Metronet Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

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6.9/10

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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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6.9

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7/10

Value

6.5/10

Customer Care

7/10

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Metronet internet review

You can expect a 100% fiber-optic connection with Metronet, which offers decent speeds and value for its plans. While Metronet doesn't tie down its customers with long-term contracts, expect a price lock of one to three years (depending on your chosen plan). Once the promo period is up, your monthly price will increase in the second or fourth year. In addition, all plans include unlimited data. As is often the case with ISPs, there are a few things worth considering in the fine print. When it comes to Metronet, that includes a hidden fee and some price increases, but we'll get to that in due time.

Usually, going with a smaller, regional internet service provider means settling for higher prices, but that's not necessarily the case with Metronet. Based in Evansville, Indiana, Metronet started as a family-run business and is now the country's largest independently owned fiber-optic ISP.

Three years ago, Metronet announced a merger with Vexus Fiber, a Texas-based internet service provider, that expanded the provider's coverage base to over 250 communities. But most recently, during the summer of 2024, Metronet announced that it had entered a joint venture agreement with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and T-Mobile to sell its residential fiber operations to T-Mobile.

The acquisition is expected to be finalized this year and 100% of Metronet's fiber customers will move to T-Mobile, and Metronet will act as a wholesale service provider.

What will Metronet's plans look like following the acquisition? We're not sure yet. In the meantime, if you can get Metronet at your address, it's worth a try. Metronet has been committed to rolling out 100% FTTH networks from its beginnings in central Indiana. That makes it a provider worth paying attention to. Let's explore.

Metronet internet plans and pricing

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Metronet's promotional pricing stands out from most ISPs. However, it can be confusing to understand at first glance. For some plans, you get to keep your price for up to three years, which is a great deal if you consider that most ISPs offer a standard price lock for only a year. Your monthly price will depend on which plan you choose and whether you opt for the three-year price lock. For instance, the 500Mbps plan is priced at $49 a month with the three-year price lock guarantee versus $45 with the standard one-year price lock.

Pricing after your promo period ends can also be a bit confusing. If you choose the plans with a standard one-year price lock, your pricing will steadily increase by $10 a month, year after year. However, if you opt for the three-price lock, Metronet will only raise your monthly price in the fourth year. However, the drawback to this is that you can expect a much steeper price jump.

The cost per Mbps for Metronet's fiber gigabit plan (without the three-year price lock) is a very cheap 5 cents, which is better than the gigabit plans offered by AT&T (8 cents), Spectrum (7 cents) and Frontier (6 cents), all of which are competitors in several Metronet service areas. Notably, it's also better than the gig rate of Google Fiber (7 cents), a Metronet competitor in the Des Moines, Iowa, market.

The average cost per Mbps for the promo prices of all five plans is less than 9 cents if you sign up without the three-year price lock. While that's better than the promo costs for some of its cable competitors, like Xfinity, it falls behind in comparison to the average price for some other fiber providers we've reviewed: Frontier (6 cents) and Google Fiber (5 cents). One of the main reasons? With maximum upload and download speeds of 150Mbps, Metronet's starting tier -- which meets the Federal Communications Commission's new benchmark for broadband speeds -- is slower than many other providers' opening offerings. For instance, Quantum Fiber's lowest fiber option is 200Mbps, AT&T and Verizon Fios start at 300Mbps, and Frontier's opening salvo is 200Mbps. So while Metronet customers get a decent deal with the gigabit plan, you won't find the same value with its cheapest tier. 

Metronet fares a little better when you compare its regular rates to those of its competitors. Overall, Metronet's standard rates roll up at an average cost per Mbps of 10 cents after one year, which is still in the middle of the pack, especially compared with AT&T, CenturyLink, Google Fiber and Verizon Fios which retain their impressive prices per Mbps because they don't do promo pricing. Still, Metronet is cheaper in the long run than Spectrum's post-promo pricing (9 cents) or even Ziply Fiber (18 cents), which has a better promo rate but levels out after a year.

Where can you get Metronet Internet?

Metronet's headquarters are in Indiana, but its footprint extends beyond the Hoosier state. As of this writing, Metronet Internet is available to over 300 communities in 17 states:

• Colorado
• Florida
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

Most Metronet service areas within those states are smaller cities and towns. Some of the larger metropolitan areas covered include Aurora, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; Lansing, Michigan; Lexington, Kentucky; Rochester, Minnesota; and Tallahassee, Florida.

When we first reviewed Metronet, it offered no speed tiers above one gig. With the roll-out of its multi-gig plans, customers can now access 2-gigabit and 5-gigabit speeds. The company's fiber footprint is constantly expanding, but the multi-gig plans aren't available to all Metronet customers yet. Be sure to check out the Metronet coverage map for more details.

