by The broadband and cable industry in the US is booming. Even though cord-cutting is a growing movement but consumers are still obsessed with cable services. I mean, why not? The variety of channels you get in a cable TV service are unmatchable and no streaming service can replace it, whatsoever.
Moreover, the telecom companies are obsessed with 5G technology that is expected to launch this year. However, cable internet providers do not feel it is a threat because it will take years for 5G to be readily available for the masses.
Choosing a provider for your home or business is a difficult task. No matter how hard you try, having multiple providers offering services at your address can create confusion. You have to consider the prices, services offered, installation charges, and value for money.
Mediacom and Xfinity are two commonly known providers with vast services across the US. Therefore, we decided to do a comparison between the providers in terms of packages, pricing, and customer service.
Let us start with Mediacom:
Mediacom
Internet
Mediacom is known for its high-speed internet with speeds ranging from 60Mbps to 1000 Mbps. You surely will not need to go up to 1000 Mbps for your home. For a household with regular streaming, downloading, and online gaming, up to 100 Mbps is more than enough considering 2-3 devices are being used simultaneously.
Plans
Plans and Prices differ from area to area but Mediacom offers high-speed internet in an affordable price range to a large chunk of the US households. The prices start at $25 for the most basic package and go up higher for the premium internet packages.
Equipment
Mediacom boasts its version of a super-fast and reliable mesh Wi-Fi system called Xtream Wi-Fi. This comes loaded with the latest technology and additional router pods that have the capability to eliminate all the dead zones in your house, providing better coverage in larger homes.
Data Caps
Almost all Mediacom Internet packages come with data caps. The amount of data you can use in a month increases with the speed you are signing up for. For the most basic package, you will have a data limit of 400GB and the data cap climbs up to 6000 GB with its 1000 Mbps plans.
Cable
There are no standalone cable TV packages with Mediacom and all of them are bundled with the internet usually.
Channels
Mediacom has a decent channel lineup and consists of all the popular channels available on Cable TV. You get Animal Planet, Fox, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, Bravo, Lifetime, TBS, and many more to choose from. It has a special place for all the music lovers with 50 channels dedicated to music only. This is not it. For sports fans, you get all the niche sports channels like NFL Network, ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox.
You can also add premium channels with specially designed sports and movie packs.
Plans
As we have already discussed, all the plans are bundled with the internet and prices range from $80 for the basic cable and internet package to $130 for premium cable and ultra-fast internet package.
Equipment Charges
A standard HD box will cost you approximately $10 while the TiVo DVR box is $14.95 a month.
Other Charges
You have to pay a Regional sports fee and other surcharges on top of your monthly bill. The installation is $99.99 but customers may qualify for a discount on this installation. The activation fee is $10 (one-time).
Xfinity
Internet
Xfinity is arguably one of the most reliable internet service providers in the US. You get to choose from a variety of plans ranging from 25 to 2000 Mbps.
Plans
The Xfinity internet deals are closely designed to fit the requirements of every household. You get the basic internet with up to 15 Mbps download at a starting price of $29.99. For the ultra-fast plan, you get supersonic 2000 Mbps download speeds. The plans are quite affordable with respect to all the other providers.
Data Caps
The data caps are generous and you have 1TB of monthly data which is close to being unlimited.
Equipment
With high-speed internet, you get an xFi gateway which is easily one of the most advanced and secured gateways in the broadband industry, combining a modem and router in one single unit.
Cable
Xfinity is one of the largest cable providers in the US with services across 41 states. It uses a coaxial cable network to get you high-speed internet and HD cable.
Plans
Unlike Mediacom, there are not many plans to choose from. Xfinity however, has kept everything simple with three plans namely: Digital Starter, Digital Preferred, and Digital Premier. It is better to bundle Cable and the Internet. You get both of these services in pricing starting from $79.99 and going up to $134.99 for high-end packages.
Channel
The channel lineup is tailored to meet your requirements. You get all the basic news channels, National Channels, Local Channels, and Premium channels. Moreover, you get on-demand service free.
Equipment Charges
The standard HD box is $10 per month and there is an additional $10 for DVR with 60 hours of recording capabilities.
Other charges
Installation is cheap and costs you up to $29.95 for self-installation and $60-$80 for the technical installation.
So, which one do you think is better? Let me know in the comments section underneath.
