Suddenlink Internet Reviews 2020

Pricing & Packages | Modem & Router | Features | Customer Service | Final Recommendation

Suddenlink by Altice USA takes its place among the largest broadband internet service providers in the US. This ISP (internet service provider) is focusing on bringing high-speed internet access to rural areas, which is a welcomed change when compared to other providers.

The technology they employ to bring high-speed internet to your home is a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) infrastructure and HFC enables them to offer speeds up to 1000Mbps. The fiber part of the infrastructure runs throughout the streets and switches to coaxial TV cables for the last few feet that lead to customer homes.

Currently, their services are available to citizens and businesses of southern, western, and midwestern states, with the majority of customers being in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia. You can easily check out their website for the services available in each city or state, to see what’s in your area.

Packages and Pricing

Suddenlink offers ten internet service packages to customers in their service areas which are divided into two categories: non-gigabit markets and gigabit markets.

Their non-gigabit market plans support speeds from 50Mbps to 150Mbps, with prices from $75 to $115, while their gigabit market plans offer speeds from 100Mbps to 1000Mbps (1Gbps), with prices from $75 to $125 per month. Note that new Suddenlink customers are eligible for up to 50% discount for the first twelve months of service.

A Note About ‘Realistic Speeds’

As with any other provider, the speeds vary depending on the area and how heavy the network usage is. While some won’t have any issues with having peak speeds at all times, other areas might experience slowdowns during peak hours – Suddenlink actively manages their network to ensure all users have optimal speeds. Most of the time, however, the slower speeds won’t be noticeable. One thing to keep in mind is that the only plans without data caps are the ones with download speeds of 400Mbps or above.

Incentives

Suddenlink also offer incentives for buying top packages in either category. For example, currently, ordering the 150Mbps or 1Gbps package gets you a $100 American Express Gift Card.

Transparent Fees

Suddenlink is very transparent about their fees, which is refreshing when compared with other providers. Their website lists all fees that you might face, from unreturned equipment costs to installation and service fees.

All their packages come with a $40 activation fee, and you will also have to pay an installation fee – standard installation costs $49 to $99, while premium installation costs $99 to $149.

Your Modem and Router

You can choose to lease or buy your modem with each plan. The Docsis 3.0 modem is standard for all their internet plans and costs $10 per month if you opt for a lease. You can also buy this modem for a one-time payment of $80.

There is an option to lease a wireless modem, which will cost you another $10 per month if you want to have Wi-Fi in your home. There doesn’t seem to be an option to actually buy a wireless modem on their website currently, but this might change in the future.

The most cost-effective option is to either buy your own wireless modem or purchase their Docsis 3.0 modem and combine with a wireless router. Particularly if you’re planning to stay with Suddenlink long-term.

Features and Benefits

Suddenlink offers several additional benefits internet plan users:

New Customer Discounts

If you are moving your services to Suddenlink or are a first-time buyer, you are eligible for up to 50% discounts for their internet plans. Note that this offer is valid for the first year of their service. After that, you pay the full price.

Bundle Deals

Suddenlink also offers television and phone packages that you can bundle with your internet plan. Availability of their services varies depending on the area. You can easily check the services available in your area by visiting their website and putting in your address, town, and ZIP code. You will get a personalized deal based on whether you are a new customer or you plan to move your existing Suddenlink services to a new address.

Premier Protection and Support

Suddenlink offers device protection and remote tech support services for $19.99 per month. If you choose this option, you get protection for all your connected devices (PC, TV, tablet) which also covers any type of mechanical faults. This isn’t a bad deal as it covers any and all devices, including those you purchase in the future whilst your support subscription is active.

Premium Installation

When you choose the premium installation package, the Suddenlink technicians will set up Wi-Fi configuration for up to six of your devices, hardwire one device, and assist you with creating your Suddenlink ID.

HelloTech

Suddenlink offers additional third-party on-demand tech support for your home devices. This deal covers any type of help with your devices, from setting up your home entertainment to smart home device assistance.

