Mediacom
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◊ Provider star ratings are based on user reviews and our independent customer satisfaction survey.
* Data effective 08/07/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
† For the first 12 months. Plus, activation, installation and monthly modem rental fees.
Our Mediacom internet review
Oct 3, 2023 | Share
Mediacom cable internet has the speed you need if fiber isn’t in your area and DSL is just too slow. Mediacom keeps your choices simple with three plans, but they come with contracts for up to three years. Plus, each plan has a specific data cap—although you may not notice the limits on the faster plans.
Pros
- Low promotional prices
- Gigabit speeds in most areas
Cons
- Data caps
- Expensive installation
Jump to: Plans and pricing | Speed and data caps | Fees | Installation, equipment, and contracts | Customer ratings | Mediacom vs. the competition | Bottom line | FAQ
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Compare Mediacom internet plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | View on Mediacom's site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Internet 100 | $34.99/mo.* | Up to 100Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Prime Internet 300 | $49.99/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Shop Plans |
| Prime Internet 1 Gig | $54.99/mo.* | Up to 1,000Mbps | Shop Plans |
* For the first 12 months. Plus, activation, installation and monthly modem rental fees.
Find out if Mediacom is available in your area.
Mediacom’s speeds: What’s best for you?
Mediacom’s Prime Internet 100 plan is great for a household that mainly surfs the web, streams from Disney Plus, and posts to social media. The Internet 300 plan is better suited for a home that also downloads large chunks of data, like full digital games and multigig-sized updates. Streaming doesn’t take a lot of bandwidth, but game downloads do.
How fast are your Mediacom speeds?
Click below for a quick speed test and find out.
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Mediacom’s data caps
Mediacom enforces data caps ranging from 200 GB to 6,000 GB (6 TB):
| Plan | Data allotment |
|---|---|
| Prime Internet 100 | 350GB |
| Prime Internet 300 | 1,500GB |
| Prime Internet 1 GIG | 3,000GB |
By comparison, Xfinity enforces a 1,200 GB (1.2 TB) data cap across the board, but you can get unlimited data if you pay an extra $30 per month. You can’t get unlimited data at Mediacom.
Still, 2,000 GB and 6,000 GB are a lot of data—you just need to figure out how much you download each month before you switch to Mediacom. If you do go over your monthly limit, Mediacom charges $10 for every 50 GB block you go over. So, if you use 51 GB more than your allowance, you have to pay an extra $20 on that month’s bill. Again, you can’t pay an additional fee for unlimited data.
Run our How Much Speed Do I Need tool to see how much data you need and compare the results to Mediacom’s monthly data limits.
Our favorite plan:
The Prime Internet 300 plan is great for a family of four. There’s just enough bandwidth for everyone to stream at once simultaneously while also downloading games in the background.
All prices listed above (and the subsequent standard pricing) require you to enroll in autopay and paperless billing. If you don’t enroll or cancel enrollment, your monthly bill increases by $10.
Overall, Mediacom has some of the lowest discounted prices in the US. The Prime Internet 100 plan is inexpensive and provides decent speeds for a small family. The catch, of course, is that prices increase after a year. Plus, each plan has a set data cap, so expect to pay $10 for each 50 GB data block should you go over your monthly limit.
Mediacom is one of several cable internet providers that aim to upgrade their networks to 10 Gbps over the coming years. Its core network is fiber, but the new platform will enable symmetrical 10 Gbps speeds over traditional cable TV lines. The latest modem standard, DOCSIS 4.0, enables those symmetrical speeds.
Mediacom’s ongoing deals and promotions + bundles
Get installation for $35 when you order online and rent one eero router at no extra cost.
Mediacom internet fees
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* Internet subscribers only
Mediacom doesn’t explain why it charges a monthly internet surcharge, but you won’t see it if you sign up for other services in addition to your internet plan.
Mediacom enforces a service commitment (contract) on all plans, so you can expect to see an early termination fee if you cancel any service, cancel all services, or lose service due to nonpayment before the contract ends. Mediacom charges up to $120 for exiting a one-year contract and up to $240 for two- or three-year contracts.
Mediacom internet installation, equipment, and contracts
The installation fee costs $109.99 at the time of this writing, but the fine print states that you may pay even more if additional work is needed. What you get with the standard install is pretty straightforward:
- A cable modem or gateway
- A coaxial cable
- Service activation (which is an extra fee)
- Setup of one wired device
We couldn’t find a one-time charge for the self-install kit.
Mediacom installation and equipment
Mediacom uses a large selection of cable modems and gateways provided by ARRIS, Cisco, Hitron, Motorola, and more. The optional Xtream WiFi360pro mesh kit is a rebranded Amazon Eero Pro 6 kit, including two units and the Eero Secure service—additional nodes cost $6 per month. Mediacom’s other whole-home Wi-Fi kit, the Xtreme WiFi 360, doesn’t use Amazon’s Eero Pro kit.
The self-install kit includes everything you need to set service up yourself:
- A cable modem or gateway
- A welcome letter
- Two coaxial cables
- A splitter
- An Ethernet cable
You need an existing cable TV line entering your home to use this kit.
Mediacom internet contracts
The plans listed here require a one-year contract, but Mediacom’s fine print also mentions two- and three-year contracts.1 As stated above, you could face an early termination fee if you don’t fulfill the contract.
