When I was trying to figure out how much money I should spend on my internet service, I found a service called XL Broadband that offered “net neutrality” for a small fee.
The service would allow users to watch the video stream, but it wouldn’t block or throttle any content.
It was essentially an ad-free version of Netflix, which is pretty much the internet as we know it today.
I bought it for $80.
Fast forward three months, and I’m still trying to decide where to spend my money on broadband.
I still haven’t made up my mind, but I know I’m on the wrong side of the net neutrality debate.
So far, XL has been the only internet provider offering the service for a decent price, but other ISPs have jumped on the bandwagon.
Here are the best and cheapest broadband options for 2018, and why you should consider them if you have a budget.
1.
Charter: The service is available in 50 cities across the US and Canada, but you need to make an in-person reservation.
The service includes a free 2-year Internet service plan that gives you a 1 GB/month allowance for the first two years, and then gets billed at $70/month per additional year of service.
The plan also includes a 4GB/month broadband bundle, which you can also get a $5 discount off for in-home rental.
You can find Charter on Amazon and its own website.
Charter also offers a 1-year internet service plan at $65 per month for those in the U.S. and Canada.
2.
Cox: The Cox internet service provider offers a $50/month internet package, which includes access to up to 3GB of data, plus access to over 30 different broadband providers.
The package also includes 4G speeds of up to 1,200Mbps, as well as a $25 credit for the Cox Internet Gateway, which connects your home network to the internet.
The Cox package also comes with unlimited texting and voice calling, a free 3G hotspot, and a $2 credit to use on your Cox credit card to pay for the cost of an internet service.
3.
Comcast: The Comcast internet service offers a 4G internet package that includes 2GB of high-speed internet per month.
You also get unlimited texting, unlimited video calls, and the ability to stream video over your cable or DSL service.
Comcast offers the service in many areas of the US. 4.
Frontier: Frontier offers a 3G internet service with 4G-speed speeds that includes 3GB per month of data for $60 per month, or 2GB for $70 per month with a credit toward the cost.
The Frontier internet service also includes 3D hotspots, a data package that also includes free video calls and unlimited texting.
5.
Time Warner Cable: Time Warner has the largest internet plan for 2018: $60/month for one month of internet access.
It also offers 4G hotspots with speeds of 2G to 1.5G and 4K video.
You get the Time Warner cable package for $40 per month and can buy additional 4G data and internet access to the tune of $50 per month (or $50 for the whole month).
Time Warner offers the Time Warner cable package at no additional charge, and has also rolled out a $100 credit for using the TimeWarner internet service at home.
6.
Charter Spectrum: Charter Spectrum has a $60 broadband package, and it includes 4GB of free internet for a month, plus unlimited text, voice, and 3D calls.
Charter has been offering a similar service for the past few years.
Charter is a division of Charter Communications.
7.
Bright House Networks: Bright House has the most expensive broadband plan in the US at $50,000/year for 4G broadband, and there’s also a $40 credit for a data bundle that includes unlimited texting at speeds of 1.3Ghz.
This is the fastest internet service that I’ve tested, but only the best service, Bright House offers.
Bright house offers a 2-month internet service package at $100 per month that includes 4K internet speeds.
8.
Time-Warner Cable: Comcast offers a similar plan to Time Warner, but Time Warner’s plans cost $40 a month.
TimeWarners broadband is only available in the Northeast, but there’s no real difference between Comcast’s service and Time Warner.
9.
Cox Digital: Cox has a 4-year broadband plan at about $80 per month which includes 4Mbps speeds for $75 per month after two years of service, plus 4G speed.
Cox also has a 1TB internet package with a $20 credit toward a new Comcast account and unlimited voice calls.
You don’t need to pay a monthly service fee for Cox, and Cox offers