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WOW! cable internet review: 24-month contracts get the best rates
Wide Open West, or WOW!, offers internet service in nine states throughout the Southern and Midwestern U.S. This internet provider features packages with extensive bandwidth at lower-than-average rates.
However, internet users will need to sign up for 24-month contracts to get the best rates from WOW!. And the company's limited availability means that many people will have to look elsewhere for their internet needs.
Pros:
- High speeds at affordable prices
- Offers bundled packages
Cons:
- Limited availability
- Best prices require long contracts
WOW! Internet Plans and Prices
| Plan | Price | Download/Upload Speeds | Connection Type | Best for |
| Internet 100 | $24.99 per month | Up to 100 Mbps | Cable | Multitaskers |
| Internet 200 | $34.99 per month | Up to 200 Mbps | Cable | Binge-watchers |
| Internet 500 | $44.99per month | Up to 500 Mbps | Cable | House of Multitaskers |
| Internet 1 Gig | $64.99per month | Up to 1,000 Mbps | Fiber | Mega Users |
Estimated Speeds
All of the internet plans WOW! Their customers are based on cable connections -- except the Internet 1 Gig plan, which is based on a fiber connection. Even the lowest plan WOW! offers at "up to 100Mbps" will be enough for many users, and because the plans are affordable, people who would normally select the most economical option might be interested in a higher package. However, each plan lists the maximum speed available and does not necessarily reflect the actual speed a client will receive, so it is advised to double-check which speeds are available in people's locations.
All plans come with no data cap.
Pricing
As with most internet providers, the plans WOW! offers differ by location. But regardless of the location, if WOW! is available, they probably offer one of the best rates in the area.
These rates, however, come with strings attached. For internet users to get the best price, they will need to sign up for a 24-month contract and use auto-pay as their billing option.
After the contract ends, the plan's monthly price goes up -- so make sure to keep track of the end date to reevaluate the value of the service under the new rate. Most of the plans go up about $20 after the contract runs out.
Whom is each plan best for?
- Internet 100: Best for a small family with 1-3 devices
- Internet 200: Best for a small family with 1-5 devices
- Internet 500: Best for medium to large families with 1-10 devices
- Internet 1 Gig: Large families of frequent internet users with 10+ devices
How Fast is WOW! Internet?
The latest FCC report on internet access services, which collects internet usage data from 2017, found that only 37.5% of the internet connections in the U.S. were "at least 100Mbps."
WOW! internet plans begin with 100Mbps and rise fast from there. This provider caters to internet users who require significant bandwidth from their internet connection. And now, with the fiber connection that WOW! has made available to their customers, even those with substantial internet needs will be satisfied by the company's offerings.
Where is WOW! Internet Available?
As an internet provider, WOW! It is only located in the Southern and Midwestern U.S., making its offerings rather limited. . The company offers internet plans in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and within those states, the plans are only available in select areas, rather than statewide. To find out which WOW! covers areas within the states, head over to the company website and select the applicable state and region below it.
Other Factors to Consider
When signing up for a new internet plan, WOW! gives their customers flexibility on what equipment will be used. Customers can use their own modem or lease one from WOW! for $10 per month. The modem WOW! provides can receive up to "1 Gig Internet" service.
WOW! claims to offer plans that feature unlimited internet with no data cap. Frequent internet users who are worried about going over the monthly data limit and having their connection throttled will appreciate the lack of a data cap. But in the fine print, WOW! specifies that they reserve the right to "impose additional charges upon residential customers that use excessive bandwidth, which WOW! considers being bandwidth that is inconsistent with residential use."
If an internet user wants to sign up for a WOW! plan without a contract, they don't need to worry about any early termination fee. But WOW! does charge an early termination fee if a customer signs on to a contract and then terminates that contract before the term limit is finished.
This fee will be determined based on the services or equipment you purchased and the agreed-upon minimum length. As WOW! states in its "Minimum Term Plan document, "for the 12-month service plan, the ETF is $165 and will be reduced by $15 for each complete month during the Minimum Term Plan that you maintain and timely pay for all of the Minimum Term Plan services and other services you receive from WOW!. The ETF for the 24-month plan is $345 and will be reduced by $15 for each complete month".
WOW! also offers bundled services that vary widely by location. Depending on where the customer lives, WOW! will have bundles that include internet and cable TV and home phone services. Once again, because these bundles are heavily localized, people should check what is available in their area.