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RCN internet plans

By Ari Howard Last updated: November 2, 2021

RCN internet plans are available from speeds of 10 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps. Plan selection and pricing varies by your location.

  • RCN internet

    Speeds up to 10 Mbps starting at:

    $19.99/mo.

    *Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Last updated 08/16/21.

Shop RCN internet plans in your area

RCN is a prominent provider in Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Lehigh Valley. The cable provider has seven internet plans you may shop and delivers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps via fiber optic connection depending on where you’re located. DSL service is also available in a limited area of RCN coverage areas.

Your service comes with no contract agreement and free standard Wi-Fi service to wirelessly extend your connection throughout your entire home. You’ll also be able to take advantage of RCN’s Service Protection Plan so a technician’s visit is free of charge if you ever experience problems with your RCN internet.

Although there are no contract agreements, you can expect prices to increase significantly after the first year. Your bill may increase by around $100/mo. 

Allconnect review

Allconnect has provided its review of RCN’s service overall; however, scores will slightly vary depending on your location. RCN offers different internet plans in each region it serves, meaning some areas may offer a better value than others. 

Although RCN scored well on performance and customer satisfaction, it received a fairly low score for affordability. This is because after the promotional rate expires, your internet bill will increase significantly.

How we scored internet providers

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

For each sub-factor, we score all providers on a continuous scale of 1 to 5, relative to the industry as a whole. Because the average download speed in America is currently 180 Mbps, for example, we assigned all plans with download speeds between 100 and 299 Mbps a score between 3 and 4. Xfinity’s 200 Mbps plan received a 3.50 score for download speed, while Spectrum’s 400 Mbps plan got a 4.16.

We only considered standardized data points in our scoring system. More abstract data like consistency of service and brand reputation is still part of our analysis, but we opted to let our writers address them in the context of each review.

Learn more about our methodology

Allconnect: Let us compare providers for you

Why should you choose Allconnect? We’re the #1 broadband marketplace in the U.S, meaning you can trust us to search, compare and order internet and TV service for your home.

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Illustration of a father and daughter in a living room. The father is sitting in an armchair and reading a newspaper, and the daughter is playing with a toy on the floor.

RCN internet plans and prices

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Last updated 08/16/21.

The exact rate for RCN internet service varies by location, but you can expect speed plans to range between 10 and 1,000 Mbps. Be prepared that pricing will go up significantly after the first year, likely between $60 and $100/mo. more. RCN is not particularly transparent about their immense price increase so make sure you take that into consideration when comparing provider options in your area. 

In New York, for instance, the promotional pricing for the 500 Mbps plan is $34.99/mo. However, after the year is up, your bill will increase to $148.99/mo. Customers have reported some success in negotiating the price down so you may want to try that if you decide to buy an RCN internet plan.

What we like

  • Plenty of internet plans to choose from, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps

  • No data caps

  • No contract required for service

Things to consider

  • Limited provider availability

  • Connection types and plan costs vary by coverage area

  • Up to $100/mo. price increase after first year

Additional fees and contracts  

Equipment fee

RCN offers multiple options for internet equipment. You can either rent your equipment through RCN or you can buy your equipment separately. If you choose to rent your equipment with RCN, the modem will cost you $15/mo. and the router will cost $10/mo. or $12.95/mo., depending on whether you select the wireless router or the pro-gaming router. 

Modem: $15.00/mo.

Router: $10-12.95/mo. 

Installation fee

You can expect your first internet bill to be somewhat high since you will have to pay a one-time fee for professional installation and a fee to activate your internet service. 

Activation fee: $9.99

Installation fee: $79.95

Contracts and data caps

RCN does not require customers to sign a long-term contract and there are no data limits with any internet plan. This means you don’t have to worry about early termination fees or overage fees. 

RCN connection types

RCN primarily uses a cable internet network, but may also use a DSL or fiber optic network in select locations to offer gig-speeds. Depending on your location and which RCN internet plan you choose, your connection could include a cable, fiber optic or DSL connection, or a hybrid or multiple network types.

