How Reliable Is Earthlink Internet?
EarthLink Internet: How Reliable Is It?
EarthLink is a very old and popular Internet service provider (ISP) company in the United States of America. Incorporated in 1994, EarthLink has offered dial-up, DSL, cable internet, and fiber optic internet services to customers throughout the United States of America for more than a quarter of a century. However, is EarthLink’s internet service dependable? In this article, I’ll focus on the reliability reputation of EarthLink, speed and availability, customer service, and plans and pricing of EarthLink internet so that you can decide if EarthLink internet service is reliable for your home or business.
EarthLink's Reliability Reputation
EarthLink was one of the first consumer Internet access companies in the US, so it has had over two decades to establish its reliability credentials. In conclusion, EarthLink has average to above-average reviews concerning its reliable internet service among its competitors. However, it is crucial to note that the reliability of the internet connection depends on the location and the type of internet plan that is subscribed to by an individual.
Independent reviews are generally positive for EarthLink in terms of its performance of cable and fiber optic Internet services with a consistent speed. DSL reliability for its part is somewhat better with some regions stating that their uptime is very high while others have noted that they sometimes experience outages and their speeds are sometimes slower than advertised. This is usual with most big DSL providers that depend on outdated telephone wires.
EarthLink’s reliability also benefits from its longevity and the fact that it is one of the largest and most widespread ISPs in the United States. In general, by being a large company, EarthLink can acquire and install better equipment as well as discover new technologies that other local and regional ISPs cannot afford. This assists EarthLink in being able to respond to the increasing attempts at improving the infrastructure to offer better services.
Thus while no provider offers perfect 100% uptime, EarthLink has established a long-term ability to offer stable internet connections longer than many of its competitors. For this reason, they are among the safest and most reliable brands that most consumers can buy.
This involves the EarthLink internet speed and availability or the degree of internet connectivity available in an area.
The two other characteristics that are highly important for a reliable Internet connection are speed and availability. EarthLink has various speed levels and internet services that can be accessed by almost all the states in the main American continent. However, the actual speeds and coverage can vary depending on the location of the service.
EarthLink offers Internet service starting with the basic package at 3Mbps up to the fiber package of 2Gbps. Top download and upload speeds by plan type are.
- Dsl: up to 115mbps download, 20mbps upload
- Cable: up to 940 Mbps download, 35 Mbps upload
- Fiber: up to 2000mb/s for downloading and uploading
However, these maximum advertised speeds may seem flashy, but actual speeds are typically not as high as what internet providers claim. Normally customers can achieve up to 70 to 80 percent of the listed speed potential from the EarthLink service providers. This is quite usual among ISPs.
Access to EarthLink’s fastest fiber and cable networks is restricted to a few big cities. Of the remaining users, more of those in suburban or rural areas may be limited to having slower DSL internet. Fortunately, EarthLink has positioned its DSL availability in almost every region with phone service; however, the extreme rural users can have no access at all.
Thus, EarthLink's reliability suffers if you reside in a rural area or other locations that lack telecom companies’ attention to upgrades. EarthLink of EarthLink has a wider variety of plans for urban and suburban users and usually a higher level of service to select from.
EarthLink Customer Service Reputation
Next to the networking infrastructure, customer service plays an important role in keeping Internet users connected. Tech support that is hard to reach or not willing to help can easily transform small issues into system failures. Thankfully, customer service for EarthLink has primarily positive ratings that align well with the company’s stable technology.
A vast majority of customers are satisfied with EarthLink’s customer service which they describe as helpful and relatively prompt. The company offers technical support at any time of the day for internet connection problems. The billing, sales, and retention departments are reachable by phone seven days a week, as well as through online chat and mail.
Albeit hold times of 10, minutes or more may be irksome, once connected most representatives are knowledgeable in identifying what causes connection issues. The additional good support aspect and the fact that this company is recognized as a dependable mid-size ISP contribute to the reliability aspect.
Nevertheless, it is essential to note that EarthLink sometimes receives bad service feedback from custom contributors such as having unaware representatives and challenges in unsubscribing from the services. Visiting web resources such as ConsumerAffairs. Com reveals that many people have been using EarthLink for years and are generally satisfied with the services provided but many many people have. While problems are rare, getting resolutions may be frustrating for the patient.
EarthLink internet plans and pricing
Finally, the stability of the connection to the Internet depends largely on what plan of the company will be suitable for your usage. Today’s consumers demand constant increases in internet speed and data usage limits. Selecting an EarthLink package that offers adequate bandwidth ensures that the esteemed subscribers get consistent connection speeds during peak usage times.
The available contracts with EarthLink are price-protected from one year to three years. In addition to the long-term content, it is also possible to have a monthly subscription without a price-protected act. It means that having the additional, longer locked rate can help to prevent situations when the price increases and you have to switch to a slower speed. But, you have a lesser degree of freedom to switch providers or your location.
Bonus offers for the customers on the faster plans are provided for the new connections only. EarthLink also has sign-up bonuses in the form of prepaid gift cards that are up to $200. They also offer package deals such that one can pay for internet in addition to other services like phone or cable television. EarthLink’s promotional rates and bonuses make it cheaper for some households compared to other competitors.
In terms of stability, fiber optic plans are found from EarthLink to be most appropriate for internet use. Failing that, cable broadband is usually the next best thing if fiber is not offered in your locality. Within each category, if the budget allows, select the highest speed plan that is available. Also, attempt to reach a multi-year agreement with the promotional rates when subscribing during specific offers.
The improved physical layer, approachable customer service, and options that customers have regarding their Internet access from EarthLink all contribute to the company’s reputation of providing reliable connections. Even though no service provider is full without blemish, EarthLink remains ranked high as a reliable internet even in the majority of American homes and offices after more than a quarter of a century of its existence.
