Research and methods
Understand the terms behind an internet price
The same monthly headline can cover two months, one year, five years of base service, or an unstated period. Our first audit records 7 public provider-page examples observed on September 21, 2026, with their actual timing, discount, equipment and installation conditions.
2 months
EarthLink headline introductory period before an unpriced full-rate period
Year 1
Spectrum Internet 500 public first-year service rate
60 months
Optimum Fiber 500 service price lock, with separate gateway terms after month 12
September 2026 pilot
Seven source-linked examples, compared by term rather than price rank
The selected pages are from Spectrum, AT&T, Xfinity, EPB, Kinetic, EarthLink and Optimum. We recorded what each sampled page explicitly says about price duration, later pricing, AutoPay, equipment, installation and address qualification. The study includes a repeatable worksheet for checking your own offer.
How to use this research
- Identify how long the displayed rate lasts and whether it is a service rate or an all-in price.
- Check the provider's current broadband label and final quote at your address, including equipment.
- Enter confirmed rates and fees into the cost calculator. Leave unknowns blank.
A buyer question the headline cannot answer
In the September 21 snapshot, EarthLink's public fiber headline is $24.95 a month for two months, followed by a full-price plan whose amount is not given on the sampled page. The two introductory months add to $49.90 in base service charges; a first-year service subtotal needs the later rate. Optimum's selected 500 Mbps page states a five-year service rate, but its gateway has a separate 12-month $0 period. These examples show why the date each component changes matters.
This is a hand-selected public-page audit with no permissioned customer bills, address submissions, or national sample. It cannot establish the final price for a household. See our broader editorial method and internet-cost guide.