Website about Frontier Internet
Website about Frontier Internet
I've been using FIOS for six years now. It began when it was Verizon, then Frontier took over. I only have internet service and connect my equipment directly to the FIOS ONT. I don't recall a recent outage or slowdown. I've seen complaints on Nextdoor about their performance. I can't say their service is better or worse than any other major ISP.
They’re still catching their breath, honestly. It seems they made poor decisions by acquiring unwanted parts from Verizon and taking on significant debt. Based on what I’ve learned, here’s hoping for a better outcome.
I also wanted to mention there are two main aspects of Frontier: the Fios acquisition (from Verizon) and their existing DSL connection—which many find disappointing. I've been using Fios since 2008, when it was originally Verizon. Only a single non-power related interruption has occurred; someone at the hub damaged the fiber cable that reached our home. I’ve moved up the speeds from 15/15 to 25/25, then to 50/50, and now to 150/150. They provided a free upgrade of our old ONT, but be aware the newer units lack battery backup. There are several challenges during the transition to Frontier:
1. No discounts on contracts. We’d continue renewing our two-year Verizon plan for better rates. After switching to new pricing, you’ll face full costs regardless of changes (there’s a trick to change names, but service will be interrupted).
2. Cable cards are no longer available. I used a cable card with my HD Homerun Prime from Verizon, which worked well, so I tried again. Frontier denied another one, pushing for TV box rentals—something I’m not comfortable with.
3. Keep an eye on your first bill. They made questionable adjustments when upgrading our ONT to 150/150. We were billed for a router rental even though we already owned it (fully paid by Verizon). They also charged for Frontier security bundles without asking, despite my prior silence. I managed to get the charges reversed, but it was frustrating.
4. My confidence wavers about Charter, though I suspect they’re doing similar tactics now. For new users, they insist on renting a router even if you already own one. Cable boxes require payment too (the first one was free with Verizon). ISPs seem pushing this equipment rental trend. I’m hesitant to switch or leave, given our grandfathered Cable Card and free TV box deals.
5. The technician who installed our new ONT told me Frontier appears disorganized post-Verizon buyout. He said fiber is treated like copper lines (DSL) and that old gear often went unused—there’s a growing pile of outdated ONTs at the warehouse. I also noticed inconsistencies when I inquired about my cable boxes; their serial numbers didn’t match what was on file.
6. When Fios was Verizon, you could manage upgrades and bundles online or explore new options yourself. This was convenient since it avoided long calls to support. With Frontier, there’s no such self-service system—everything must go through customer service, which is often slow.
7. I suspect this isn’t unique to Frontier; many ISPs push equipment rentals. I’m concerned about changing providers or leaving, especially with the Cable Card and first TV box still free under Verizon.
8. The wait times are another issue: as an existing customer, help takes 20–30 minutes; as a new user, it’s just 1–2 minutes. Overall, I remain satisfied with the service—stable and without throttling. Frontier still offers symmetrical speeds, unlike Charter’s current offerings. Still, I see room for improvement in customer service.
9. My experience with the technician was mixed. He mentioned Frontier handles fiber differently than copper (DSL), but often struggled with old equipment. The pile of unused ONTs at the warehouse is a real concern.
10. I also spoke to another technician about our two cable boxes; they had incorrect serial numbers on file. This added to my growing unease about the setup process.
I’m a bit apprehensive about switching, especially since I have the grandfathered benefits still intact.