Metronet vs. Cox Internet Providers Compared

Metronet offers fiber internet's superior performance with competitive pricing and rapid expansion In 2024, Metronet earned recognition as PCMag's "Fastest ISP in the United States" for both 2023 and 2024 [1]. In a significant development, a joint venture between T-Mobile and KKR completed the acquisition of Metronet in July 2025, with residential fiber customers now served under the T-Mobile Fiber brand while Metronet continues to manage network buildouts and infrastructure [2]. The company currently delivers multi-gigabit internet service to more than 3 million homes and businesses across 300+ communities in 19 states [3]. Metronet's coverage spans three major regions: a large portion of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, the South and Southwest (including Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado), and Florida in the Southeast. With an ambitious expansion plan targeting 6.5 million homes passed by the end of 2030, Metronet is adding fiber availability to underserved markets at an unprecedented pace [4].

All Metronet connections utilize 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds that cable and DSL providers cannot match. Metronet strategically builds in areas that lack another fiber provider, bringing high-speed options to communities previously limited to slower connection types.

States with Metronet service: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Major cities include Colorado Springs, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Lexington, Norfolk, Tallahassee, Dayton, Aurora (IL), Lansing, and Rochester (MN), with over 300 total communities served. In 2025 alone, Metronet announced fiber expansion plans in 32 new cities. Following the T-Mobile/KKR joint venture completed in July 2025, Metronet residential customers transitioned to T-Mobile Fiber branding for retail services, while Metronet focuses on network engineering, design, deployment, and installation [5]. The company maintains its commercial services business independently.

Metronet's prices start competitively with gradual increases and transparent rate structures Metronet offers fiber internet plans ranging from 500 Mbps to 2 Gbps, with promotional pricing that increases in stages rather than dramatic jumps after the first year [6]. With the entry-level plan, you’re paying roughly $0.09 per Mbps, which is a good competitive rate. Plans also include optional price locks that guarantee rates for up to 24 months. Current Metronet pricing:

• 500 Mbps: $44.95/mo for 12 months without price lock, or $60/mo with 24-month price lock
• 1 Gig: $49.95/mo for 12 months, $59.95/mo (month 13), $69.95/mo (month 25), then $89.95/mo regular rate; or $70/mo with 24-month price lock
• 2 Gig: $69.95/mo for 12 months, increasing to $119.95/mo regular rate; or $80/mo with price lock

Mandatory and optional fees: All plans include a mandatory $12.95/mo TechAssure fee that covers service calls, technician visits, and all repairs to Metronet-owned equipment and wiring both inside and outside your home. While this adds to the monthly cost, it eliminates surprise charges for technical support or equipment fixes. Installation typically costs $75, but is frequently waived during promotional periods [7]. New customers often receive the first month of service free. Metronet does not charge equipment rental fees, with an eero Pro 6E wireless router included with all plans up to 2 Gig at no additional cost. Customers must return equipment upon cancellation or face a non-return fee of up to $150. Optional add-ons: WholeHome WiFi powered by eero mesh network technology costs $9.95/mo and extends coverage throughout larger homes. The eeroPlus premium service — which includes ad blocking, parental controls, and additional security features — is available for $1/mo for the first six months with 2 Gig purchase (normally $9/mo). Metronet also offers a $25 account credit when customers enroll in ACH autopay. Unlike many internet providers, Metronet has no contracts, no data caps, and no early termination fees.

