Like most customers for home internet, you’ve probably been bombarded with advertisements and marketing materials from internet companies promising you fast, reliable internet service at seemingly low prices.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the devil is in the details—or at least the fine print. That’s where you’ll discover that many internet companies cap your monthly data, charge exorbitant overage fees, lock you into contracts after promotions, and sneak in bait-and-switch (and much higher) pricing to their contracts.
At NHTC, we provide more than just the fastest, most reliable internet you can get—fiber! We also pride ourselves on being upfront about our plans, keeping prices competitive, and never capping or deliberately slowing your internet.
Before you sign on the dotted line with any internet service provider, always remember to look for the following traps in the fine print.
- Data Caps
Many companies that use older forms of internet technology, like cable, satellite, or DSL simply cannot handle the amount of internet traffic that fiber can. To cope with the modern homeowner’s high demand for bandwidth, they may set data caps on customers, which intentionally limit or slow down your internet each month after you consume a certain amount of data. This can lead to painfully slow internet access or unexpected charges on your bill.
With fiber internet, like NHTC’s, you never need to worry about data caps because fiber is powerful and robust enough to handle all your family’s or business’s internet needs without affecting our other customers! So before committing to a new deal or contract, be sure to inquire about data caps or any other limitations on your monthly internet service.
- Beware of Too-Good-to-be-True Promotional Pricing
Our next tip to watch out for is promotional pricing that sounds simply incredible—because it almost certainly is. The most common trap is the classic bait-and-switch—signing up for monthly service with an exceptionally-low monthly cost for a very limited time, only to be followed by an enormous price hike that you’re stuck with.
Indeed, a $30-or-more per month increase above the promotional rate is not uncommon. So be wary of glossy advertising for internet companies with shockingly low monthly promotional rates and smiling, giddy-seeming customers—because most of them won’t be smiling once the promotional deal ends and the massive price hike kicks in!
- Don’t Get Locked into a Contract You Won’t Like
Another trick to be aware of with promotional pricing from big internet companies is locking you into a long-term contract you cannot easily break. Sure, the promotion’s offer sounds too good to refuse—but those promotional periods and prices end. After that, you could be stuck with a plan you don’t like, internet speed and service that doesn’t meet your expectations or household’s needs, and all at a higher price than you had bargained for.
Attentive customers will carefully review any terms in the contract including both the initial monthly fees during the promotional period and what the customer’s commitment will be to stay enrolled with the service after that period ends. Be on the lookout for cancellation fees or other penalties for terminating the contract early, as they can carry a hefty one-time charge.
- Know What’s Included—and What’s Not—Before You Sign
Finally, we urge you to carefully read what is specifically included in the deal and contract you’re agreeing to and what is specifically excluded. This means not only basic information like the plan’s maximum download or upload speeds, but also other key matters including any upfront costs you must pay beyond the monthly service charge. One common example is an installation/set-up fee. Another is a separate monthly fee for Wi-Fi in your home (as opposed to just the wired connection to your home).
Also check out the details about any bundle pricing discounts for other services, such as telephone, television, or cellular services, and read the details about what happens to your monthly bill if you cancel one or more of those services in the bundle.
Additionally, confirm what equipment—if any—is included in the monthly service fee, especially for routers, Wi-Fi equipment, and similar devices. These equipment costs may be wrapped up in the service fee or appear as a separate line item on your bill, so understanding this upfront is useful for your bottom line.
At NHTC, we strive to be upfront and honest about the quality and price of our high-speed fiber network and packages as well as other products and services. Our pricing and plans are laid out simply and clearly. We do not engage in tricky advertising, nor do we require contracts.
As always, the friendly and knowledgeable representatives at NHTC are available to answer your questions about our plans and services. So please feel free to contact us. And be sure to follow NHTC’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages to learn more about our world-class fiber network!