Kinetic by Windstream internet
Robin Layton Last updated: September 25, 2024
Kinetic by Windstream offers high-speed fiber internet plans up to 8 Gbps as well as cheaper DSL internet options.
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Fiber plans from 100 Mbps starting at
$24.99/mo.*
Windstream will provision the fastest speed available at the time of order but cannot guarantee, and is not liable or responsible for, speeds or uninterrupted, error-free service. For speeds over 25 Mbps services are provisioned in a range including a min and max speed. Speed availability, capabilities and provisioning vary depending on network and terrain conditions, Internet website, or network congestion, and customer geo-location. In select areas, includes unlimited incoming calls, and outbound calls will incur add’l charges. *12-month price guarantee with AutoPay. As of 9/25/24.
Call to order: (844) 451-2720
Best Kinetic internet plans
Plan name | Speeds up to | Connection type | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kinetic Internet 100 | 100 Mbps |
Fiber
Reliability
High
|
$39.99/mo.
with Auto Pay and paperless billing. Pricing breakdown
|
Check with
Windstream
Or call
Or give us a call
|
Kinetic Internet 500 | 500 Mbps |
Fiber
Reliability
High
|
$39.99/mo.
with Auto Pay and paperless billing. Pricing breakdown
|
Check with
Windstream
Or call
Or give us a call
|
Kinetic Internet 1 Gig | 1000 Mbps |
Fiber
Reliability
High
|
$69.99/mo.
*Limited time offer available to new residential, serviceable customers. Offer requires enrollment in AutoPay and paperless billing. After promotional term ends following activation, rate will adjust to current regular rate for the speed chosen, which is subject to change. Prices exclude taxes, fees and other charges (e.g., equipment, installation, service-call, data allowance and other usage based or separately billed charges). Pricing and offer subject to change. Table reflects pricing available in Alabama. May vary based on location. Last updated 11/15/23. Pricing breakdown
|
Check with
Windstream
Or call
Or give us a call
|
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Kinetic Internet 100Speeds up to100 MbpsContract length12 mos.Connection typeFiberRatingHighPlan cost$39.99/mo.for 12 mos.Pricing breakdown
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Kinetic Internet 500Speeds up to500 MbpsContract length12 mos.Connection typeFiberRatingHighPlan cost$39.99/mo.for 12 mos.Pricing breakdown
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Kinetic Internet 1 GigSpeeds up to1000 MbpsContract length12 mos.Connection typeFiberRatingHighPlan cost$69.99/mo.for 12 mos.Pricing breakdown
Plan cost: $39.99/mo for 12 months.
Equipment fees: Information unavailable.
Plan cost: $39.99/mo for 12 months.
Equipment fees: Information unavailable.
Plan cost: $69.99/mo for 12 months.
Equipment fees: Information unavailable.
Windstream internet overview
Kinetic Internet is available in 18 states and offers the most coverage in Georgia, Texas and Kentucky.
Currently, Kinetic provides DSL internet to approximately 14 million people, making it the sixth-largest residential DSL provider in the U.S. by population coverage. The Kinetic fiber service is available to nearly four million people, offering speeds up to 8,000 Mbps.
What we like
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No contracts or early termination fees – Month-to-month options are available if you’re looking for commitment-free internet service from a reputable provider
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No data caps – With unlimited data, you can browse and stream the internet as much as you like
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Symmetrical fiber speeds – The Kinetic fiber network can deliver equally fast upload and download speeds
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Rural availability – Kinetic offers internet service in 14,405 ZIP codes nationwide, making it one of the best options for those who live in more rural areas.
Things to consider
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Limited plans – Available Kinetic speed options can vary by location, and the speed you need, or are looking for, may not be offered in your area.
