Sparklight Staff Review
Sparklight from Cable One offers fast, reliable internet but no great deals
In 2019, the cable internet provider previously known as Cable One decided to rebrand most of its internet services under the name Sparklight [1]. Cable One is the 13th-largest internet provider in the nation [2]. Cable One provides residential and business internet, cable TV, and phone services. We are focusing in this review on Sparklight home internet plans, which make up the majority of their business. According to the Sparklight website, their internet service is available in the South, West, and Midwest in 19 states, primarily in smaller towns and rural areas [3]. Sparklight offers a high-quality, gigabit speed connection and was ranked by PC Magazine as one of 2022’s fastest ISPs [4]. We do need to offer some context for that award: no cable internet connection will ever compete with the ultra-fast, symmetrical speeds of the fastest fiber connections. But the award does show that you are going to get the internet speeds from Sparklight that you are promised. Outdated reviews on other sites may tell you that Sparklight has low data caps on its plans. This is no longer true. The Sparklight data allowance is so high that very few customers will ever exceed it. So, on the whole, Sparklight can be a good choice for your internet needs, especially in areas without fiber internet.Pros
97% of service area has gigabit speeds Reasonable prices are clear and straightforward No required contracts
Cons
Upload speeds still slower than download speeds Extra modem fee raises monthly price High initial installation/activation fees unless a promotion is running
Pricing
Average promotional pricing rises after first year for Sparklight customers
Some cable companies have astonishingly good promotional pricing that lasts for two years. Sparklight isn’t one of them. Sparklight’s first tier plan gives you 100 Mbps download speed, 20 Mbps upload speed, which meets the FCC’s minimum standard for high-speed internet [5]. At the introductory rate, which lasts 12 months, that speed tier will cost you $39.95/month. Doesn’t sound too bad, until you realize that there is a router rental fee added that raises your total price above $50/month. These days, $50/month for 100/20 speeds isn’t that great. And after the first year, the base price will rise to $55/month for a total price of about $68/month with the router fee. Not great prices considering that many cable and fiber companies are offering intro deals at $20-30 per month. The Freedom Connect I Gig plan offers 1 Gig download/50 Mbps upload, which is very good speed for cable internet. But again, it’s going to cost you about $70 for the promotional period, which brings you to over $80/month with the router fee. The standard price after the first year is almost $100/month when you include the router fee. The fact is that Sparklight operates in areas where there is not as much competition, and so there’s less downward pressure on pricing. So, you may not get the best deal pricewise, but it still may be your best local option if you want fast internet.Reliability and Performance
HFC technology blends cable with fiber for faster speeds
The term “cable internet” sometimes hides the fact that most cable providers now use networks that are largely fiber. But even though cable internet networks use a lot of fiber in their main lines, they still have to get to your house. That’s where the copper coaxial cable comes in. Sometimes it’s only the last few feet of your internet line. Sometimes it’s as much as a mile of coaxial cable. The blend is called a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network. Even a small amount of pure coaxial cable running to your home makes a big difference to your upload speed. That’s why fiber internet is the only technology to regularly offer symmetrical upload and download speeds. This is clear in the example of Sparklight’s gigabit plan, which offers 1000 Mbps download speed but only 50 Mbps upload speed. But cable internet is advancing rapidly. Sparklight currently uses DOCSIS 3.1 technology to support its fast speeds but has also begun to deploy DOCSIS 4.0 [6]. When this cutting-edge standard arrives, symmetrical speeds of at least 1 Gig may not be far away. Sparklight also has data allowances on its plans, but at 5 TB per month, these are so high that few users will ever exceed them. Only several of the heaviest online gamers playing hours per day in HD might push that limit [7].Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features
Router fee means Sparklight's basic monthly prices are higher than they seem
Sparklight offers you an up-to-date high-speed router, the eero PRO 6e. This equipment will indeed give you a good foundation for your “Wall-to-Wall Wi-Fi,” as they brand this offering. Unfortunately, it will also add $12.50/month to your monthly bill. You do have the option of using your own router, though of course it must be compatible. You will have to weigh the prices of routers to decide which is the best option. Also, remember that most internet service providers do not provide tech support for third-party routers. The standard installation fee ($90), activation fee ($30) and deposit ($25) will also add to your initial outlay for Sparklight internet. At times, installation and activation may be free with certain promotions.Customer Experience & Support
Mixed reports on customer satisfaction suggest variation in service areas
Sparklight has an unusual mix of a good national rating on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, but some truly terrible scores and reviews on Yelp. Most ISPs will gather at least a few bad Yelp reviews, but a 1.5 average rating is still pretty low [8]. Note that this Yelp thread is only for Boise, Idaho. We advise asking your neighbors how they like Sparklight, since the networks are so far apart from state to state and may differ widely. It’s worth noting, though, that the usual complaint that Boise users have about Sparklight is terrible customer service. The internet performance doesn’t seem to be the issue. Against those low reviews, you can balance the fact that in 2023, Sparklight was rated third out of all non-fiber internet providers by the American Consumer Satisfaction Index [9]. It looks as if customer service may be better for most users, if Sparklight is scoring that high nationally. Overall, we recommend Sparklight if it is the fastest technology in your area, and you are willing to pay their somewhat higher-than-average prices. The fact is, if your other options are DSL and satellite internet, you are sure to get better performance from fast cable internet.FAQ's
Sparklight focuses on its hybrid fiber coaxial technology in the vast majority of its network. This is not 100% fiber. It can still provide gigabit download speeds, but for now, upload speeds stay below 50 Mbps.
No, renting the eero PRO 6e from Sparklight will add another $12 to your monthly plan cost.
No, there are no required contracts for Sparklight.
Data caps for Sparklight plans are all 5 terabytes (5 TB) per month, which is so high that you are very unlikely to go over your limit. Most users never exceed 1 TB.
Sparklight internet service is available in19 states according to the company website. Sparklight tends to be available in smaller towns and rural areas, not in larger cities.
Sources
[1] Wikipedia.com. "Cable One." [2] DgtlInfra.com. "125 Top Internet Providers in the U.S." [3] Sparklight.com. "Locations." [4] Sparklight.com. "PC Magazine ranks Sparklight Among 2022's Top 10 Fastest ISPs."" [5] FCC.gov. "FCC Raises Broadband Benchmark." [6] FierceNetwork.com. "Cable One's Sparklight Invests $12M upgrade in Sioux City."." [7] BentonInstitution.org. "5 Terabyte Extreme Power Users Pose New Challenges." [8] Yelp.com. "Sparklight Boise." [9] ACSI.org. "Telecommunications Study 2022-2023."
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