Point Broadband home internet rating
How we calculated our rating
- Competitive rates and a three-year price lock for new customers
- Unlimited data on all plans
- No contracts
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Limited availability, just ten states
- Steep additional fees when starting service
- Poor customer satisfaction
Point Broadband internet review
While Point Broadband might not be a familiar name to some, don’t be fooled. This ISP has seven years of experience delivering symmetrical speeds across its fiber footprint. Service features competitive pricing and straightforward service terms, making it a solid broadband option for your household.
Point Broadband launched as an all-fiber company in 2017. Since then, this ISP has provided services to over 75,000 customers in small towns and rural areas. Early this year, Point Broadband appointed a new position to its leadership team, welcoming Patricia Martin as president.
If you reside in a rural area, your broadband options are often limited to fixed wireless, satellite and DSL connections. Point Broadband joins the list of other ISPs like Ziply Fiber, Quantum Fiber and Frontier in bringing fast speeds to underserved communities. As we like to say in our CNET ISP reviews, a fiber-optic connection trumps all other internet connection types, so if you're in a Point Broadband service area, you're in luck.
Locating local internet providers
Point Broadband internet plans and pricing
| Plan | Monthly price | Max speeds | Fees and service details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Plus Internet | $59 ($85 after three years) | 300Mbps down, 300Mbps up | $14 equipment rental (optional, free in select locations), no data caps or contracts | ||
| Ultra Internet | $69 ($95 after three years) | 500Mbps down, 500Mbps up | $14 equipment rental (optional, free in select locations), no data caps or contracts | ||
| Extreme Internet | $59 ($110 after three years) | 1,000Mbps down, 1,000Mbps up | $14 equipment rental (optional, free in select locations), no data caps or contracts |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
In most Point Broadband service areas, you'll have three plan options, each of which are free of data caps and contracts. Unlike many internet service providers, Point Broadband does not hike its prices after 12 months, offering a three-year price lock on all plans. Whichever tier you choose, each offers the symmetrical speeds you can expect from a fiber-optic connection.
Locating local internet providers
Last year, the company made headways on expanding its fiber reach by partnering with Berkshire Partners. “As we continue to prioritize growth and extend access to our 100% fiber-optic internet service, the sector expertise and resources Berkshire Partners brings in digital infrastructure are the perfect fit to help expand our reach and bring quality service to customers in underserved markets,” Point Broadband CEO Todd Holt wrote in a company press release.
To that point, just recently, Point Broadband announced its acquisition of Riviera Utilities, expanding its fiber network to serve more residents across South Alabama. In January 2024, two new Florida cities gained access to Point Broadband's multi-gigabit speed tiers, which are only available in select areas. Residents in Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe now have access to download and upload speeds of up to 5 gigabits.
Here's where Point Broadband offers internet service
Point Broadband's coverage spans across 10 states in the US.
Point Broadband is headquartered in Alabama, but its fiber-optic coverage extends across 10 states:
Customers can also find coverage in major cities like Opelika, Alabama and Gainesville, Georgia.
While speeds can vary based on where you are on the coverage map, customers can sign up for service in a handful of Point Broadband's established service areas:
| Abingdon, Virginia | Dahlonega, Georgia | Lillian, Alabama | Springboro, Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda & SW Fairfield County, Ohio | Dawsonville, Georgia | Mid-Michigan | Winchester, Tennessee |
| Baldwin County, Alabama | Finger Lakes Region, New York | Northeast Tennessee | |
| Bristol, Virginia | Freeport, Florida | Opelika, Alabama | |
| Canton, Georgia | Gainesville, Georgia | Rose City, Michigan | |
| Central Michigan | Hagerstown, Maryland | Royse City, Texas | |
| City of Colquitt, Georgia | Hazel Green, Alabama | South Central Ohio | |
| Commercial Point, Ohio | Hohenwald, Tennessee | Southwest Georgia | |
| Cornelia, Georgia | Lake Martin, Alabama | Southwest Virginia |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What kind of internet connection does Point Broadband offer?
Point Broadband touts a 100% fiber-optic connection. This might be the case for most households, but very select communities in Michigan and Georgia have access to its lesser-known fixed wireless 5G plans.
According to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, Point Broadband's internet coverage consists mostly of fiber connections, offering 0.264 of unit coverage, but its fixed wireless connection provides only 0.117% of unit coverage. Residents in Bainbridge, Georgia, can expect to see 70% of coverage. Other nearby cities like Conlquitt and Donalsonville will also have some availability.
