Is Earthlink A Good Internet Provider?
EarthLink: Can it be considered as a Good Option for Internet Service?
EarthLink is an ISP company that was founded in 1994 and provides internet connection to its customers. The company provides internet, telephone, and television services to households and companies in the United States of America. EarthLink’s key selling points include dependable connections, friendly support, and reasonable rates. However, is it the best solution for your home or business Internet connection? Here are the strengths and weaknesses of EarthLink:
The Pros of Choosing EarthLink
Available nationwide
In the next point let’s discuss more about the pros of EarthLink's availability of internet service across the United States. It provides broadband internet service in more than 141000 zip codes in 50 states in the United States. Hence it can be said that EarthLink can offer services to homes as well as offices. This makes it ideal if you are searching for a reliable Internet connection while on the move or require Internet in many places.
It provides speeds up to 1 Gbps
On the lower end, EarthLink provides consumers with connection speeds of 1. 5 Mbps while on the higher end, it offers up to 1 Gbps through the use of fiber optics. The 1 Gbps speed puts it in league with other high-end competitors so you can download data, stream video, upload files, etc. These faster speeds are better to support multiple connected devices than slower DSL connections.
This means that there shall be no restrictions as to the amount of data that is transferred and no restrictions on the bandwidth.
As of this writing, EarthLink does not attempt to throttle speeds or restrict data usage among its Internet customers. This means you can get as much data as you desire without consequences or actions that reduce your speed. As for important users such as frequent internet users and large families, no caps and throttling are comfortable.
Award-winning customer support
The provider claims to have won awards for its helpful, friendly, and considerate customer service and support. In the last decade, its technical and account support teams have received awards and recognition. Having support from professionals who are available 24/7 through the phone, online chat, or email can fix connection problems as soon as possible.
Free security software
Internet security is offered for free when users sign up for any of the available internet packages with EarthLink. ProtectionID identity theft monitoring, anti-virus software, and PC cloud backup are shields of technology that ensure devices and data are secure. More security enhances the confidence level as we shop, conduct banking, and even share personal information over the internet.
The Cons to Choosing EarthLink
Connection reliability varies
Although EarthLink has been highly recommended for great customer service, connection reliability varies among subscribers. Some regions enjoy uninterrupted power supply with little intermission. Nonetheless, several reviews point to local infrastructure issues that result in frequent outages and substandard speed as compared to the advertised. It can be observed that signal strength is highly location-dependent.
Equipment rental fees
As for the home internet connection, EarthLink still sets different prices for renting essential devices such as modems and routers. This aspect of having to pay these monthly equipment rental costs makes their service pricing less clear. This way, competitors usually give out standard equipment for free. It is quite understandable that these rental fees are recurring throughout the contract term and can pile up.
No price-lock guarantees
Pricing of EarthLink internet is quite affordable as it is listed at very cheap prices. However, they do not promise to guarantee a lock-in pricing throughout the term of the contract that you have signed with them. Hidden in the small text are some clauses that enable them to increase the monthly charges as they please. For example, while there may be no long-term price lock, what you are paying for today can easily turn into an overpriced product tomorrow.
Contract cancellation penalties
Certain conditions need to be met to create residential service for EarthLink, and one of these requirements is the necessity to enter into an agreement that will be valid not for less than 12 months. Early termination also attracts high termination charges which are mostly in the region of a few hundred dollars depending on EarthLink’s policy. Such penalties that are charged whenever people fail to complete the agreed term contract are provoking to many previous consumers.
The Bottom Line
All in all, EarthLink Internet provides reliable connection speeds, informative customer service, and reasonable prices for the service. Nevertheless, connection reliability in some areas is inconsistent, and some contracts are not consumer-friendly, including rental fees, price increases, and cancellation charges. What has been done by and with EarthLink has been excellent for some but subpar for other persons and situations. It is advisable to research the infrastructure of the area you intend to have the services from before subscribing to the service. Be sure to also scrutinize the contract’s small letters in case you need or want to cancel services before the agreed time.
