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Optimum vs. WOW Internet Providers Compared

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Optimum Vs WOW

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Rosslyn Elliott

Written by Rosslyn Elliott - Pub. Jul. 27, 2023 / Updated Jan. 30, 2026

You are currently comparing:

Optimum Vs WOW

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Plans starting at: $30

Popular Package: 1 Gig Fiber Internet

Download speeds up to: 8 Gbps

Connection Types: Fiber

Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

Plans starting at: $25

Popular Package: Internet 1 Gig

Download speeds up to: 5 Gbps

Connection Types: Fiber & Cable

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Staff rating

3.5

Optimum features good speeds but poor customer satisfaction scores

Optimum is a major national cable internet provider. Most of Optimum’s 4.4 million subscribers receive cable internet service [7]. But the ISP is also adding some all-fiber connections in select markets--most prominently in the Northeast [8]. Optimum is the internet brand name of Altice USA, which rebranded the company formerly called Suddenlink into the Optimum brand in 2022 [1]. Altice/Optimum is the 6th-largest ISP in the nation [2]. Optimum seems to check off all the right boxes for many of its offerings. You will have no data caps and no required contracts with Optimum internet plans. You will also get free equipment rental included with your monthly plan price. And Optimum’s prices are good (at least while the promotions last). So why are Optimum’s national customer satisfaction scores so low? We’ll check into that as we give you an overview of what to expect from an Optimum internet connection.

PROS

Gigabit download speeds No data caps or contracts 5-year price lock on select plans

Cons

Poor customer satisfaction scores Slower upload speeds for cable than all-fiber Price hikes after promo rates
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Staff rating

4.0

WOW! delivers fast, reliable internet with attractive pricing

WOW! (WideOpenWest) serves customers in 6 states—Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida [1]—and is the smallest cable internet provider on our list [2]. WOW! serves over 2 million residential, business, and wholesale consumer subscribers, which is still a smaller base compared to industry cable internet giants like Xfinity and Spectrum [3]. Notably,  it serves 470,400 high-speed data subscribers as of December 31, 2024 (down from 490,100 in 2023). But WOW! provides a model of good internet performance, operational success, and general customer satisfaction.

In August 2025, WOW! (WideOpenWest) agreed to be acquired by DigitalBridge Group and Crestview Partners in a $1.5 billion transaction valued at $5.20 per share [4].

WOW! uses a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network, like the biggest national cable providers. WOW! also features very low introductory plan prices, far lower than most cable internet providers. Though prices will rise after the first year, you’ll still pay about $20 less for most WOW! plan speeds than you would with Spectrum or Xfinity.  And WOW! scores above average for customer satisfaction, too.

PROS

Best prices for cable service Good customer satisfaction Gigabit download speeds

Cons

Limited area of coverage Slower upload speeds
Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Internet Plans

PlanService TypeDownload SpeedMonthly Price
Free Professional Installation
8 Gig Fiber InternetFiber InternetUp to 8,000 Mbps Only $90
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Free Professional Installation
2 Gig Fiber InternetFiber InternetUp to 2,000 Mbps Only $60
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Free Professional Installation
1 Gig Fiber InternetFiber InternetUp to 1,000 Mbps Only $50
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Free Professional Installation
500 Mbps Fiber InternetFiber InternetUp to 500 Mbps Only $40
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Free Professional Installation
300 Mbps Fiber InternetFiber InternetUp to 300 Mbps Only $30
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Internet Plans

PlanService TypeDownload SpeedMonthly Price
Visa $300 Rewards Card
Fiber 5 GigFiber InternetUp to 5,000 Mbps Only $185
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Visa $300 Rewards Card
Fiber 3 GigFiber InternetUp to 3,000 Mbps Only $100
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Internet 1 GigCable InternetUp to 1,000 Mbps Only $50
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Read more
Internet 600Cable InternetUp to 600 Mbps Only $30
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Read more
Internet 300Cable InternetUp to 300 Mbps Only $25
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Read more
Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Pricing

