WOW Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

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WOW Home Internet rating

How we calculated our rating

Pros

• Some of the most competitive pricing for a cable ISP
• No contracts
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Unlimited data on all plans

Cons

• Limited availability, just six states
• Service interruptions can be a bit too frequent, depending on location

WOW internet review

WideOpenWest, which prefers to go by WOW, offers some of the most affordable broadband plans from a cable internet provider in the US. You can also expect straightforward service terms, no data caps or contracts. But as always, it's better to get into the nitty gritty before signing up. Here's the full rundown on WOW internet.

WOW is a cable internet provider with a slowly growing fiber internet network. It operates in 19 markets across six states in the Midwest and Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina and Tennessee. According to the company's latest quarterly report, WOW has nearly half a million customers, and its service is available to nearly 2 million households.

WOW offers most customers a hybrid coaxial cable/fiber-optic internet connection with download speeds ranging from 300 megabits per second to 1.2 gigabits (1,200Mbps), with plans to continue expanding its fiber-only network. In October, WOW announced the completion of an all-fiber network in Spring Hill, Florida. Moreover, residents of Longwood, Sanlando Springs, Lake Mary, Winter Springs and Sanford residents can now access blazing symmetrical download and upload speeds.

There's a lot to like about WOW. First and foremost, the price is right: WOW is one of the more affordable cable internet providers in the US, with relatively well-priced plans starting at $30 monthly and an average cost per megabit of 7 cents across all plans. On top of that, WOW won't lock you into a long-term service contract, and your connection comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if the speeds aren't to your liking.

We'll always recommend a fiber internet connection over cable if it's available at your address, but otherwise, you can't really go wrong with WOW's home internet service if you can get it. Let's explore.

WOW internet plans and pricing

Note: All prices listed include WOW's $10 autopay discount. If you opt out of WOW's autopay pricing, your monthly cost will be higher.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

WOW offers four internet plans, all featuring an asymmetrical hybrid fiber-coaxial cable connection. The reliance on coaxial cable infrastructure means that your download speeds will be much higher than the upload speeds -- unlike a connection you'd get with fiber internet.

The gigabit plan features a cost per Mbps of just 6 cents, which is the cheapest in comparison to the other speed tiers. Whichever plan you choose, you can expect straightforward service terms: no data caps, equipment fees, contracts and no pesky hidden fees.

The starting plan features download speeds of 300 megabits per second and 20Mbps in upload. WOW's 600Mbps plan offers upload speeds up to 50Mbps -- as does its 1,000Mbps and 1,200Mbps plans. For context, cable giants like Spectrum and Xfinity offer similar plans but fall short on upload speeds, coming in at around 20Mbps and maxing out at around 35 to 40Mbps for their gigabit plans.

WOW Internet sits in a sweet spot, with a good variety of plans but not so many that things get confusing. Even more importantly, the pricing of those plans is highly competitive. WOW's plans are more affordable than those from larger cable providers like Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox. Plus, they're a better value than you'll get from AT&T, Verizon and Frontier too.

WOW doesn't offer introductory pricing on its plans, just the $10 discount for autopay enrollment. WOW reserves the right to change prices at its own discretion, so if you'd like to avoid that, WOW also offers a "price lock" for $10 extra per month to ensure you pay the same price as long as you're enrolled.

Where can you get WOW Internet?

WOW's home internet coverage spreads across six states in the Midwest and the Southeast.

FCC/Mapbox

You can currently find WOW home internet service in 19 different markets among six states across the US. Those states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Major cities in that coverage map include: 

• Dothan, Alabama
• Huntsville, Alabama
• Montgomery, Alabama
• St. Petersburg, Florida
• Augusta, Georgia
• Columbus, Georgia
• Detroit, Michigan
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Greenville, South Carolina
• Knoxville, Tennessee

Additionally, customers in Longwood, Sanlando Springs, Lake Mary, Winter Springs and Spring Hill in Central Florida are eligible for WOW's full-fiber internet plans.

