Fioptics Reviews – Are They Worth it in 2024?

The Fioptics service originates from Cincinnati Bell which is a local internet provider that focuses on fibre-optic service.

Cincinnati Bell is among the internet companies that have taken the huge step to immensely invest in building the fiber infrastructure to ensure their customers receive the fastest internet speeds.

The world is moving at a fast pace and very few people have the patience to deal with slow internet.

That’s why the majority of the internet providers have been looking into developing and expanding their fiber networks.

While Cincinnati Bell has coverage in areas such as Florence, Hamilton, Cincinnati and Kentucky, its Fioptics service is limited to the Cincinnati metropolitan and some of the nearby areas.

That aside, when people hear of the Fioptics service, they get an impression of it being purely fiber internet.

Well, it’s not entirely fiber internet and some areas get speeds as low as 5Mbps.

Let’s get into the details of the Fioptics service and what the potential customers should expect.

The Fioptics packages and pricing

Cincinnati Bell does a good job at ensuring people have access to a variety of plan options.

It offers nine internet packages spread across five price tiers.

Though there is a catch and for the prices mentioned customers are required to subscribe to the eBill service.

Here is an overview of what they have to offer;

The most basic plan from the Fioptics service is the 5 Mbps plan.

It’s enough for the kind of people who are not fond of heavy internet usage.

It’s a plan for the basic user who just wants to browse the web, access email and occasionally stream music.

However, it’s not suitable for regular HD streaming or even gaming.

For UltraHD streaming and online gaming, you will have to look into other options.

Thankfully, there are many plan options that will suit your particular needs.

The power users and large families with multiple internet devices will largely benefit from the 1 Gbps plans which is the highest tier plan.

With this, you get 1,000 mbps download speeds and 250 Mbps upload speeds at a price of only $64.99 per month.

As we had mentioned earlier, this plan is what big households need.

It can support more than 25 devices connected on the internet and still handle multiple HD streaming simultaneously.

The 1 Gbps plan ensures the internet devices in a big home are not competing for bandwidth.

Each device can stay connected on the internet and still perform quite well.

You also benefit from a one-year subscription for Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Promotional prices and deals

As it is with many of the internet companies, there will always be promotions and deals that the customers can take advantage of and save significantly.

With that said, for the customers to be eligible for the promotions, they will have to ensure their purchased plans remain unchanged.

Any change that is made to the plan or removing it will make you lose the promotion entirely.

In addition, if you move to another location, then there is a likelihood the promotion might be changed.

The deals differ based on the location and what’s available in the new area.

Equipment and service fees

Modem and router

The provided modem models include the base Zyxel 660 and Zyxel 1432.

They include built-in security features, wired and wireless connections, dual-band options, HPNA 3.1 support for IPTV and Gigabit Ethernet technology.

You can rent any of the wireless modems at only $8.99 per month.

However, if you want to get your own equipment, then you can do so.

It will actually save you some money in the long run especially when you intend to stay with the company for longer.

While purchasing your own modem is definitely a good idea, Cincinnati does make it clear that there is limited support for the modem.

If you run into a major issue and the regular support is not able to solve it, you may require Premium technical support and this comes at a cost.

There is a price the customers with their own modems have to pay.

These are the technical support fees in case of any issues that require it;

• A $75.00 one-time fee for the premium technical support standard sessions lasting between 20 and 60 minutes.
• A $125 one-time fee for premium technical support advanced sessions lasting longer than 60 minutes.
• A $40 one-time diagnostic fee for the times when the customer agreed to a single technical session but the tech support could not resolve the issue.

Though, there is a way to cut the chase and make things simpler by avoiding the one-time fees.

Simply pay for the Premium technical support and get an unlimited monthly support package.

It costs only $14.99 per month.

Depending on your budget, you can opt to pay the one-time fee or the monthly fee.

Either way, you will get the support that you need in case any issues arise.

Service fees

The advertised prices for the internet plans don’t include applicable taxes and fees.

This means that the price on your monthly bill will be higher than what you might have anticipated.

Aside from these, there is a mention of the equipment termination charge.

This basically means that when you decide to cancel the service, you have to return the equipment.

If you fail to return any of the equipment, you will incur an equipment charge of $120 for both the router and the power cord.

The customers are allowed the freedom to purchase and use their own modem rather than leasing it.

However, any issue that cannot be solved will require premium technical support that might cost up to $125 per session.

Another thing to watch out for is the late payment fees.

