast. However, both providers offer fiber in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with speeds up to 940 Mbps. If you can’t get fiber from either one, Astound’s cable internet is your next best alternative.
Verizon plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 300/300 | $49.99/mo.* | 300 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 500/500 | $69.99/mo.* | 500 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 1 Gig | $89.99/mo.* | Up to 940 Mbps | Fiber | |
| Internet 2 Gig | $119.99/mo.* | Up to 2,048 Mbps | Fiber | |
| 5G Home Internet | $50.00/mo., $25.00/mo. for Unlimited mobile subscribers# | Up to 300 Mbps | Fixed Wireless | |
| 5G Home Internet Plus | $70.00/mo., $35.00/mo. for Unlimited mobile subscribers# | Up to 1,000 Mbps | Fixed Wireless | |
| LTE Home Internet | $50.00/mo., $25.00/mo. for Unlimited mobile subscribers # | 25-50 Mbps | Fixed Wireless |
* w/ Auto Pay. Available in select areas.
#w/ Auto Pay and select 5G mobile plans. Available in select areas.
Verizon and Astound Broadband offer fiber internet in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Of the two, pricing appears to be cheaper with Astound—even after the promotional period ends. Otherwise, Verizon’s fiber generally competes with Astound Broadband’s cable internet in the Northeast.
But Verizon trumps Astound Broadband in terms of selection and consistency. Verizon has five plans with a variety of speeds at set prices across the region. Astound offers different speed tiers at different prices in six Northeastern markets. Plus, Astound’s prices increase dramatically after the first 12 months, making Verizon the cheaper option for the long term in most areas where they overlap.
Astound Broadband plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps Internet | $25.00/mo. *†‡ | Up to 100 Mbps | Cable, Fiber | |
| 300 Mbps Internet | $20.00–$35.00/mo. *† | Up to 300 Mbps | Cable, Fiber | |
| 600 Mbps Internet | $35.00–$45.00/mo.*†‡ | Up to 600 Mbps | Cable, Fiber | |
| 800 Mbps Internet | $50.00/mo.*†‡ | Up to 800 Mbps | Cable, Fiber | |
| 940 Mbps Internet | $50.00–$60.00/mo.*†‡ | Up to 940 Mbps | Cable, Fiber | |
| 1200 Mbps Internet | $44.99–$70.00/mo.*†‡ | Up to 1,200 Mbps | Cable |
* Regional price differences may apply. No contract required. 24 Month Internet Pricing. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Observed speeds may vary. Excludes surcharges and fees. New residential customers only.
†Regional price differences may apply. 24 Month Internet Pricing. No contract required. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.
‡Regional price differences may apply. for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.
Astound Broadband runs four networks across the nation: Wave (West Coast), Grande (Texas), enTouch (Houston only), and RCN (the Chicago area and the Northeast). Plan availability and pricing vary across these locations, but they all mainly offer cable internet. Astound also has some fiber internet in California, Oregon, Texas, and Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
That said, if you want cheap fiber internet after promotional pricing, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, is the place to be. Astound’s 940 Mbps fiber internet plan costs $56.99 per month after 12 months versus Verizon’s similar plan at $89.99 per month after 12 months. But once you leave Luzerne County, Astound’s cable internet prices increase dramatically after 12 months: $159.99 for up to 940 Mbps in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Ouch!
Deals and promotions: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| |
|---|
| Get $25 off your internet plan when you bundle it with Verizon’s Unlimited Plus phone plan. You can get Fios fiber or 5G Home Internet for as much as half off the original monthly price. |
| |
|---|
| Get internet starting at $20 or $25 a month with a two-year price lock. You get a month of service free if you live in Washington DC, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York or Virginia. |
Extra fees: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Equipment fee | Installation fee | Other fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon |
|
|
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| Astound Broadband |
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Don’t let Astound’s long equipment list scare you: most of it is optional. The modem and router fees vary between the four networks and locations, so there’s no one specific price. Plus, you can choose to get a mesh network system instead or the NETGEAR Nighthawk XR1000 router if you’re a gamer.
But Astound’s list of other fees is extensive, showing that you can end up in a world of financial hurt if you don’t have funds ready for AutoPay. Convenience fees? Network access and maintenance fees? Yep, Astound has those too.
Customer ratings: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Overall Rating | Reliability Rating | Customer Service Rating | Speed Rating | Price Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Astound Broadband | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
* Rating based on a five (5) point system used in our customer satisfaction survey. Higher is better.
Verizon ranks second for overall satisfaction among the 13 national internet providers in our latest customer satisfaction survey. Its highest rating is in reliability satisfaction, which isn’t surprising given fiber is much more reliable than cable and DSL. It also ranks within the top four across the remaining categories, making Verizon one of the best fiber internet providers you can get if it’s available where you live.
Astound Broadband doesn’t share the same high scores, as it ranks in the bottom half across every category. Its best rating is in speed satisfaction, with scores slightly higher than the national average in meeting customer needs and advertised speeds. Its lowest ranking is in reliability and price satisfaction, the latter of which isn’t surprising since it generally increases your monthly cost after 12 months, whereas Verizon does not.
