Mediacom Internet Review: Our Honest Take on Cost, Plans, and More
Mediacom offers cable internet speeds up to 1,000 Mbps at competitive prices.
Is Mediacom internet worth it?
Mediacom offers fast internet plans with download speeds that reach up to 1,000 Mbps. That’s about the best speed you can expect from a cable internet provider, and its price tags for the first year are cheap compared to much of the competition.
Mediacom also offers internet bundles with their Xtream TV and home phone services, which are only good options for people who want the convenience of all their services under one provider’s umbrella (and one simple bill).
But in our annual Internet Customer Satisfaction Survey, Mediacom landed a step behind competitors in overall customer satisfaction. Only 59% of Mediacom respondents said they were highly satisfied with the internet provider, so your Mediacom mileage may vary.
Compare Mediacom internet to the competition
Prices starting at
$50.00/mo.
Max download speeds up to
1000 Mbps
Service Type
Cable
Prices starting at
$50.00/mo.
Max download speeds up to
8,000 Mbps
Service Type
Fiber
Pricing, speed and availability not guaranteed. Subject to change.
Mediacom internet packages offer high speeds, but watch out for price hikes
| Package | Price | Download speeds up to | Upload speeds up to | Data cap | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 300 | $50.00/mo. | 300 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Unlimited | |
| Internet 1 Gig | $65.00/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Unlimited |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Which Mediacom internet package is best? Well, that’ll depend on the person buying it. Mediacom has two main internet plans priced from $50.00–$65.00/mo..
You can do a solid amount of internet-ing—including HD gaming and streaming—with Mediacom’s Internet 300 plan, which gives you download speeds up to 300 Mbps. The internet speed on Mediacom’s lowest package is best for singles, couples, and smaller families.
For digital adventurers who live for 4K gaming and streaming and share a home with like-minded relatives or roommates, I suggest the Internet 1 Gig plan and its 1,000 Mbps maximum download speeds and unlimited data. (I have a 1 Gig internet plan in a household with two people, and tbh, I can’t ever imagine downgrading to a lower plan now.)
Xtream cable service is ok at best. Sometimes the cable goes out and it gets frustrating.
Mediacom internet has speeds that are reliable enough for the average internet user
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| Average latency | 28.3 milliseconds |
| Internet reliability approval rating | 62% approval |
| Internet speed approval rating | 62% approval |
Around 62% of the Xtream by Mediacom customers we surveyed in our annual Internet Customer Satisfaction Survey were satisfied with the ISP’s reliability. Mediacom had similarly middling marks for internet speed satisfaction, with 62% of customers being satisfied with their internet speeds. That’s a solid showing for a cable provider, whose speeds can rarely match fiber internet’s.
We also take latency into account when rating our ISPs. Latency refers to how long it takes for data to physically reach your computer—the lower the number, the better. According to our partners at HighSpeedInternet.com, Mediacom has an average latency of around 28 milliseconds. It’s not best-in-class among cable ISPs, but it’ll be more than fast enough for scrolling, streaming, and Zoom calling.
Cable internet, which Mediacom offers, is less reliable than fiber but is leagues beyond satellite internet providers like Viasat and Hughesnet. (Really, check out our survey. Viasat and Hughesnet soundly occupy the bottom two spots nearly every time.) If your choices are limited, Mediacom is a solid bet.
Mediacom internet comes with good features, but watch out for price hikes
No contracts
Once you sign up for most internet service providers, it’ll usually take a giant fee or finagling with a customer service rep to try to break your contract.
Mediacom doesn’t have internet contracts, so you won’t be required to stay with them for a full year. Without contracts, you’ll have the flexibility to sign up for Mediacom even if you need the internet for just a few months, and then you can cancel without early termination fees.
Mediacom internet and TV packages don’t offer great options for those looking to bundle
Mediacom’s internet bundle options require a little bit of legwork to explain, but I’ll give it a shot. For context, if you want a Mediacom TV plan, you must also have a Mediacom internet plan—no à la carte TV plans here.