WOW's internet speed

As we mentioned above, you'll find asymmetrical download and upload speeds with WOW internet plans. In practical terms, your connection won't be as robust as a complete fiber-to-the-home connection for tasks that involve uploading lots of data to the web. Uploading speeds are required for many common tasks for the work-from-home or remote-schooling life -- like uploading large files, hopping on Zoom calls or FaceTiming with study buddies.

That said, WOW Internet features higher upload speeds than most cable internet providers. For example, its Internet 600 plan features upload speeds up to 50Mbps. For context, Spectrum's comparable 500Mbps plan maxes out its upload speeds at 20Mbps.

Uploads aside, the additional good news is that the least expensive plan WOW offers comes with download speeds of up to 300Mbps, which is much faster than the introductory plan of most ISPs and well above the Federal Communication Commission's broadband definition of 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload.

Also, it's worth noting that for only an additional $15 a month, customers can double their speed with the Internet 600 plan.

If you need a router, customers can lease a two-piece Eero mesh Wi-Fi router from WOW for an additional $10 monthly.

Ry Crist/CNET

Straightforward service terms for WOW Internet

No contracts, great pricing and the 30-day money-back guarantee all probably leap off the page when you first look at WOW's internet offers. There's more to think about, so let's look at some of the fine print.

Additional fees

WOW Internet includes the rental cost of a WOW modem in your monthly fee in most cities. You can still buy your own compatible device, although WOW recommends a DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 modem.

There's also a charge of $10 a month if you want to add "Whole-Home Wi-Fi" to your plan via mesh router rental. Specifically, this includes two of Amazon's Eero mesh devices. That's only so-so as far as value is concerned -- a two-piece Eero system costs $110, so you'd be better off just buying the router for yourself if you plan on keeping your connection longer than a year and a half. What's more, there are other mesh routers we like better.

Professional installation costs $99, you can waive that cost by opting to self-install. You'll just have to pay $10 for the activation fee, which WOW is waiving for the duration of 2024.

30-day money-back guarantee

This is a customer-friendly option that WOW provides, especially when you consider that the company doesn't hold you to a contract and the ominous threat of heavy cancellation fees that come with it.

This guarantee has a few small-print details, as you might imagine. It does not extend to taxes, fees paid or any equipment charges you incur. Also, to claim the money-back guarantee, you can't reestablish service with WOW Internet within 180 days.

Perks and promos

Customers signing up for the 1.2 gigabit tier get a $300 Visa Prepaid Reward Card. WOW also offers a bundle with YouTube TV for customers of any speed tier. For 12 months, you can get $15 off the regular monthly fee for YouTube TV, bringing your monthly YouTube subscription fee to $63.

New customers can participate in WOW's refer-a-friend program and receive a $100 Visa Reward Card. You can refer up to five times a year, potentially earning a value of $500.

Unlimited data on all plans

WOW offers unlimited data on all its plans which means that customers don't have to worry about paying data-overage fees.

WOW Internet vs. competitors: Decent customer satisfaction, with some caveats

The 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index for ISPs does not single out WOW for an individual score. Our ACSI contact confirmed its inclusion in the total numbers but said there's "too little market share to be measured by name." As an industry, we know that ISPs tend to be among the lowest-ranked in the ASCI ratings, so overall scores in line with previous years don't tell us much. 

While WOW also didn't appear in J.D. Power's 2024 survey, it did make a mark in the previous year's study, scoring 694 out of 1,000 points in the North Central area. That was just below the region's average score of 701, but it placed WOW ahead of cable competitors like Spectrum (691), Cox (677) and Mediacom (662).

Reddit discussions online indicate mixed reviews for WOW's home internet service. Most users point to issues with WOW's modem and router equipment and dealing with outages, whereas others express that service is pretty standard and reliable.

What's the bottom line on WOW internet?

WOW offers some of the most affordable home internet plans from a cable provider. It also features some admirable customer-first features, including money-back guarantees and no data caps or contracts. Its reach isn't far and wide, making it a smaller player in the world of cable internet, but WOW still merits strong consideration for the attractive prices and terms if it's available at your address.

WOW Internet FAQs