Brightspeed Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

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Brightspeed rating

How we calculated our rating

6.6/10

CNET Score

We score internet providers for speed, value and customer care. Our data sources include the FCC, J.D. Power, The American Customer Satisfaction Index and extensive in-house research.

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6.6

/ 10

SCORE

Speed

7/10

Value

7.5/10

Customer Care

5.5/10

Pros

• A fixed rate for all plans

Cons

• Availability in 20 states

See more pros and cons

Brightspeed Internet review

Brightspeed's fiber plans offer decent speeds of up to 2 gigabits for select areas, unlimited data and no contracts. Plus, Brightspeed has a limited-time offer where fiber customers can get free internet for the first three months of service. Let's dig deeper and see what this provider has to offer your household.

In 2022, Brightspeed acquired Lumen's ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier) operations in 20 states, effectively launching Brightspeed's copper/DSL and fiber network, which used to fall under the CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber banners.

Broadband availability, speeds and service quality vary by connection type, which can make internet from Brightspeed somewhat of a coin toss. One side (its fiber internet plans) is good, shiny and new, but the flip side (if you only have access to its copper DSL network) is a proverbial bad penny of older technology and inconsistent speeds.

Although DSL connections comprise most of its network, I commend Brightspeed's tenacity in expanding its fiber footprint, which is a notoriously expensive and difficult task. Most recently, Brightspeed announced it was bringing high-speed fiber internet to over 38,000 households in Columbia, Missouri. In July, the company announced in a press release that it was investing in Ribbon's Comprehensive Network Transformation Solution to improve its network infrastructure.

"Building a fiber broadband network across more than 160 communities in our footprint requires an investment in ensuring we can accelerate scalability," Brightspeed CTO Brian Bond wrote in a company press release.

Brightspeed has great potential given its wide range of tiers and value. All plans have a fixed rate, so you don't have to worry about any surprise price hikes down the line. In addition to variety, Brightspeed comes in strong by offering unlimited data and ditching contract agreements. Whether you have access to DSL or fiber, Brightspeed still has much to offer. Let's take a closer look.

Brightspeed Internet plans and pricing

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Brightspeed offers eight DSL speed tiers and four fiber options. If your address is only serviceable for DSL, you might be stuck with slower speeds, possibly as incredibly slow as 1.5 megabits per second. The exact speed you get will depend on your location. If all you can get are speeds slower than 100Mbps, you should definitely consider faster options if they're available to you.

On the flip side, Brightspeed's fiber network promises access to symmetrical speeds that reach up to 2,000Mbps. Fiber connections are far faster, more reliable and more consistent than other internet connection types. They also always feature symmetrical download and upload speeds. The DSL plans come with an additional $15 monthly equipment fee, but the fiber tiers include the equipment rental in your monthly price. All fiber and DSL plans boast unlimited data and no contracts.

If fiber is available at your location, we recommend the gigabit plan (or 940 megabits per second). For the same price, you get double the speed of the 500Mbps plan. In addition, its cost per Mbps comes down to a very cheap 6 cents. With Brightspeed's limited-time offer, customers who sign up for the 500Mbps and faster fiber plans can have free internet for the first three months of their service.

Brightspeed separates itself from many other ISPs by offering a fixed rate across all plans, meaning your price won't increase after the promo period ends. That's a great value that many ISPs can't match. Introductory pricing can be alluring as it provides a lower monthly bill for the first one to two years. But after the promo period ends, you could be left paying double the monthly amount you initially paid. Brightspeed offers a competitive starting rate that doesn't ratchet up after 12 months.

Brightspeed DSL and fiber internet availability

Brightspeed is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and serves over 6.5 million customers in the Midwest and Southeast regions of the US. Its home internet coverage spans across the following 20 states.

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Georgia 
• Indiana
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Mississippi 
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

It's worth noting that while the Federal Communications Commission highlights 20 states where Brightspeed internet is available, that does not apply to its fiber internet service.

"Brightspeed is making a multibillion-dollar investment in building our high-speed fiber network to more than 3 million locations across 17 states. We have made significant progress since we launched in October 2022," a Brightspeed spokesperson tells CNET. "Brightspeed Fiber Internet service is already available to more than 1.2 million families and businesses in more than 160 communities across our footprint."

What kind of internet connection does Brightspeed offer?

As previously stated, Brightspeed offers both DSL and fiber connections. The kind of connection you'll get depends on what's available at your address. According to the latest data from the FCC, Brightspeed's fiber network takes a back seat, providing only 0.312% of unit coverage across the country, compared to its DSL network, which offers 3% of unit coverage. Hopefully, that coverage will change in the coming years.

"We are continuously working to upgrade our infrastructure to transition more copper customers to our fiber network for improved service quality, reliability and speed," a Brightspeed spokesperson told CNET.

Straightforward terms for Brightspeed home internet

At first glance, Brightspeed's service terms seem straightforward: no data caps and no contracts. But the broadband labels above don't paint a full picture of the service you're getting. Let's examine the details a little more closely.

Additional monthly fees

DSL customers must lease Brightspeed's all-in-one modem and router gateway device for an additional $15 monthly. Brightspeed recommends using its equipment as the optimal choice, but customers can skip that fee by using their own equipment. You can also purchase the device upfront from Brightspeed, which can be valued between $150 and $200 depending on the type of gateway. If you purchase your equipment, your modem comes with a year-long warranty for replacement and or any repair costs. Fiber internet plans include the equipment rental in the monthly fee.

Secure Wi-Fi, powered by McAfee's technology, is available for all customers renting their equipment. The cloud-based shield protects your home network and connected devices from online viruses and threats.

One-time installation fees

Brightspeed often waives the installation fee for some customers. According to Brightspeed's broadband labels, only fiber customers are eligible for a free standard installation valued at $100. For DSL customers, it's not quite that simple. Customers on Brightspeed Internet plans 100 to 140 are eligible for free installation; otherwise, any other DSL plan will require a one-time fee of $99.

No data caps

Brightspeed features unlimited data on all plans. Whether you're a DSL or fiber customer, you don't have to worry about paying data overage fees if you go over a monthly data cap.

Perks and promos

Brightspeed has a limited-time offer for its fiber plans. From now til the end of the year, customers who sign up for the 500Mbps and faster plans will have their internet fully covered for the first three months of service.

Brightspeed vs. its competitors: Customer satisfaction could improve

Customer satisfaction for Brightspeed is far from perfect. As a relatively new company, Brightspeed did not place on the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, but the 2024 J.D. Power survey offers us a few insights.

The J.D. Power survey, measured on a 1,000-point scale, places Brightspeed at the bottom for the South region, scoring 435 points and performing way below the region's average of 559. Comparatively, Google Fiber took home the trophy for the best customer satisfaction in the South, earning a score of 702. Still, Brightspeed has broader coverage than Google Fiber.

In that same survey, Optimum, which has the largest fiber network for a cable provider, slightly bested Brightspeed, with a score of 496. Brightspeed did not place in any other regions in the J.D. Power survey.

Reddit discussions online are also mixed. Some users say Brightspeed is reliable, but others point to billing issues, inconsistent speeds and frequent outages. Overall, Brightspeed has some work to do with improving customer satisfaction.

What's the bottom line on Brightspeed?

Brightspeed has great potential due to the value of its services and the variety it offers. The kind of service you get depends on the flip of a coin. Many customers will have to deal with inconsistent speeds from a DSL connection, but if you can get Brightspeed's fiber, you won't need to look elsewhere. If your address is only serviceable for its DSL network, you're better off seeking other alternatives like fixed wireless or cable.

Brightspeed internet FAQs