Meanwhile, coverage is limited for residents outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, near Cannon Township. If you go further up west of Michigan, about 94% of households in Big Rapids have coverage.
The company has made strides in expanding its fiber network to new markets in Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Michigan and New York. That said, the fiber plans are always the optimal choice. But if you live in one of the select areas that can access Point Broadband's fixed wireless plans, you can anticipate max speeds of around 200Mbps. In addition, if you want to avoid the slow and inconsistent speeds of DSL and satellite internet connections, a fixed wireless connection from Point Broadband is a decent alternative.
Point Broadband internet speeds and pricing
Point Broadband features competitive rates for its three main offerings: 300Mbps for $59 monthly, 500Mbps for $69 and the top-end gigabit tier for $59 or $89 per month. Note that some locations may have higher pricing, up to $89 for gig service, if you sign up without auto-pay.
Plans come with a three-year price guarantee, which not all ISPs can match. What should you expect after those first 36 months? While the standard rates of these plans will vary by location, customers may see their monthly bill increase by $30 or more once the price guarantee expires.
In addition to the flat rate, Point Broadband offers symmetrical download and upload speeds of up to 1 gigabit. Some areas may have access to its multi-gigabit tiers, but these are only available to select households. How much speed do you actually need?
According to OpenVault's first quarter 2024 report, over a third of Americans use the internet at gigabit speeds, which is a 20% increase from the previous year. Conversely, a sharp decline of 31% was seen for those using speeds of 200Mbps and below. It's safe to say that Point Broadband's gigabit tier should be enough for your household.
Straightforward terms for Point Broadband internet
Point Broadband's services are fairly simple: There are no data caps or contracts. There are some things you should look out for. Let's examine the details more closely.
Additional monthly fees
Point Broadband supplies customers with an Optical Network Unit, which acts similar to a modem. Renting a router may add $14 to your bill, but select locations may get free equipment rental at no extra cost. There's also the option to use your own router, preferably a Wi-Fi 6 router or better, and skip the fee.
Customers should also be aware of an $8 monthly charge that you can incur. The Point Guard Care Plan is essentially insurance in the case of equipment damages and other service disruptions. It's not a mandatory fee -- you can opt out at any time, including at signup.
One-time installation fees
Your initial monthly bill could rack up quickly when starting service. Standard professional installation will cost you $150. Residents in select areas may receive a promotional offer that includes free installation.
No data caps
Unlike many cable internet providers, such as Xfinity and Mediacom, Point Broadband does not enforce data caps on any of its plans. That means you don't have to worry about your overage fees or having Point Broadband throttle your speeds once you hit some arbitrary data threshold.
Money-back guarantee
Point Broadband does not require a long-term contract. For a limited time, it is offering new customers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Point Broadband vs. competitors: Middle of the road customer satisfaction
With its customer reach mainly limited to rural areas, Point Broadband did not place on The American Customer Satisfaction Index or the J.D. Power survey. The Better Business Bureau offers some perspective. It ranked Point Broadband with an average score of 1.3 out of 5 stars, which doesn't seem great on the surface but is decent for an ISP. To be fair, it resolved 33 complaints in the last three years. Finally, Point Broadband took home an A-minus rating, which might seem promising, but Frontier Fiber topped it with an A rating.
Reddit users helped shed some light on a couple of issues, such as frequent outages, miscommunication in customer service and disruptions when setting up service.
What's the bottom line on Point Broadband?
If you reside in a rural area or small town, you might have had to settle for the slow speeds from DSL and satellite connections. Point Broadband's fiber offerings, featuring symmetrical speeds up to a gig, and its competitive pricing make it a solid choice.
Point Broadband internet FAQs
Where can I get Point Broadband's internet services?
Do Point Broadband internet plans come with data caps?
No. Point Broadband features unlimited data on all of its plans. Customers don't have to worry about paying data overage fees or facing throttled speeds.
Is Point Broadband internet cheap?
Point Broadband offers a 300Mbps plan starting at $59 a month, but the rate may be higher in select locations. Depending on the available pricing at your address, Point Broadband's pricing may be slightly higher or lower than other providers with comparable speeds. One pricing advantage Point Broadband has over many competitors is its price guarantee, which locks in your monthly rate for three years.
How fast is Point Broadband?
Point Broadband's top-end plan features symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1,000Mbps. Some areas might have access to its multi-gigabit plans, which are still expanding. Early this year, Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe, Florida, residents gained access to Point Broadband's multi-gigabit plans.