3.0

Good initial prices followed by price hikes

Cable internet is the chief type of connection that Optimum provides its customers. Because of improvements to cable internet technology, you can get gigabit download speeds from many cable internet companies like Optimum. You just won’t get the same upload speeds from cable as you will from an all-fiber connection [3]. Whether you get the usual cable service or all-fiber, you will get good prices from Optimum, and, on select plans, those prices will be locked for 5 years (as of January 2026) [9]. Here’s an example. You’ll pay $30/month for Optimum’s first-tier plan, which is up to 300. That is a good price for these speeds. The catch is that after the promotional period ends, standard prices will apply, which will increase your bill. That may be why Optimum is seeing year-over-year declines in its cable customers [4]. The price hikes may be pushing people to other options at the end of their promotional period.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Pricing

4.0

WOW’s prices are so low they’ll WOW you

If there’s any way that WOW! can claim to have truly earned its name, it’s with low pricing.

The first-tier plan will give you 300 Mbps download speed for only $25 a month. That's on the very low end of cable ISP pricing.

A lightning-fast, 5000 Mbps speed from WOW! will run you $185. This plan comes from their fiber internet offerings.

WOW! has no data caps, contracts, or hidden fees. Additionally, they offer a price lock, so your monthly rate won't go up as long as you stay with the same speed plan.

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Reliability and Performance

4.0

Cable and fiber both provide fast download speeds, but cable's upload speeds are slower

With hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) technology, Optimum gives its cable customers gigabit download speeds but much slower upload speeds. That’s typical for cable internet service. Optimum is comparable to other major cable internet providers such as Spectrum and Xfinity, offering upload speeds at a maximum of around 35-50 Mbps. Optimum differs from the cable internet competition because it is also launching into the all-fiber internet market. As of November 2025, Optimum has over 3 million fiber passings and continues to expand [10]. Fiber internet’s most striking advantage over cable internet is its symmetrical upload and download speeds. This is a game-changer for online gaming, videoconferencing, and large homes with multiple devices. When Altice merged Suddenlink into the Optimum brand, the company had two distinct “footprints” from where the former Optimum and Suddenlink coverage had existed. Suddenlink’s coverage area had been primarily in the South and West. Optimum was strong in the Northeast, and particularly in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Now, the fiber buildout is fastest in that tristate area [1]. Your chances of getting fiber internet from Optimum is better if you live in the tri-state area.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Reliability and Performance

4.0

WOW! cable delivers gigabit downloads but asymmetrical upload speeds; fiber offers symmetrical multi-gigabit service

WOW's hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable network delivers download speeds comparable to those of national cable providers such as Spectrum and Xfinity. Upload speeds on cable plans are capped at 50 Mbps regardless of download tier. This asymmetrical speed structure is standard for cable internet technology and sufficient for typical household activities, including streaming multiple 4K devices and online gaming.

WOW's cable plans provide adequate performance for households with average internet usage patterns. The highest tier plan offers top speeds on cable, supporting simultaneous streaming, video conferencing, and gaming across multiple devices. However, the 50 Mbps upload limitation presents constraints for specific use cases. Users who regularly upload large files (such as video content creators), operate cloud-based backup systems, or require symmetrical bandwidth for enterprise-grade applications will experience performance bottlenecks with cable service.

In select Greenfield expansion markets, WOW offers all-fiber service with symmetrical speeds up to 5,000 Mbps for both downloads and uploads. Fiber service is currently available within 5.7% of WOW's total coverage footprint [8], concentrated in newer markets including Central Florida, Hernando County (Florida), Greenville County (South Carolina), and select areas in Michigan and Alabama [9]. The symmetrical nature of fiber service eliminates the upload speed constraints present in cable plans, making fiber suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications, heavy content creation, and households with 10+ simultaneous high-bandwidth users.

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features

4.0

No equipment rental fees, free installation with Optimum plans

Optimum will provide you with a WiFi 6E gateway as a part of your monthly plan fee, with no extra rental charge [9]. If you would rather use your own modem and router, Optimum will allow it. Just be sure to check for compatibility with their specs. Standard installation is free with most Optimum plans.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features

4.0

Equipment rental fees are optional, self-installation is free for WOW!