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Lower customer satisfaction – The American Customer Satisfaction Index gave Kinetic by Windstream a score of 70/100 in 2023, which was above the industry standard of 68
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Price increase – Entry Mbps speed Kinetic plan pricing increases after 12 months. Your monthly internet bill could increase from $15 to $18/mo., depending on your plan
Kinetic by Windstream Fiber internet rating
Allconnect Rating
4.04 / out of 5 stars
This score is based off of the 6 plans Kinetic by Windstream Fiber has available
Rating breakdown
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Affordability
3.28 / 5
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Performance
4.53 / 5
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Value
4.82 / 5
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Customer satisfaction
3.95 / 5
Kinetic by Windstream DSL internet rating
Allconnect Rating
3.24 / out of 5 stars
This score is based off of the 1 plans Kinetic by Windstream DSL has available
Rating breakdown
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Affordability
3.72 / 5
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Performance
2.97 / 5
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Value
2.40 / 5
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Customer satisfaction
4.05 / 5
As you can see from the scores above, there’s a large gap between the two types of service. Windstream’s fiber plans cost a bit more, but they get you much faster speeds. If you can get it in your area, Windstream’s fiber service is a better option for most people and compares favorably to most other internet providers. On the other hand, Windstream’s DSL service has the lowest scores of any internet service we’ve reviewed.
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.
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.
COVID Practices
Unlimited data allowance
AT&T consumer home internet or Fixed Wireless Internet customers can use unlimited internet data through September 30, 2020.
Installation practices
Self-installation is the default installation option when available for customers.
Temporary speed upgrade
Get a temporary speed upgrade to 50 Mbps when you order Cox 10 & 30 Mbps internet plans. Offers valid through June 30, 2020.
Installation practices
Self-installation encouraged. Select your desired installation date, and a Cox representative will call to confirm or reschedule your appointment.
N/A
Installation practices
Safety-first Installation: A Frontier technician will perform your installation with appropriate safety protocols including wearing protective equipment and maintaining social distancing. In taking these precautions, it’s recommended that Frontier customers wear a face mask or face covering for the safety of technicians.
New TV plan
Introducing a new “Local 50” video plan to support contactless installation.
Installation practices
Contactless installation: Mediacom will send an installation kit and a technician to set up a single high-speed data connection, phone, or one local TV channel plan with the help of someone in your home.
N/A
Installation practices
Self-installation is encouraged. For professional installation, contact-free delivery is available for work done outside of the home. For customers moving more than 7 days from the date the order is placed, professional installation is available.
N/A
Installation practices
Free Contactless Delivery: An Xfinity technician will drop-off your equipment with installation instructions, then perform any outside work. Get your installation fees back in a customer credit for a no-charge installation.
Best plan: Kinetic Gig
Compare all Windstream Internet prices and plans
Kinetic has four plans to choose from starting with its 100 Mbps DSL plan. Its fastest plan offers speeds up to 8,000 Mbps, but plan availability will depend on your location.
Kinetic fiber plans
Plan | Download speed | Upload speed | Starting price |
---|---|---|---|
Kinetic Fiber 100 | 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps | $24.99/mo.* |
Kinetic Fiber 300 | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | $34.99/mo.* |
Kinetic Fiber 500 | 500 Mbps | 500 Mbps | $39.99/mo.* |
Kinetic Fiber 1 Gig | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | $59.99/mo.** |
Kinetic Fiber 2 Gig | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | $99.99/mo.*** |
Kinetic Fiber 8 Gig | 8,000 Mbps | 8,000 Mbps | $299.99/mo. |
Kinetic DSL plan
Plan | Download speed | Upload speed | Starting price |
---|---|---|---|
Kinetic Internet 100 (DSL) | Up to 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps | $39.99/mo.* |
Kinetic by Windstream: Limited-time, non-transferable offer for residential customers, cannot be combined with other offers. Credit restrictions may apply. Subject to availability and Windstream Terms & Conditions (windstream.com/terms). *12-month price guarantee with AutoPay **24-month price guarantee with AutoPay ***36-month price guarantee with AutoPay. As of 09/25/24.
Which Kinetic by Windstream internet plan is right for you?
Kinetic by Windstream plans mostly come in two types: Fiber and DSL. Cable plans are also available in small areas. Fiber is considered the best type of internet connection available, providing the fastest speeds and the most reliable connections. DSL, meanwhile, uses your phone line to connect to the internet, and is usually much slower than cable or fiber.