Mediacom internet customer ratings
| Overall Rating | Reliability Rating | Customer Service Rating | Speed Rating | Price Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom customer satisfaction rating* | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 |
| Average rating* | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
* Based on a five (5) point system used in our customer satisfaction survey.
Mediacom ranks in the bottom half of every category in our latest customer satisfaction survey. It ranks thirteenth out of 15 national internet providers regarding customer service, reliability, and overall satisfaction. Its best score is in speed, while it nearly hit rock button in price satisfaction—which isn’t surprising. Customers get a great introductory price and then see steep price hikes after 12 months.
How Mediacom compares to the competition
| Provider | Plan price range | Speeds (range) | Overall rating* | Order online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom | $34.99–$54.99/mo. | 100–1,000Mbps | 3.4 | View Plans |
| Xfinity | $30.00–$120.00/mo. | 75–2,000Mbps | 3.9 | View Plans |
| WOW! | $19.99–$185.00/mo. | 100–5,000Mbps | 3.6 | View Plans |
* Based on a five (5) point system used in our customer satisfaction survey.
Xfinity is Mediacom’s biggest competitor. Both have data caps, but Mediacom is a lot more generous with its monthly data allowance on the Prime Internet 300 and Prime Internet 1 GIG plans. Xfinity locks you down at 1,200 GB across all plans, but it gives you the option to pay extra for unlimited data. Mediacom doesn’t have an “unlimited” option.
The best apples-to-apples plan comparison we can make is Xfinity’s Connect and Mediacom’s Prime Internet 100. Prime Internet 100 has 25 Mbps more than the Connect plan and it’s the same price as Xfinity for the first 12 months. If we compare Xfinity’s Fast plan with Mediacom’s Prime Internet 300 plan, you get similar speeds for $5 less if you go with Mediacom.
Read our full reviews of Mediacom vs. its main internet competitors
Is Mediacom internet right for you?
Medicom is a decent cable internet provider if fiber isn’t in your area and you need speeds faster than DSL. The Prime Internet 300 plan is ideal for a family of four that downloads a lot of data. In contrast, the Prime Internet 100 plan is good for the same household to comfortably stream video, stream music, and post to social media.
The big drawback with Mediacom is its data caps. Each plan has a set limit, and you may never reach that limit. But if you continuously download 40 GB games to your Xbox, all that data can add up. Also, Mediacom’s prices rise dramatically after the first 12 months—except for the Internet 100 plan in some areas where it increases by only $10 each month.
Shop Mediacom InternetFAQ about Mediacom
What are the best routers for Mediacom internet?
You don’t need a specific router for Mediacom’s cable internet, but we suggest going with a Wi-Fi 6 model. They’re better at handling multiple devices, managing your data, and have faster Wi-Fi speeds than previous Wi-Fi router models.
You don’t need a router that supports multigig internet either, although that may change when Mediacom rolls out its 10 Gbps connections. Here are a few guides to get you started:
- Best Gigabit Routers for Superfast Wi-Fi
- Best Long-Range Routers
- Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers
- Best Wi-Fi Routers for Online Gaming
What are the best modems and gateways for Mediacom internet?
Mediacom provides a list of compatible cable modems and gateways:
| Vendor | Model | Includes Wi-Fi? | Max download speed | Price* | Order online |
| ARRIS | CM8200 | No | 2 Gbps | $124.89 | View on Amazon |
| ARRIS | SB8200 | No | 2 Gbps | $169.00 | View on Amazon |
| Motorola | MB8600 | No | 3.8 Gbps | $159.00 | View on Amazon |
| NETGEAR | CAX30 | AX2700 | 6.8 Gbps | $279.99 | View on Amazon |
| NETGEAR | CAX80 | AX6000 | 10 Gbps | $419.99 | View on Amazon |
| NETGEAR | CM1000 | No | 1 Gbps | $139.99 | View on Amazon |
| NETGEAR | CM1100 | No | 2 Gbps | $143.99 | View on Amazon |
| NETGEAR | CM2000 | No | 2.5 Gbps | $277.93 | View on Amazon |
*Amazon.com prices (as of 5/20/22 17:35 MST). Read full disclaimer.
What is Mediacom’s Wi-Fi Certification fee?
Mediacom doesn’t explain this fee anywhere on its website (that we can find). But a video showcasing how its older Xtreme WiFi 360 system works says the technician will work with you to determine the optimum modem and Wi-Fi signal points. It’s likely the same Wi-Fi installation fee we see with other internal providers.
When will Mediacom offer 10 Gbps over cable TV lines?
Mediacom plans to integrate CableLabs’ 10G Platform in the coming years, but there’s no set date of when you’ll see 10 Gbps speeds.3 Most modems and gateways supplied by Mediacom already support 10 Gbps—Mediacom just needs to replace some of the hardware within your local central office and out in the field.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Sources
- Mediacom, “Mediacom Service Commitment Agreement.” Accessed May 19, 2022.
- Mediacom, “List of Mediacom Issued Modems and User Guides.” Accessed May 19, 2022.
- Mediacom, “Mediacom Extends Fiber Network to Huntland, Tennessee,” April 14, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022.
Disclaimer
Amazon.com Prices as of 5/20/22 9:35 MST. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Highspeedinternet.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