Best TV and internet bundles
| Internet speed | TV channels | Price | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 300 Mbps Internet + Your Fios TV | Up to 300 Mbps | 125+ | $124.99/mo.* | |
| Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection + More Fios TV | Up to 940 Mbps | 300+ | $188.99/mo.† | |
| Astound Broadband 300 Mbps Internet + Basic TV | Up to 300 Mbps | 40–65+ | $26.91-$65.47/mo.‡ | |
| Astound Broadband 1 Gig Internet + Preferred TV | Up to 940 Mbps | 289+ | $107.13-$159.01/mo§ |
* For new eligible TV and/or Internet res. custs. Availability varies. Wired & wireless Internet speeds vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. $15/mo. router and $99 setup charges & other taxes & terms may apply. Auto Pay & paper-free billing reqd. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Fios TV: $12/mo. STB charge may apply.
† For new eligible TV and/or Internet res. custs. Availability varies. Wired & wireless Internet speeds vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. $15/mo. router and $99 setup charges & other taxes & terms may apply. Auto Pay (ACH or bank debit card only) & paper-free billing req’d. for Internet service. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Fios Gigabit Connection: Gigabit network connection to your home. Wired speeds up to 940/880 Mbps with avg. speeds betw. 750-940 Mbps download / 750-880 Mbps upload. Fios TV: $12/mo. STB charge may apply.
‡ 12 Month Internet Pricing. Equipment priced separately. Includes $10 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay..
§ 12 Month Internet Pricing. Equipment priced separately. Multi-product discount applies.
Astound Broadband has a long list of TV and internet bundles spread out across its four networks, so prices and availability vary. The broadcast TV service charge (up to $26.95 per month) is an extra fee as is every additional channel you tack onto the base lineup.
Verizon keeps your choices simple, with the cheapest Mix & Match option starting at $124.99 per month. You can pick five of your favorite channels with Verizon’s Your Fios TV service. The More Fios TV service includes Verizon’s most popular channels plus regional sports.
Internet types: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Internet type | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | DSL, fiber | |
| Astound Broadband | Cable, fiber |
Verizon ‘s DSL internet is slower than fiber, topping out around 140 Mbps, but new customers can’t get it. Verizon’s fiber-to-the-home service is significantly faster, reaching speeds up to 2,048 Mbps both ways.
Astound Broadband is mainly a cable internet provider. Download speeds range from 50 Mbps to 1,200 Mbps, but some speed tiers may not be available where you live. Cable speeds aren’t symmetrical like fiber either, so Astound’s upload speeds on most plans are much slower at 10–50 Mbps.
Data caps: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Data Cap | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon |
| |
| Astound Broadband |
|
Astound Broadband enforces data caps on the West Coast. The data caps start at 300 GB and go up to 1 TB depending on the plan, and the 940 Mbps Internet plan includes the Unlimited Data Plan at no extra charge. Customers can opt for unlimited data on all other plans for $20 per month—but speeds may slow after 2 TB of usage. Astound also offers a cheaper Double Data Plan option for $10 per month, which doubles your data cap.
Astound does not enforce data caps in its other regions—just the West Coast.
Contracts: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Contract length | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | No contract | |
| Astound Broadband | No contract |
Verizon and Astound Broadband do not have annual contracts. Astound, however, has discounted pricing for the first 12 or 24 months, depending on where you live. After that, pricing increases to the standard rates. There are no hidden penalties for canceling your subscription.
Installation: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
| Installation options | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon |
| |
| Astound Broadband |
|
Generally, you can’t self-install fiber internet unless the necessary fiber line and hardware are already present. The same goes with cable internet: You need a pro install if your house isn’t connected to the provider’s equipment out by the road, or you need the connection relocated.
According to Astound’s documentation, you can only self-install cable internet in California, Oregon, and Washington (the Wave Broadband area). Astound’s Home Networking is an optional service that includes all the hardware and cables you need for a wired network with up to four additional computing devices.
Availability: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
Verizon is primarily in the Northeast from Virginia to Massachusetts (excluding Connecticut)—eight states in all. Verizon has a larger DSL internet footprint, but its fiber network keeps growing.
Astound Broadband’s cable internet offers service on both sides of the US, but it mainly competes with Verizon in the Northeast. Both providers offer fiber internet in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania—otherwise, Astound’s cable internet competes with Verizon’s fiber.
Final call: Verizon vs. Astound Broadband
These two providers mainly compete in Pennsylvania and in densely populated East Coast areas like Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC.
If you live there, we suggest going with Verizon’s fiber. It’s faster, more reliable, and cheaper than Astound’s cable internet after a year. If you can’t get fiber, then Astound is your next best option, but be prepared to pay a higher price once the promotional discount ends.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
More about Verizon and Astound Broadband
Author - Kevin Parrish
Kevin Parrish has more than a decade of experience working as a writer, editor, and product tester. He began writing about computer hardware and soon branched out to other devices and services such as networking equipment, phones and tablets, game consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom’s Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others. At HighSpeedInternet.com, he focuses on network equipment testing and review.
Editor - Rebecca Lee Armstrong
Rebecca Lee Armstrong has more than six years of experience writing about tech and the internet, with a specialty in hands-on testing. She started writing tech product and service reviews while finishing her BFA in creative writing at the University of Evansville and has found her niche writing about home networking, routers, and internet access at HighSpeedInternet.com. Her work has also been featured on Top Ten Reviews, MacSources, Windows Central, Android Central, Best Company, TechnoFAQ, and iMore.
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