SafeGuard Plans

This protection plan ensures there will be no additional charges for service calls to fix Suddenlink installed wiring at your home.

Customer Service

You can contact Suddenlink customer support via phone, chat, or email. The help section of their website has great shortcuts, like:

• Checking outstanding service statuses
• Finding the nearest Suddenlink store
• Scheduling a move of their services from your old address to a new one.

Their website also has a self-service section that includes written and video tutorials, user guides about their TV, internet, phone, and home security services, as well as a standalone section that deals with frequent issues with billing and account settings.

According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ASCI), Suddenlink scores at 61%, which is not overly good, but it’s not inherently bad either. Because you are not bound by a contract, it’s pretty easy to switch to another provider if you’re not satisfied with Suddenlink’s services.

There’s no hidden or early termination fees either, although you should always double-check with a customer support representative before terminating your service. Netflix also count Suddenlink as among some of the top ISP providers who offer the best streaming experience.

Ways to Save on Suddenlink

Bundle Up

In addition to their high-speed internet packages, Suddenlink offers phone and television services too, so you can bundle up to get the most out of it. For example, you will pay $54.99 per month for their Internet 400 package, but if you choose television and phone with it, you will only pay an additional $20 per month. For that, you will get over 225 channels, as well as phone service with free caller ID, call waiting, and call forwarding.

Outside of the bundle, these three services would cost you over $150 per month individually.

See Which Plans Are Available in Your Area

The pricing tiers for Suddenlink gigabit and non-gigabit markets are almost identical, but download and upload speeds vary a lot between the two markets.

Before you choose a plan, check whether you are in their gigabit market area, as this will bring you multiple benefits. First off, you’ll pay the same price and get a better speed – for $85 per month, you will get 75Mbps download speed if you’re in the non-gigabit market, but you can get 200Mbps for the same price if you’re in the gigabit market area. On top of that, you will also get a free installation with the latter, which means another $49 to $99 saved!

Free Installation with Online Purchases

If you choose your internet plan on their website, you won’t have to pay any installation fees. Make sure to check with their sales representative before you finalize any online purchases so you know exactly what you will be getting.

Check Which Packages Have Data Caps

All Suddenlink packages that are below 400Mbps download speed come with a data cap of 250GB. Higher speed packages don’t have the cap, so make sure you choose a plan without a data cap if you use streaming services heavily and connect a lot of devices.

Inform Yourself About Additional Fees

While Suddenlink is forthcoming about additional fees that you will have to pay, make sure to check what these include. The prices of additional fees vary greatly, with installation fees being from $0 to $99, all the way to $149 for premium installation. There are also activation fees for each package, as well as fees pertaining to unreturned equipment, HD receiver fees, and so on.

Pay On Time

Suddenlink will check credit scores of their customers and keep a close eye on their payment history, which can affect eligibility for some of their exclusive deals and offers. Make sure to pay all your bills on time to be in good standing with them, so you can get the best prices and deals for your services.

Our Recommendation

Suddenlink focuses on bringing high-speed internet to rural areas that are otherwise often skipped by other service providers. They are actively working on building networks for their services and expanding their coverage.

Their internet packages have outstanding pricing, making them a sure pick for many residents in rural areas. Still, their availability is limited currently, as they are mostly focusing on southern and western states. If you are lucky enough to live in one of their gigabit markets, you can get some of the fastest broadband connections available.

One thing you should keep in mind is that their lower speed plans have data caps, most commonly set to 250GB per month. This is more than enough if you just browse the web, play a few games, and have up to ten devices you connect to your network. But, if you’re a gamer or a streamer, look elsewhere or at the higher tiered uncapped packages.

The Suddenlink gigabit plan is definitely our favorite pick – it doesn’t have a data cap, and Netflix loves it too. You’ll be able to download and upload everything you want, stream movies in 4K resolution, and enjoy games at low latency. With that package, you’ll get the highest speeds for a very affordable price, especially if you are a new customer as you’ll get 50% off for the first year to try them out!