We get it. You’re burnt out after being on the hunt for great discounts on the newest phones, biggest TVs, most clever toys or the glitzy new doodad you saw on YouTube the other day. You might still be seeking out the best Cyber Monday deals still available. But don’t sleep on the deals coming from the internet service providers in your area. Those ISPs probably aren’t top of your mind, but should be. This is a sneaky-good time to score a deal on internet service. How can you take advantage of all the great smart home gifts you just bought if your internet connection is lousy?
When we chatted with EarthLink CEO Glenn Goad for our deep dive on how to negotiate with your ISP, he passed along several insights. Most important? Be prepared.
“It’s a great time for promotions, offers and incentives,” Goad said, pointing out how the arrival of new competitors like Starlink and the emergence of new technologies like 5G have forced ISPs to go big to win customers or even keep hold of existing ones.
“But,” he added, it’s “also a time where you may not get the hand-holding or the time you want to research.”
That’s where we can help. ISP deals might not be on your radar, but they’re definitely on ours. Whether you currently have a data cap you want to shed or perhaps are looking for a plan with a little more download speed, we may be able to point you to a deal that makes sense for you.
One little disclaimer. We say it all the time with our ISP reviews, but it bears repeating: There may be a provider out there with a seemingly perfect plan for your household but said ISP is not available at your address. It can be frustrating. But with the expansion of satellite internet service and 5G home internet options, your choices may slowly but surely begin to expand.
Here’s our list of remaining Cyber Week broadband deals.
Top Cyber Week broadband deals
Altice
New customers to either Optimum or Suddenlink will have the option to purchase a 300Mbps plan for $30 a month and receive a $300 Visa Prepaid Card, three months of HBO Max for free and a free Wi-Fi extender.
Also offered will be the 1 Gig Internet plan for $50 a month. New customers will also get a $300 Visa Prepaid card, free HBO Max for a year, a free Wi-Fi extender and a free Optimum Stream device.
Read our Optimum review.
Frontier Communications
Frontier got into the game early with an offer that went live on Halloween. It emphasizes its Gig service by offering a $200 reward card for new customers. Also, exclusive to Gig customers, it will include an Eero Pro 6 mesh router for a whole-home Wi-Fi experience for no added charge.
This deal features a three-year price lock and a one-year contract.
Read our Frontier review.
Grande Communications
Grande Communications, a high-speed internet provider in Texas, features a limited-time, holiday promotion for new customers. If you order online you can get Gig Internet for $55 a month, plus free professional installation and a $200 Visa gift card.
Read more about the best cable internet providers.
HughesNet
HughesNet will have a special Cyber Week promotion — Any new customer who signs up for a residential plan by Dec. 3 will be eligible for a $100 prepaid card. To receive the rebate, you’ll have to remain active for a minimum of 31 days.
Read our HughesNet review.
RCN
RCN kicked off its Cyber Week season on Nov. 15, 2021, with several limited-time promotions targeted to its six different metro regions.
In the Boston metro area, consumers who purchase online can get the 250Mbps plan for $26 a month, as well as a $50 Visa gift card and a free TiVo Stream 4K for 12 months. If customers opting for the 500Mbps plan or higher will receive a $100 Visa gift card. These offers end Dec. 10, 2021.
Lehigh Valley consumers who purchase online will be able to get the 300Mbps plan for $37 a month and receive a $100 gift card, one free month of internet, free professional installation and a free TiVo Stream 4K for 12 months. This offer is good through Dec. 10, 2021.
The greater Philadelphia area will see a similar deal for the 300Mbps plan. New customers ordering online will get the 300Mbps plan for $30 a month, as well as a $100 Visa gift card, one free month of internet, free professional installation and a TiVo Stream 4K for free for 12 months. The offer ends on Dec. 10, 2021.
RCN offers its 400Mbps plan for $40 a month and free professional installation for those who order online in the Chicago market. Also, with select plans and speeds, RCN will include HBO Max free for three or 12 months (depending on the plan purchased). These offers are good until Jan. 4, 2022.
Consumers in the Washington, DC area will see an RCN offer of 300Mbps for $30 a month, plus free professional install and one free month of service. If purchased by Dec. 10, 2021, customers will also receive a $100 Visa gift card. The overall offer ends Jan. 4, 2022.
Lastly, new customers in the New York City market will be able to get Gig internet for $35 a month and receive a $200 Visa gift card, two months of free internet and complimentary professional installation. Offer valid through Dec. 10, 2021.
Read our RCN review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
New T-Mobile Home Internet customers can get a Samsung Chromebook GO for $149 via 24 monthly bill credits on T-Mobile’s zero-interest Equipment Installment Plan as well as 50% off that qualifying mobile internet line.
Read our T-Mobile Home Internet overview.
Viasat
Viasat has unveiled a holiday promotion that offers new customers who order Silver, Gold and Platinum plans a free Echo Dot (3rd gen) smart speaker with Alexa. This offer is available in select markets and runs through the end of the year.
Read our Viasat internet review.
Ry Crist/CNET
Xfinity’s Cyber Week sales offer gives new Gigabit customers a $200 Visa Prepaid Card once you sign up with a one-year term agreement. The promotion is not available in all areas.
Read our Xfinity internet review.
Cyber Week internet deal FAQs
Is Cyber Week really the best time to get broadband?
It could be. While many sales experts agree that May to October — moving season — is the prime window to find great sales and incentives on internet service, some ISPs are hopping on the Cyber Week bandwagon to extend special promos and offers beyond their recurring monthly deals.
What makes for a good internet deal?
That will differ for each household, but one good way to determine value is to look at the cost per megabit per second. For example, you might jump at a 100Mbps plan for $20 per month and skip the 500Mbps plan for $40 per month. That’s $20 a month more!
However, when you look at the cost per Mbps, it’s 20 cents per Mbps for the 100 plan and just 8 cents per Mbps for the 500 plan. Suppose you have several users in your household and multiple smart devices throughout the home. In that case, you’ll notice the performance difference in having the 500Mbps plan versus having to settle for the 100Mbps option.
Lastly, don’t sleep on the value of promotional perks. If a plan offers you free HBO Max, that’s a savings of $15 a month or $180 a year. As more and more of us cut the cord on cable and lean on streaming services, that’s an excellent value.
Are there internet promotions I should avoid during Cyber Week?
We would suggest staying away from services that require you to enter into a term agreement. To sign one means you often have to pay a stiff penalty if you decide to end service before the end of the contract. Thankfully, more and more ISPs are giving up the idea of long-term contracts. But if a Cyber Week deal requires that you sign a long-term agreement, make sure you have no other options — or already know and like the provider — before signing on the dotted line.
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