Be aware of price hikes and data overage for heavy-streaming households

Cox offers a first-tier plan at $55/month for up to 300 Mbps download speeds. That's about $.18 per Mbps, which is on the higher end of the pricing scale. The good news is that Cox's first-tier price is the standard price, so it won’t go up automatically after a promotional period. Unfortunately, the higher speed plans do have steep price hikes after the first year’s promotional rate. And when those price increases kick in, you’ll be paying more per month, on average, than you would for the same speeds through Xfinity or Spectrum. In addition, there’s a monthly rental fee for the Cox modem/router of $13, though you are allowed to buy your own compatible router if you wish. Another big question about Cox pricing will be how much data you use. Cox does have a data cap. The cap is high at 1.25 TB [4], so many households will never exceed it. It's worth noting, though, that the share of U.S. broadband subscribers using at least 1 TB of data per month has risen to nearly 25% in Q4 2024 [5]... up from 14% in 2022 [6]. And if you do exceed your cap, you will face overage charges [7]. In other words, if you are a heavy data user, you may end up with a higher monthly bill. So be aware of these data caps as a factor in your pricing if you live in a household with multiple people who stream 4K or play real-time games online every day. If your internet activities don’t include lots of HD streaming, gaming, or large file uploads, or you only have one or two household members, you are unlikely to exceed your monthly data cap.

All-fiber technology delivers consistently fast symmetrical speeds Metronet's 100% fiber-optic network provides a significant performance advantage over cable and DSL connections. The company earned PCMag's "Fastest ISP in the United States" designation for both 2023 and 2024, reflecting independently verified speed test results. Fiber advantages Because Metronet runs fiber directly to customer homes without using coaxial cable or copper phone lines for the final connection, customers receive dedicated bandwidth that isn't shared with neighbors. This gives symmetrical speeds where upload performance equals download speed, which is a critical feature for remote work, video conferencing, content creation, live streaming, and uploading large files to cloud storage. Real-world speed tests from Metronet customers consistently show performance that meets or exceeds advertised rates. Users report receiving 520-540 Mbps on 500 Mbps plans and over 900 Mbps on 1 Gig plans. Symmetrical speeds mean a 1 Gig plan provides 1,000 Mbps upload alongside 1,000 Mbps download, while cable internet typically offers only 30-35 Mbps upload even on gigabit download plans. Fiber connections maintain consistent performance during peak usage hours when cable networks often experience slowdowns from neighborhood congestion. The technology also remains unaffected by weather conditions that can disrupt satellite or fixed wireless services. Additionally, fiber-optic cables are significantly more difficult to tap or intercept than traditional copper wiring, providing better security advantages. Future-ready infrastructure As emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI-powered applications demand greater bandwidth, Metronet's fiber infrastructure can accommodate these needs. Metronet reports 99.9% uptime reliability across its network. Customer reviews highlight strong consistency, with users noting reliable performance for demanding applications including competitive gaming (ping under 15ms), 4K streaming on multiple devices, and professional video conferencing.

Years of solid operations equip Cox with reliable infrastructure

Cox has a thirty-year record of delivering internet access to customers. This means that when you order internet service, it will work as it should the vast majority of the time. Cox home internet serves metro areas in 18 states. Cox Communications remains a major U.S. broadband provider with around 6–6.5 million residential and commercial customers under its own brand. With its 2025 proposed merger with Charter Communications, the combined company would serve roughly 35.9 million broadband subscribers — making it, if approved, the largest cable/broadband operator in the United States [8]. Cox uses hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) technology, like its major competitors Xfinity and Spectrum. Ordinarily, your internet service will be carried by fiber-optic lines along the main arteries until it gets within about a mile of your house. Somewhere near that point, the network will switch to copper coaxial cable. This structure is called Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN). It is faster than an all-copper network, but not as fast as all-fiber, which is also known as Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). Cox does offer a small percentage of all-fiber connections and is building out more, but for the moment, you are most likely to get HFC, i.e., cable internet service [9]. Download speeds with Cox’s cable internet will go as high as 2,000 Mbps in some areas, and upload speeds will top out around 200 Mbps. Though this upload speed is far below the symmetrical high speeds of an all-fiber connection, Cox cable internet still provides plenty of speed for most households. Cox uses data caps of 1.25 TB/month on its plans. This allowance will provide plenty of data for most households. But if you have a large household and you all do unusually heavy streaming or gaming to go over 1 TB, you may incur up to a maximum of $100 in overage charges. You can get Cox plans with unlimited data, but only by paying more each month for an unlimited plan.

