Spectrum vs Earthlink

Angelo Ilumba Senior Writer

Updated 14 December 2018

In this Guide

Internet Speeds
Cost, Data and Value for Money
Availability
Customer Reviews
Bundle Packages
Winner: Spectrum vs Earthlink

Article Summary

Spectrum has evolved into one of the biggest TV, phone, and internet communications companies in the U.S., whereas EarthLink made a name for itself by being one of the first internet companies to offer unlimited web access for a flat rate. Even though both of these companies are (or have been) household names, there's no denying that Spectrum has grown with the times, offering customers a plethora of services at incredibly reasonable rates. Read on to find out more about how the two companies stack up.

Spectrum vs Earthlink

Provider	Speed	Cost	Coverage	Reviews	Bundles
Spectrum	5	3	4	2.5	3.5	Go
Earthlink	2.5	4	4	1.5	N/A	Go

Spectrum vs Earthlink: Internet Speeds

Winner: Spectrum

When it comes to internet speeds, Spectrum outperforms Earthlink for a number of reasons. For one, its top speed reaches gigabit heights, whereas EarthLink's plans top out at 75Mbps. It's really no contest.

A large reason for this is due to the limitations created by their use of two different connection type technologies: Spectrum uses cable and EarthLink uses DSL. The reason this is so important in terms of speed is because each connection type allows digital data to travel at different rates—and it also brings about a different set of limitations for each.

Since DSL uses the telephone wire infrastructure to deliver your data, it's subject to slowing as you move further away from source lines. Cable, on the other hand, doesn't have that issue. However, it is subject to slowing during times of network congestion. Overall, cable is a bit more stable and DSL rarely reaches above 100Mbps with any carrier–which is why Spectrum's speeds are in an entirely different universe than EarthLink's, which is largely due to the connection types each company utilizes.

NOTE: Spectrum Gig internet is available mainly to its business clients, but is available for home internet in some select areas.

Cost, Data, and Value for Money

Winner: Tie

Monthly Cost

If you're simply looking for a basic internet connection you'll be hard pressed to find better prices than Earthlink's. In fact, Earthlink's most expensive plan at $69.95/month isn't much more expensive than Spectrum's base plan which is priced at an introductory rate of $44.99/month for 12 months – going up to $64.00/month after the introductory period. Not exactly and apples to apples comparison but when you consider that Earthlink's most expensive plan cost just about the same as Spectrum's cheapest, you'll know where to go if cost is a primary concern.

And if you are really on a budget you can get introductory rates on Earthlink's DSL internet plan for as low as $14.95/month.

Installation and Other Fees

Neither Spectrum or Earthlink are going to win customers over with their installation fees. Spectrum provides professional installation for their internet services starting at $49.99. Good news is they provide the modem for you which is much more than Earthlink can say.

While Earthlink has reasonable monthly prices available for their services, upfront installation fees are pretty high. Professional installation will cost $69.95 and their modem will cost you $74.95 (which can be broken up into monthly payments). Both modem and professional installation are required with Earthlink, meaning you cannot use your own separately purchased modem.

Spectrum has the slight edge in this category.

Data Allowance

Both Earthlink and Spectrum are happy to boast about having no data caps. So, if you're in a house full of gamers who throw on Netflix on those occasions when the games are turned off, you won't have to worry about all that data usage.

Deals

All of Spectrum's advertised prices are introductory rates. When you first sign on with Spectrum, you'll be getting a deal. The thing to remember is that after the introductory rates are done, you may be paying a lot more per month for your internet.

One way to save with Spectrum is by taking advantage of their bundled deals. "Triple Play" packages including internet, TV, and voice start at $99.97/month on their introductory rate. If You need TV and a phone line, bundling the services with your internet is almost always going to save you money.

Availability: Spectrum and Earthlink

Winner: Earthlink

Both internet providers are well established, but Earthlink having availability in nearly every state just barely puts them over the edge in this category.

Earthlink has been around for a while. They have had plenty of time to put their roots down, making their DSL service very widely available. When evaluating pure availability Earthlink wins out, but Spectrum is still very available, and their higher speeds tend to be easier for customers to get than Earthlink's high speeds.

Customer Reviews: Spectrum vs Earthlink

Winner: Spectrum

Customer reviews for Spectrum and Earthlink are not pretty. Complaints about customer service are plentiful. While neither excel in this category, Earthlink suffers the most from poor feedback from customers.