Which type of plan you’ll have access to depends on what’s available in your area, but for almost everyone, Windstream’s fiber plans are a better option. You’ll get much faster speeds often for the same price. Here are some of our favorite Windstream plans, along with what types of situations we think they’re best for:
Kinetic Internet up to 100: Fastest DSL plan
This plan is a good fit for moderately sized households with two to three users who enjoy heavy browsing, streaming and connecting smart home devices. That said, upload speeds are still limited, so you might run into issues with gaming and video conferencing.
Kinetic Internet 500: Best fiber plan for larger households
Large households with five or more users that stream, browse, game, host live streams, work from home and connect smart home devices might want to upgrade to this fiber plan.
Kinetic Internet Gig: Fast fiber plan
We’ll be honest — most people probably don’t need 1,000 Mbps of upload and download speed. But if you want to have lots of devices connected at once and do some serious gaming or uploading, it might be worth upgrading to Windstream’s 1 Gig plan. At $59.99/mo., it’s actually on the affordable side for such a high-speed plan.
Shop Kinetic by Windstream plans
Kinetic by Windstream offers high-speed internet, TV and home phone plans.
Kinetic availability and coverage
Kinetic Internet is currently available in 18 states, with coverage concentrated in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Nebraska. Check Windstream’s availability with Allconnect’s map.
Kinetic Internet limited-time deals
New to Kinetic by Windstream? Shop Kinetic internet plans online today and get a $100 Visa prepaid card. New subscribers must not have registered with Kinetic in the past 30 days and must be located in select locations.
Kinetic Internet equipment, data caps and security
All internet providers come with extra fees and stipulations tacked on to their terms. Fortunately, Windstream’s aren’t very expensive compared to other providers, and you’ll also get some nice perks you don’t usually see elsewhere.
Data caps
None of Windstream’s plans come with data caps, so you won’t have to worry about watching how much you stream, game or browse every month.
Security
Available with all Kinetic internet plans, Kinetic Secure is total internet protection for your family and devices. This allows you to block dangerous viruses, malware and ransomware to keep your online identity and data secure. You can also manage Wi-Fi usage and content accessed in the home. Kinetic Secure is available for $14.99/mo.
Equipment
Renting: You can rent internet equipment from Kinetic for an additional fee. There is no option to purchase internet equipment from Kinetic.
Purchasing: You also have the option of using your own equipment to avoid the fee, but it must be compatible with your Kinetic internet connection. Additionally, using your own equipment may reduce the amount of technical support Kinetic can provide should you have an issue with your connection. However, buying your own equipment could help you save money long-term.
Allconnect Rating
4.04 / 5
Windstream internet vs. other providers
If Kinetic internet is available in your area, you may also have other options from cable or satellite internet providers. Compare pricing, internet speeds, data caps, contract requirements and more between Kinetic and other leading internet providers.
Provider | Starting prices* | Download speeds | Upload speeds | Allconnect score |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kinetic Internet | $24.99 – $299.99/mo. | 100 – 8,000 Mbps | 100 – 8,000 Mbps | 4.04 / 5 |
AT&T Fiber | $55.00 – $245.00/mo. | 300 – 4,700 Mbps | 300 – 4,700 Mbps | 4.48 / 5 |
Mediacom | $24.99 – $54.99/mo. | 100 – 1000 Mbps | 10 – 50 Mbps | 3.61 / 5 |
Spectrum | $50.00 – $70.00/mo. | 500 – 1,000 Mbps** | 10 – 35 Mbps | 3.57 / 5 |
Optimum | $40.00 – $180.00/mo. | 300 – 5,000 Mbps | 20 – 35 Mbps | 3.55 / 5 |
Xfinity | $24.99 – $299.95/mo. | 75 – 3,000 Mbps | 10 – 3,000 Mbps | 3.54 / 5 |
*Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit Spectrum.net/modem. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. ©2024 Charter Communications, all rights reserved. As of 09/25/24. **To qualify for the Contract Buyout Program, a customer must order and install a combination of qualifying Video and Internet and / or Voice services; offers not available in all areas. Spectrum’s Mobile Services are not eligible for the buyout program. Offer available to qualifying customers only who have no outstanding obligations to Charter. Payment amount will be determined by the Early Termination Fee on the final bill from the previous provider, not to exceed $500. For Contract Buyout qualifications, go to Spectrum.com/buyout. ©2024 Charter Communications, all rights reserved. As of 09/25/24.