Metronet additional fees, equipment and data caps

Metronet's monthly pricing is fair, but it also includes some customer-friendly approaches that not all ISPs embrace, including no-term agreements (or the harsh early termination fees that come with them). Let's examine Metronet's service terms to determine what you'll be paying. 

Additional fees

Almost all ISPs charge an installation fee when you first sign up for internet service, so it's no surprise to find that here. Usually, that charge ranges between $50 and $99, depending on the provider. Metronet falls on the low end of the scale as it charges only $25 for installation upon signing up for service, which is pretty good compared to what most other ISPs will bill for the same service. Let's talk about an unavoidable charge we don't often see.

What's up with the tech assure fee?

The one part of Metronet service that is outside the norm among ISPs is what it calls a "Tech Assure fee." Here's what it is: It's a mandatory monthly charge of almost $13 on top of your regular monthly rate. Metronet says on its website, "Tech Assure covers any service calls or repairs to all Metronet-owned equipment." In other words, it's essentially ISP insurance that covers the customer for any issues that might arise. 

That's fine in theory, but it adds $156 a year to your internet bill, which is significant. I see the value of not worrying about the additional costs of any needed house calls or equipment fixes, but as an internet technology, fiber is the sturdiest and least finicky broadband connection. So (fingers crossed), you shouldn't have to worry about your internet constantly. I would prefer to see that be an optional cost for the consumer. 

No equipment fees

Metronet doesn't charge an additional equipment fee for any of its plans -- a wireless router is included in your monthly bill or a premium router for the faster plans. Comparatively, fiber providers like AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, Google Fiber and Verizon Fios also include the router rentals in their monthly costs, but it's not always a given -- Ziply Fiber charges for its equipment leases.

If your household needs additional help with Wi-Fi, Metronet offers a wireless extender rental (what it calls its WholeHome WiFi) for an additional $10 a month. It's not a prerequisite, so not all homes will need to add this cost, but you should be aware of it nonetheless. Metronet is currently offering this extender for an additional $5 a month in the first year for the 1- and 2-gig plans.

No data caps

Like many fiber providers, Metronet does not enforce data caps on any of its plans. That means you don't have to worry about a throttled connection with slower speeds once you hit a certain threshold. It also means you don't have to fear looming overage charges if you exceed a data cap. Again, that's not uncommon among fiber providers. It's still worth calling out, mainly since the Metronet coverage map includes areas covered by cable and satellite internet providers, many of whom enforce monthly data limits. 

Perks and promos

Lastly, where some ISPs try to lure new subscribers by offering a trial subscription to a streaming service like Disney Plus, HBO Max or Paramount Plus, Metronet allows its customers to earn significant account credits. Metronet's referral program promotion encourages you to refer friends and family to the service. This means you can earn a $50 account credit for each person you get to sign up using your unique referral link. There is no limit to the number of credits you can earn. This rivals the aggressive referral program we've seen from Nomad Internet.

Additionally, customers of the 1-gig or 2-gig plans will receive a $100 gift card, similar to AT&T's pre-paid Visa card offering, plus a free installation.

Metronet Internet vs. the competition: Customer satisfaction scores are more hit than miss 

No ISP emerges unscathed when it comes to customer satisfaction numbers. The American Customer Satisfaction Index -- which we frequently use to help gauge how providers fare with US subscribers -- notes that the internet industry regularly ranks at the bottom among all tracked categories.

Due to its smaller size, Metronet didn't earn an individual ranking score within the latest ACSI or the J.D. Power US Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction for 2024; instead, we leaned on the Better Business Bureau. Metronet earned an A-plus rating from the BBB. For context, the scores of rival providers like Frontier (A) and AT&T Fiber (A-plus) are also relatively favorable despite the occasional review from disgruntled customers.

PCMag named Metronet the fastest internet provider in the country for 2023 and 2024. Metronet also did well on the 2024 Ookla speed test report. (PCMag and Ookla are both owned by CNET's parent company, Ziff Davis.) Per Ookla, Metronet crossed the finish line as the fastest ISP in Iowa, coming in with a median download speed of 187Mbps.

The bottom line on Metronet Internet

You can't go wrong with an FTTH connection. Its reliability and the symmetrical speeds it offers are currently unparalleled in broadband. Metronet's commitment to building 100% fiber-optic networks is both admirable and forward-looking (or future-proof, as they say). Its plan pricing is quite reasonable, especially considering its coverage map plays in areas where cable and satellite services have previously reigned. While I'd love to see the Tech Assure Program fee become an optional charge rather than a mandatory one, I give Metronet props for skipping some of the other additional charges -- like the equipment rental for all plans. It should be near the top of your list if you fall under the Metronet coverage map -- especially before Metronet's acquisition by T-Mobile is completed.

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