Several Earthlink customers complain about not getting the services promised to them and the inability to get a hold of the company when they needed.

Spectrum barely wins out here as they aren't exactly getting thrilling reviews from their customer either.

Bundle Packages: Spectrum vs Earthlink

Winner: Spectrum

This fight might not exactly be fair as Spectrum is a broad telecom company so it has products to bundle. With the various tiers of their "Tripe Pay' package, you can get internet, cable TV, and phone all in one bundle.

Earthlink, on the other hand, is strictly internet and therefore does not have products to bundle with their services. However, at times, Earthlink will partner with other companies, to offer deals along with their services, such as an internet with Apple TV deal.

Winner: Spectrum vs Earthlink

Spectrum

With more consistent high speeds and newer technology Spectrum wins the battle of internet service providers against Earthlink. Spectrum's extended services and slightly superior customer reviews are also too much for Earthlink to overcome.

While Earthlink has a legacy to support it, their services and inferior infrastructure may keep them living in the past.

Spectrum Internet Plans

#1	Spectrum	Spectrum Internet Advantage Cable 100/10 Mbps Unlimited Data $40/mo ($30 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year View Plan	$40/mo ($30 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year	View Plan
#2	Spectrum	Spectrum Internet Premier Cable 500/20 Mbps Unlimited Data $50/mo ($40 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year View Plan	$50/mo ($40 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year	View Plan
#3	Spectrum	Spectrum Internet Advantage + Spectrum Unlimited Plus Cable 100/10 Mbps Unlimited Data $50/mo ($30 plan + $20 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year View Plan	$50/mo ($30 plan + $20 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year	View Plan
#4	Spectrum	Spectrum Internet Premier + Spectrum Unlimited Plus Cable 500/20 Mbps Unlimited Data $60/mo ($40 plan + $20 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year View Plan	$60/mo ($40 plan + $20 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year	View Plan
#5	Spectrum	Spectrum Internet Gig Cable 1000/35 Mbps Unlimited Data $70/mo ($60 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year View Plan	$70/mo ($60 plan + $10 modem) for 1 year + $20 Upfront for 1 year	View Plan

Earthlink Internet Plans

#1	EarthLink	EarthLink 500 Mbps Fiber 500/10 Mbps Unlimited Data $49.90/mo ($34.95 plan + $14.95 modem) for the first 3 months, then $54.95/month + $24.95 Upfront for the first 3 months, then $54.95/month View Plan	$49.90/mo ($34.95 plan + $14.95 modem) for the first 3 months, then $54.95/month + $24.95 Upfront for the first 3 months, then $54.95/month	View Plan
#2	EarthLink	EarthLink 100 Mbps Fiber 100/10 Mbps Unlimited Data $54.90/mo ($39.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $24.95 Upfront Available in select locations View Plan	$54.90/mo ($39.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $24.95 Upfront Available in select locations	View Plan
#3	EarthLink	EarthLink 1 Gbps Fiber 1000/20 Mbps Unlimited Data $59.90/mo ($44.95 plan + $14.95 modem) for the first 3 months, then $74.95/month + $24.95 Upfront for the first 3 months, then $74.95/month View Plan	$59.90/mo ($44.95 plan + $14.95 modem) for the first 3 months, then $74.95/month + $24.95 Upfront for the first 3 months, then $74.95/month	View Plan
#4	EarthLink	EarthLink Unlimited 5G Home Internet Mobile Broadband 425/15 Mbps Unlimited Data $74.90/mo ($59.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $79.95 Upfront Available in select locations View Plan	$74.90/mo ($59.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $79.95 Upfront Available in select locations	View Plan
#5	EarthLink	EarthLink 2 Gbps Fiber 2000/20 Mbps Unlimited Data $124.90/mo ($109.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $24.95 Upfront Available in select locations View Plan	$124.90/mo ($109.95 plan + $14.95 modem) Available in select locations + $24.95 Upfront Available in select locations	View Plan

Angelo Ilumba

Senior Writer

Angelo is a highly experienced writer for WhistleOut, specializing in unraveling the complexities of the mobile and tech world so that readers can easily understand what is relevant to them. Angelo has been featured on several publications such as MoneyTalksNews, Yahoo Finance, NPR and more.

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