Free router included with most plans, straightforward installation process Metronet includes a free eero Pro 6E wireless router with all internet plans up to 2 Gig at no monthly rental charge. This eliminates the equipment fees that many ISPs charge, though customers have to return the router when canceling service or face a non-return equipment fee of up to $150. The included eero Pro 6E is a WiFi 6E router that provides strong wireless coverage for most homes. Customers can optionally add Metronet's WholeHome WiFi service ($9.95/mo), which uses eero mesh networking technology to create a smart mesh network that eliminates dead zones in larger homes [8]. The mesh system automatically routes devices to the strongest signal and hands off connections as you move through your house. Tech-savvy customers on any plan can opt to use their own router instead of the provided eero. Installation Standard professional installation costs $75, though this fee is frequently waived during promotional periods. The installation process typically takes a few hours and requires an adult 18 or older to be present. Installation timelines vary, with some customers reporting quick turnaround within days, while others in new buildout areas may wait 2-4 weeks depending on infrastructure readiness [9]. The technician will run fiber directly to your home, install the optical network terminal (ONT), connect the WiFi router, and test the connection.  Metronet's mandatory TechAssure fee ($12.95/mo) covers all future service calls, equipment repairs, and technical support at no additional charge. This means if your router fails, your connection experiences issues, or you need a technician visit, there are no surprise charges — the monthly fee covers these services.

Cox offers optional self-installation, charges equipment rental fee

When you order Cox internet service, you will be able to select either professional installation or self-installation. Self-installation will save you about $100, as long as you’re willing to deal with instructions for connection and activation. If you want to use a Cox-supplied modem/router, you will get their Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway [10]. Higher-tier plans will receive a Wi-Fi 6 gateway, while the lower tier of plans will have a more typical Wi-Fi 5 compatible device. All customers will pay a $13/month rental fee for the equipment in addition to their monthly plan fee. However, Cox will forego the fee if you use your own compatible modem/router, which may make it cheaper in the long run for you to buy one rather than renting.

Metronet earns above-average ratings with strong marks for speed and reliability Metronet does not appear in major national customer satisfaction surveys like J.D. Power or the American Customer Satisfaction Index due to its regional footprint. However, multiple independent surveys and review platforms provide insight into customer experiences. According to CableTV.com's Internet Customer Satisfaction Survey, 77% of respondents reported being fully or highly satisfied with Metronet's internet service, placing the company sixth overall among ISPs [10]. Customer satisfaction with specific aspects showed 79% approval for internet speed and 79% for reliability — scores that trailed top performers like Google Fiber and Verizon Fios by only a small margin while significantly outperforming cable providers. Metronet offers multiple support channels including 24/7 phone lines, live chat, text messaging to customer support numbers, website FAQs, and video tutorials [11]. What customers say Customer reviews consistently praise installation technicians as friendly, professional, and thorough [12]. If additional fiber construction is needed in your neighborhood, timelines may extend, but Metronet provides updates throughout the process. Reviews consistently highlight fast symmetrical speeds, reliable fiber performance, and professional installation technicians who are thorough and courteous. Many customers report smooth streaming on multiple devices, excellent gaming performance with low latency (under 15ms ping), and the ability to video conference while others in the household stream 4K content. The lack of data caps and contracts receives positive mentions, as does pricing that remains more stable than cable competitors after promotional periods. Installation delays do frustrate some customers, particularly in newly expanding markets where infrastructure work causes rescheduled appointments. The mandatory $12.95/mo TechAssure fee, while comprehensive in coverage, annoys customers who view it as a hidden charge not clearly disclosed upfront [13]. Some customers report occasional service outages, though experiences vary significantly by market. Response times for customer service receive mixed reviews. Some customers praise quick resolution of issues in under 10 minutes, while others report long wait times and difficulty reaching representatives during outages. Customer service satisfaction scored 72% in CableTV.com's survey, which is lower than technical performance ratings but still competitive for the industry. Overall assessment Fiber internet providers generally achieve higher customer satisfaction than cable or DSL competitors because the technology is newer, more reliable, and less prone to congestion-related slowdowns [14]. Metronet follows this pattern — customers who experience smooth installation and service typically express high satisfaction with performance. The company's generally transparent pricing structure and lack of data caps contribute to positive experiences, though communication about fees and installation timelines could improve based on customer feedback.