RCN cable

RCN cable internet is available to 98% of those in RCN service areas. Speeds range from 50 to 500 Mbps. Cable internet offers faster speeds than DSL, but speeds can slow at peak usage times.

Fiber optic internet often supports the fastest, most reliable internet service, and is the foundation for RCN’s Gig Internet. Available to roughly 18% of serviceable areas, RCN fiber optic offers customers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps.

Less than 5% of households in RCN-serviceable areas have access to their DSL service. As an older internet technology, DSL doesn’t deliver the speeds you’d get with cable or fiber optic internet, but may offer lower-priced internet plans.

Expert tip:

If available in your area, go with a fiber optic internet provider. Fiber has a great reputation for reliability and the fastest speeds money can buy.

How fast is RCN internet?

RCN internet speeds start at 10 Mbps and max out at up to 1,000 Mbps in most RCN service areas. When it comes to which RCN internet plan is right for you, “fast” internet to one household may not seem very fast to another. Consider the amount of users in your home and the activities you enjoy when selecting a RCN internet plan.

25 Mbps

Best for: 1-3 users who enjoy light browsing, streaming and downloading a few large files

Best for: 1-3 users who enjoy moderate browsing, streaming in 4K and downloading large files quickly

Best for: Multiple users who enjoy heavy browsing, gaming, streaming in 4K, downloading large files, hosting video chats and connecting smart home devices.

Best for: Unlimited users who enjoy heavy browsing, gaming streaming in 4K, downloading large files quickly, hosting multi-user video chats and connecting smart home devices

Expert tip:

Use our speed test to see what speeds you are getting from your provider, and check out our tips for boosting your Wi-Fi speeds. If you’re interested in faster internet speeds, shop internet plans from top providers in your area, like RCN.

Compare RCN to the competition

Compared to the major providers, RCN does not perform as well. RCN has some of the lowest starting prices available but after the first 12 months, RCN is considerably more expensive than the other providers. In the long-term, therefore, you would save money by selecting one of the other providers.

*Wireless speeds may vary.
Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Last updated 08/16/21.

Bundling RCN internet with TV service 

The number of channels offered varies by region, but RCN generally offers three TV plans in the areas it serves. RCN offers Digital Basic TV for around 70 channels, Signature TV for approximately 300 channels and Premier + Signature TV for up to 400 channels. Pricing starts at around $20/mo. for TV service. 

You can bundle any RCN internet plan with one of the three TV packages. You also can add on any premium channel you like to your TV service for an additional fee. Just like with your internet service, however, expect your TV bill to increase significantly after the first year. Pricing can reach as high as $137.95/mo. for TV service.      

RCN customer satisfaction 

Overall, RCN performs fairly well in the customer satisfaction department. It scored a 70/100 on the 2020 Consumer Reports and made the list for PC Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for ISPs with a score of 8.1/10.

RCN internet FAQs

What is RCN’s fastest internet plan?

The fastest internet plan RCN offers is the Gig Internet plan with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. This plan also features a fiber optic connection which is considered the most reliable connection on the market.

Both RCN and Xfinity are primarily cable providers although they are different and have different price points. They do, however, have similar speed ranges. Xfinity has a larger coverage area, so you may be able to find Xfinity services a bit easier than with RCN.

Save money on your monthly bill by bundling TV, internet and home phone services with RCN. You’ll enjoy exclusive savings on your services and simplify your monthly bills.

Allconnect: Let us compare providers for you

Why should you choose Allconnect? We’re the #1 broadband marketplace in the U.S, meaning you can trust us to search, compare and order internet and TV service for your home.

Get started
Illustration of a father and daughter in a living room. The father is sitting in an armchair and reading a newspaper, and the daughter is playing with a toy on the floor.

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Ari Howard

Written by:

Ari Howard

Associate Writer, Broadband & Wireless Content

Ari is an Associate Writer for the Allconnect team, focusing on broadband and wireless news, as well as broadband and TV provider deals. She recently graduated from Davidson College with a bachelor’s degree in… Read more

Robin Layton

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

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