Stacy is a journalist and content creator with a decade of experience. Besides Forbes Home she has contributed her work and expertise to publications such as Angi, HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila, Hunker, Shelfology, HomeLight, Apartment Therapy and more.
Sami Allen is an editor with a decade of experience in editorial and who is currently the managing editor at Forbes Home. She got her start in lifestyle writing and editing at Oprah Magazine and more recently sharpened her home repair and design skills at websites like The Spruce and HomeAdvisor.
Stacy Sare Cohen ContributorStacy is a journalist and content creator with a decade of experience. Besides Forbes Home she has contributed her work and expertise to publications such as Angi, HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila, Hunker, Shelfology, HomeLight, Apartment Therapy and more.
Sami Allen is an editor with a decade of experience in editorial and who is currently the managing editor at Forbes Home. She got her start in lifestyle writing and editing at Oprah Magazine and more recently sharpened her home repair and design skills at websites like The Spruce and HomeAdvisor.
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Our VerdictAffordable introductory pricing, unlimited data for most plans, and no contract commitment make SuddenLink an attractive internet choice for many households. However, with declining customer satisfaction in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report (2020 to 2021), a history of price hikes after the first year, and data overage costs for lower-tier plans in some areas, you might want to look elsewhere for your internet needs.
On the other hand, as SuddenLink joins the Optimum family at the end of 2022, the provider might see a bright light at the end of the tunnel and become one of the best fiber internet providers . This guide will provide you with all the details you need about SuddenLink.
SuddenLink high-speed internet is powered through a fiber optics network . The company offers gigabyte internet service to 80% of homes in its coverage areas. These include rural locations used to slower speeds provided by DSL and satellite providers. With SuddenLink, residential customers can access max download and upload speeds from 100 Mbps to 940 Mbps in many areas. However, plans and pricing can vary depending on where you live. We verified pricing and speeds for service in White Plains, NY. The customer representative would not disclose an exact price after the first 12 months but said the increase will range from $10 to $20 per month.
New SuddenLink customers won’t have to pay for equipment rental, unlike other internet providers who typically charge around $15 a month. Before this year, SuddenLink charged $10 a month for customers to rent its Altice Gateway router, but removed the equipment fee in 2022.
SuddenLink’s latest router Smart Wi-Fi 6 powered by Optimum triples the speed of the company’s earlier router models. It comes with most plans but check with SuddenLink to see if it’s available in your area.
Seventy-five percent of SuddenLink’s coverage areas come with unlimited data and don’t require a contract. While most areas offer unlimited data, certain pockets have data caps for lower-tier plans with max download speeds below 200 Mbps. Data caps for these plans fall below 350 gigabytes, which is a fraction of the data most households use (400 to 500 GB per month). Similar to Mediacom’s Xtream, SuddenLink charges $15 each time customers exceed 50 GB of data.
Suddenlink bumps up its prices after your first 12 months of service. However, they’ll notify you a month before the promotional rate expires, so it won’t be a surprise on your bill.
Unlike some providers, Suddenlink doesn’t lock you into a contract. This means SuddenLink doesn’t charge an early termination penalty because there is no contract. Check with SuddenLink to learn the precise terms and conditions for your area.
Previously, SuddenLink offered internet plans in 17 U.S. states, primarily in the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast. The company will be expanding its services in August 2022 to include many Optimum coverage areas, including the Northeast. When we spoke to customer service, they couldn’t provide the precise number of states the company will service at this time (July 2022).
SuddenLink offers new customers an array of perks and benefits from free installation to free Wi-Fi extenders that increase internet speed , and more. Check out what you can expect for most plans:
Free HBO Max from three to 12 months (excludes Fiber Internet 100 plan)
Free Wi-Fi extender and free installation ($99 value) with some plans
Visa prepaid cards valued from $50 to $200 depending on your plan (excludes Fiber Internet 100 plan)
12 months of Optimum Mobile for $5
Up to $30 in savings off your monthly bill with the Affordability Connectivity Plan if you qualify
New customers that sign up with SuddenLink Internet (excludes Fiber Internet 100) will receive several free months of HBO Max on the house. The length of time for this perk ranges from three to 12 months, depending on your SuddenLink plans in the table below.