Overall, if you can get Windstream’s fiber service in your area, there are few options that offer a better deal. The only provider that overlaps with Windstream that scored better in our analysis was AT&T Fiber.
But if you have a choice between Windstream DSL and a cable provider like Mediacom, Spectrum, Suddenlink or Xfinity, you’re probably better off going with one of the cable providers. The price is usually about the same, and you’ll get much better speed and reliability than you would with a DSL connection.
Bundle Windstream internet with TV
Windstream does not have its own TV service, but you have the option of adding YouTube TV or DIRECTV to your internet plan. There are no additional savings from bundling these services compared to buying them on their own.
Windstream customer satisfaction ratings
According to the 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Kinetic internet scored a 72/100 in customer satisfaction, which is an improvement over the score it received last year.
It’s also important to note that customer satisfaction scores are notoriously low in the internet and TV industries.
Year | Kinetic by Windstream ACSI score | Average ISP score |
---|---|---|
2024 | 72/100 | 77/100 |
2023 | 70/100 | 66/100 |
Windstream Customer Reviews:
Kinetic by Windstream FAQs
Does Kinetic have data caps?
No. DSL and fiber optic plans from Kinetic include unlimited data, so you can browse, stream and game online without worrying about going over a monthly data allowance.
Does Kinetic have TV?
No, Kinetic does not have its own TV service but you can consider bundling your Kinetic internet service with DIRECTV or other satellite TV or streaming services.
Is Windstream a fiber optic internet service?
Windstream has both fiber-optic and DSL plans available, depending on where you live. Its DSL service is more prominent, with availability in 18 states. Many of Windstream’s fiber optic plans utilize a hybrid fiber/DSL network to deliver faster speeds than traditional DSL.
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Written by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content
Robin Layton is an editor for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. She built her internet industry expertise writing and editing for four years on the site, as well as on Allconnect’s sister site MYMOVE.com. … Read more
Edited by:
Anine SusEditor I
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Offer details
Kinetic by Windstream: Limited-time, non-transferable offer for residential customers that may not be combined with other promotions. Credit restrictions may apply. Subject to availability, Windstream Terms and Conditions (www.windstream.com/terms), and Windstream Acceptable Use Policy (www.windstream.com/about/legal/acceptable-use-policy). Eligibility: Must be a new Kinetic Broadband Internet customer (i.e., you have not received Kinetic Internet service within the past 30 days) to qualify. Advertised price is for 12 months and includes both a promotional credit and a $10 per month AutoPay bill credit. Promotional credit applicable at sign-up; $10 AutoPay credit requires separate enrollment. Enrollment must take place at point of sale to be reflected on first month’s bill. If enrollment is after point of sale, credit may be applied to following month’s bill. To enroll after the point of sale, by visiting www.windstream.com/gokinetic or by calling a service representative at 877-807-9643. Customers that do not wish to enroll in AutoPay will not receive additional $10 bill credit. Details: After 12 months, the standard Kinetic Internet rate applies to some plans, other after 24 months. Customer is responsible for payment of applicable taxes, fees, and surcharges, as these are not included in promotional or standard rates. Additional restrictions may apply. Kinetic Internet: Kinetic cannot guarantee upload or download speeds or uninterrupted, error-free service. Speed availability, capabilities, and provisioning vary depending on network and terrain conditions, Internet, website, or network congestion, and customer location. Speeds 25 Mbps and above may be provisioned in a range including a minimum and maximum speed. Kinetic will provision customer’s location for the fastest speed within the available range. Equipment: Monthly equipment fees may apply. Kinetic-provided modems are capable of in-home wireless networking but connected devices may experience speeds slower than advertised or referenced in your Internet plan. Modem equipment must be returned upon termination, and if not, Windstream reserves the right to charge for the modem or a $100 fee. Installation/Activation: An Internet Activation fee may apply. Professional Installation may be covered under this fee. ©2024 Windstream Intellectual Property Services, LLC. All rights reserved. Kinetic and Windstream are registered service marks or trademarks of Windstream Intellectual Property Services, LLC. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.