All WOW! plans come with a free self-installation kit. If, for any reason, you’re not comfortable with self-installation, you can get pro installation for $50.

WOW! now offers a free WiFi modem with your plan. You also have the option to supply your own equipment--just make sure you check with WOW! to be sure your router has compatible specs.

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Experience & Support

3.0

Optimum customer satisfaction: the big question mark

With so many seemingly good points to its service and pricing, why has Optimum’s customer satisfaction scored significantly below average according to J.D. Power? [6] A sampling of online user reviews suggests two major complaints. The first is outages and failure of technical response. The second is a more general dissatisfaction with the phone system: being transferred to different departments and receiving contradictory responses from different phone reps when trying to resolve billing issues. Because this is a fairly even distribution of complaints, it’s likely that Optimum is not responding quickly enough to customer concerns, whether they are technical or billing-related. We can’t know the reason for this dysfunction. Often, these kinds of responsiveness issues happen when companies are understaffed or have high staff turnover in their customer service. But until Optimum improves its ratings, we have to give it only 3 stars for customer satisfaction.  
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Experience & Support

4.0

WOW! maintains above-average customer satisfaction despite declining subscriber base

WOW scored 733 out of 1,000 in J.D. Power's North Central region study [10] and outperformed larger ISPs including Cox in the 2023 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study [11]. This positions WOW above the cable industry average of 68 out of 100 on the ACSI scale [12], though below top fiber providers like AT&T Fiber (80) and Verizon Fios (77) [13].

Despite these satisfaction ratings, WOW's subscriber base declined 5% year-over-year from 490,100 to 470,400 as of December 2024, with revenue decreasing 8.1% to $630.9 million. These declines reflect competitive pressure from expanding fiber networks and 5G wireless alternatives rather than service quality issues.

WOW provides 24/7 telephone support and online chat daily from 7:00 AM to 11:45 PM EST [14], plus an online account management portal, and has been named a "Best & Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation" 12 times, including 8 consecutive years as of 2025.

Ultimately, WOW's regional focus enables more personalized service than national cable giants.

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum FAQ's

To order or learn more, call the number on this page or visit OptimumSavings.com.
No, Optimum does not impose data caps on any of its internet plans. You will have unlimited data on both cable internet and fiber internet plans from Optimum.
Optimum offers a free internet speed upgrade service to loyal customers, providing faster speeds and better value without changing the current price.
Optimum provides two options for renting a modem: one includes tech support and equipment replacement, while the other option is for purchasing a compatible modem.
To explore different speed options for your Optimum Internet service, you can enter your zip code here at CompareInternet.com to see what plans are available in your area.
Optimum offers savings on monthly bills through their Internet + Mobile Savings program, allowing customers to save up to $30/month by combining Optimum Internet and Optimum Mobile services.
Only Optimum Mobile and Optimum Internet customers are eligible for the Internet + Mobile Savings program offered by Optimum.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW FAQ's

WOW! does not provide a static IP address for your home internet account. But WOW! does offer home business accounts that can provide you with a static IP address.
WOW! offers security on a network level, which means you don’t have to manage it yourself. Network Security helps guard your internet connection against phishing, viruses and malware.
WOW! Internet and WOW! Whole-Home Wi-Fi can be self-installed.
Yes, you can. As long as a technician has completed the outside installation or there is an existing WOW! connection, you will be able to install and activate service using your own modem.
Take our internet speed test to find your actual upload and download speed.
The eero devices that support your Whole-Home Wi-Fi provide up to 1500 square feet of coverage per device.
Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Accolades

Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Accolades

Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259

Optimum Customers Review

3.0
Pricing
3.0
4.0
Reliability & Performance
4.0
4.0
Equipment, Installation & Features
4.0
3.0
Customer Experience & Support
3.0
3.5
Overall Rating
3.5
Jorge
1.0
from Neosho, MO on July 2026
They make u hold hours. They been charging me 60 dollars for years. They said if I need a new router cause mine was fried from a thunderstorm I need to drive 70 140 to pick up a router. They dont help on the phone the are garbage. I have to wait 14 days for them to get here with a router lol. Now im waiting moretime cause their tech didn't show up. Now they offer to drop me to 35 a month. Wow good looking out on the price reduction seriously. I had tl feel like dropping them to get the discount and they still want me to pay these last 3 weeks I haven't even had service at 60$ they are a sham
Don L
1.0
from Snyder, TX on June 2026
We finally have had enough with these thieves. Not only do they want to raise their price every few months, now when we cancelled our service they won't cancel until the billing cycle ends. My wife called to cancel the day before the billing cycle, but they said I had to cancel since my name was on the bill. They had no problem dealing with her every month when we had billing problems. I finally had the chance to call 4 days into the new billing cycle and was told I would be billed the entire month. Even though we no longer had any connection or equipment to connect to optimum. If I had of used a months’ worth of internet without paying, I'm sure they would have prosecuted me, but it seems to be alright when they are the thieves. If anyone out there is thinking about signing up with optimum, don't do it. Just take your money and flush it. That will be better than dealing with these unethical dishonest thieves.
John S
2.8
on June 2026
On the plus side, Optimum service has been very reliable. However, I am paying a great deal for basic service (100 Mbps for $115.92 a month).
Eric T
3.0
from Point Pleasant, WV on April 2026
Price is entirely too high! The price is always changing! My mother gets the same exact speed as me and she only pays 73$ a month after fees,taxes are added Why am I not getting a better deal?????????????????????
Cathy M
2.0
from Alto, TX on April 2026
I haven't had internet service going on 3 weeks now. First is was a power outage, than they send someone out. Now they are saying it's in the pole. I'm done being without internet.
Call today & find the best Optimum internet deals
1-833-337-0356

WOW Customers Review

4.0
Pricing
4.0
4.0
Reliability & Performance
4.0
4.0
Equipment, Installation & Features
4.0
4.0
Customer Experience & Support
4.0
4.0
Overall Rating
4.0
Greyson I
4.8
from Royal Oak, MI on July 2026
I like how wow creates performance really well in cable Internet is really stable but there’s one error the Internet looks like if a power goes out you lose you lose power and the cable goes out. That’s my only complaint but otherwise perfect. but for performance reliability it’s for this just one star loss because of that.
Free B
3.0
from Spring Hill, FL on July 2026
Not so much a company review. Tho you can't contact anyone really and all support is out of country or sounds like it. Which would be ok except sometimes they don't seem to know what to do. This is about one WOW System Tech. Today two WOW trucks pulled up. The worker said they were doing quality checks. I said yeah we have intermittent issues. He said they knew from their monitoring software. Short time later he knocked on the door and showed me that they wire used to go from the house box to the box inside the house was the wrong one. That that wire was a inside wire and not a outside wire. That it needed to be replaced. So I called repair. Arthur was the person on the other end of the line. He said theres no work order and really didn't seem to want to look into it much more. I went outside and was able to catch the wow tech just as he was leaving. He took the phone and talked to "Arthur" for over 15 minutes getting the trouble ticket made and put in the system. I can only hope that the person who comes out to fix the issue is as good as this person was. His name is Steve Kane, System Technican. Mobile 727-589-3068. As a tech myself I felt he went above the call of duty and was patient and informative. Guys like himself are why you'll keep customers when the service goes bad
ROMARIO M
1.3
on January 2026
SU INTERNET SE CAE LA VELOCIDAD CONSTANTEMENTE, DURANTE CUALQUIER HORARIO, NO SE CUMPLE LO QUE DICE QUE GARANTIZA EL 70% DE LA VELOCIDAD Y EL APLICATIVO DGO IIGUAL DE TERRIBLE, EMPRESAS DE MAL SERVICIO. PESIMO
Ann Enghardt
4.0
from Warren, MI on August 2025
I pay $64 for internet per month. I would like the $30/month plan.
Vickie Eller
2.5
from Charlotte, MI on April 2025
Prices go up every month started at 50 then it went to 64.99 now it's at 83.99 I need different internet in my area
Call today & find the best WOW internet deals
1-833-864-0259