To start, Mediacom offers three product families with varying features:
| Prime Internet | 360 Internet | Smart Internet |
|---|---|---|
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|
|
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I’d recommend Prime Internet for most families because it’s Mediacom’s internet-only service tier. Once you lock down your internet tier, you can choose from one of three TV plans:
| Plan | Price | Channels | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local TV | Add $69.35/mo. | 50+ local channels | |
| Essential TV | Add $139.35/mo. | 125+ local/cable channels | |
| Variety TV | Add $136.02/mo. | 170+ local/cable channels |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
I don’t love any of Mediacom’s TV plans. Their channel offerings are lackluster, and don’t get me started on Local TV—you’d be better off paying a one-time fee for an over-the-air (OTA) antenna than paying for a Local TV subscription monthly.
If you must get a Mediacom Xtream TV plan, I recommend going with Variety TV, their top offering.
To find out what channels Mediacom does offer, check out our detailed channel lineup guide.
Mediacom low-income internet service
Mediacom Connect-2-Compete offers internet plans starting at $9.95 a month for low-income families. To qualify, you have to have at least one student in K–12 living at home who qualifies for the National School Lunch Program.
Apply on the Mediacom Connect-2-Compete page, and check out our info on low-income internet programs for tips on getting free internet.
Free Wi-Fi extender, equipment fees
Mediacom has a monthly rental fee of $14 a month, but you can contact Mediacom’s customer service to sign up without a modem rental and choose a compatible modem to bring instead. When you purchase service online, you technically won’t have a way to remove the modem rental fee. But according to Mediacom, their technician can cancel the rental charge once they confirm you have a compatible cable internet modem.
Additionally, Mediacom bundles at least one mesh Wi-Fi system eero Pro 6 with every internet plan. More units are available when you upgrade to 360 Internet and Smart Internet or you can add them a la carte throughout the activation process.
Price increases
Mediacom’s internet plans have promotional pricing for your first year or two, but afterward, your monthly bill will jump up by at least $10 per month. Currently, Internet 300 will increase after one year, while Internet 1 Gig’s price will increase after two years.
Mediacom is far from the only cable ISP to use promotional price hikes, so make sure to keep an eye on your bill and discounts before your one-year mark kicks in.
Mediacom’s customer satisfaction falls short
In our annual internet customer satisfaction survey, just 59% of Xtream by Mediacom respondents said they were highly satisfied with the internet provider. That put Mediacom in 17th place out of 21 providers—not a great showing.
Mediacom’s strengths include the ease of working with them, at 67% satisfaction. Their highest showing was concerning the ease of their installation and setup process, at 70% satisfaction—but when looking at other cable internet providers, Xtream by Mediacom had a comparatively weak showing. You’ll have to decide if their lower prices and lack of contracts make up for these shortcomings.
[Mediacom] barely even come[s] out half of the time to fix the internet and then have the audacity to say that we the customer that is in use of your product are not only in the wrong but then proceed to raise your voice to the customer who is having these concerns […] I am forced to either go through [Mediacom] or find a new place to live, and really don't want to have to do that, so above all else Mediacom just needs to do better.
Mediacom internet FAQ
How much is internet through Mediacom?
Mediacom has two cable internet plans. They cost from $50.00–$65.00/mo. and have internet speeds up to 1,000 Mbps.
Is Mediacom internet unlimited?
Both of Mediacom’s internet plans—Internet 300 and Internet 1 Gig— are Unlimited and have no data caps.
Can you get Mediacom internet without cable TV?
You can get Mediacom internet without cable TV, and don’t have to bundle TV. Mediacom offers three cable and local TV plans for an additional charge.
What is Mediacom Xtream?
Xtream is Mediacom’s name for its TV, internet, and home phone services.
How much is Mediacom internet after the first year?
Mediacom prices increase by around $10 to $60 a year after your first or second year, depending on your plan’s exact guarantee discounts.
Why you should trust us
CableTV.com’s internet and TV experts log dozens of hours researching Mediacom and other internet and TV providers. We compare plans, pricing, features, reliability, promotions, and more in order to help our readers make informed buying experience. To learn more about our process, see our How We Rank page.
