Is Earthlink A Good Internet Service?
EarthLink: Is This Veteran Internet Service Worth It?
Among the first online service providers (ISPs) established in the United States of America is EarthLink. Originally beginning with a dial-up connection, it was founded in 1994 and is older than the broadband connections of today. EarthLink is still an autonomous ISP providing DSL, fiber optic, and fixed wireless Internet services to American consumers more than 25 years later.
But with such major businesses as cable and telephone providers, is EarthLink still a smart choice in the modern market? This page will highlight EarthLink's advantages and shortcomings so that you may decide if the online services fit your house.
EarthLink's Internet Offerings
Originally established as an ISP offering dial-up access many years ago, EarthLink has now grown to provide a range of contemporary connection options. EarthLink provides the following internet services depending on where you live.
DSL Internet Fiber Optic Internet Fixed Wireless Internet Dial-Up Internet
In certain areas, EarthLink provides DSL and fiber optic connections, which may provide internet speeds of up to 1Gbps. Another service provided by the company and the business makes use of its infrastructure in conjunction with leased lines from other communication companies' online access. This allows it to provide service throughout the United States, particularly in rural places insufficiently serviced by other broadband providers.
The Advantages of Selecting EarthLink
There are several benefits that EarthLink offers its customers.
- No Data Caps EarthLink does not limit data usage or charge extra fees for going over set data limits, meaning you can browse to your heart’s content. This is particularly beneficial to households that require high data usage.
- Free Modem and No Contracts In addition to this, you will be provided with a free modem once you subscribe to the services offered by EarthLink. Also, there are no long-term contracts, so the consumer is not bound if he or she wishes to change the provider in the future.
- U.S.-Based Customer Service The company offers customer support services all through the year and around the clock and is based in the United States. If you ever need help, you can call, email, or even chat with its support team.
- Email Addresses and Storage Every customer of the EarthLink internet service is provided with 10 mailboxes totaling 1GB of storage per mailbox. This means that you get a professional email address without having to subscribe to any third-party provider.
- Web Hosting and Security EarthLink offers a service for hosting websites on their server as an addition to the internet connection plan. This also comes with a complete security package that comprises an anti-virus, a firewall, and parental controls among others to protect all the devices.
The Cons to Consider
While EarthLink has its perks, there are some downsides to weigh if you are considering it for internet service.
- Slower Speeds EarthLink is reasonable with the internet speed but they have limited internet speed and its speed and performance of internet connection depend on the location. In general, major cable companies such as Xfinity or Spectrum offer faster internet service.
- Mixed Reliability Since it integrates service through various forms of infrastructure, reliability is usually high and low with EarthLink at the same time. The connection drops and slows down are more often experienced than when using providers that have integrated networks.
- Website and Support Can Be Outdated The company’s website and account management are not visually appealing and seem rather old-fashioned. The support experience makes it seem like the company has not evolved from using the old chat and self-service solutions provided by some of the newer companies.
- Fewer Bundled Service Options It is impossible to take any other Internet service other than EarthLink. For those in search of offers that encompass home phone, TV, and internet, they will not find it here.
Is EarthLink a company that should be considered for your internet needs?
The company has enjoyed good brand awareness given its long experience in the internet service industry. It provides a viable solution for the major cable companies that target some forms of residential and business consumers.
Users who need a lot of data each month will find that EarthLink has no limitations on data usage. It implies that there will be no overage charges for bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming 4K video or hosting servers.
The web hosting and full security suite are the additional benefits that provide value over the bare basic internet and connectivity plans offered by the competitors. Another thing that EarthLink does if you are working from home and require official email addresses that can be associated with your internet service is to provide that as well.
But these could be mitigated by some key issues that one cannot help but observe – EarthLink’s relatively dated-appearing website and back-end architecture compared to many of its rivals. One hopes that the intended target would come to search for other available providers in their area with much faster speeds.
In conclusion, having analyzed the information presented, one can conclude that EarthLink is still a worthy internet service provider that offers its services all over the United States. On flexibility terms, it stands out as one that does not require customers to sign any contracts and has no data limits. However, its performance and reliability depend on the market, so it is recommended to check the actual speed and infrastructure in your area.