The customers who are late paying their bills are charged a $10.95 fee and if in any case the due balance goes beyond $547.50, there is also an additional 2% for the whole past due balance that will serve as an admin fee.

For that reason, ensure you pay your bills at the right time to avoid such charges.

Fioptics Pros

• A large variety of service plans
• Decent prices
• Absolutely no data caps

Fioptics cons

• Contract-only deals
• There are price locks but they expire after 12 to 24 months
• Limited availability

Other features and benefits

The Fioptics internet packages can include additional features and some of them can be made available as bundled deals.

Here is what you can include in your internet packages;

Internet safeguard

Internet safeguard is basically an enhanced internet security suite that involves protection for all devices including smartphones, tablets and computers.

This comes at a cost of $4.99 per month.

Cincinnati Bell wants to ensure the customers have peace of mind and enough protection for their internet devices, personal information and communication.

That’s why they partner with F-Secure for the best security.

Some of the features from the internet safeguard include;

• Easy control through the My Cincinnati Bell app
• Family rules: Internet curfew features, App scanning, Auto-blocking of problematic content, Device finder and number blacklisting.
• Browsing protection: Each and every website is scanned and any unsafe or malicious website is automatically blocked.
• Banking protection: Auto-blocking of known scam sites and autostop of untrusted processes while banking.
• Password safeguard: Enables storage of all passwords, usernames and your credit card info with a master password that will secure all of them. It also helps keep your accounts secure by automatically generating stronger passwords. It checks all your passwords and identifies the weak ones. Aside from this, you receive real time alerts on attempts of password hacking.

Radius wifi

Sometimes there are parts of your home that don’t receive the best wifi signal.

The Whole Home Wifi solution will help ensure every part of your home receives the strongest wifi signal so that every device remains connected on the internet.

It begins with Cincinnati Bell sending a trained technician to conduct an onsite assessment and determine the optimal position for your router.

This service costs $7.99 per month and there are other perks included such as network support, gaming setup for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and smart device pairing setup for Google Home or Amazon Echo Nest.

The Premier Upgrade

With the premier upgrade, customers can have wifi coverage for the entire home.

They also get access to support whenever an issue arises.

At an additional $5 per month, you will get features such as;

• Internet security: a full internet security package with easy security sharing, protection for your smart devices and family rules.
• Repair protection: all wiring issues in the home are covered both standard and non-standard.
• Wireless modem: the wireless gateway is set for optimal functioning with the Fioptics technology. There is also full support and troubleshooting in case any issues arise.
• Access to Fioptics free wifi: you get free wifi access via the free mobile connect Cincinnati app.

Cincinnati Bell Fioptics customer service

Customer service is an important part of every company that provides internet and other kinds of services.

It is inevitable for customers to encounter problems with their internet.

For that reason, they will need customer support service that is available round the clock and is able to resolve their issues within the shortest time possible.

The real question here is, how good is the Fioptics customer service?

The best way to find out is through the customers because they are the people who have experienced it firsthand.

I searched around just to see what the customers have to say and from what I can see, they are not amused.

There are so many complaints about poor customer service, problems not being resolved, billing issues, high prices and hidden fees.

The list of complaints seems to be endless with only a handful leaving a positive review.

Clearly, Cincinnati bell has a lot of work to do when it comes to improving its customer service.

At the end of the day, the customers should be happy with the service and that means being readily available to solve their issues.

They should also work on improving their Fioptics technology to ensure the customers receive the best and quality services.

You can reach them via phone, use the live chat or send a message through the contact form on their site.

The live chat option is only available between 7.30 am and 9.00 pm on Monday to Friday and 10.00 am to 7.00 pm on weekends.

Frequently asked questions

How fast is Cincinnati bell Fioptics?

Fioptics is basically the Cincinnati Bell range of products that is delivered to the customers through a fiber network.

That doesn’t mean all of the products are high-speed fiber internet.

Fioptics can deliver fast internet speeds ranging from 10Mbps to 1 Gbps.

What routers work with Cincinnati Bell Fioptics?

The router that works with the Fioptics services should support IGMP proxying and IGMP snooping.

There are lots of choices in the market depending on your needs and budget.

Does Cincinnati bell have contracts?

Every internet package from Cincinnati bell has a contract.

As a matter of fact, they only offer contract options and nothing else.

When your initial contract term expires, your rate is automatically renewed for another 12 month period.

Conclusion

Fioptics offers a great deal for those who want fiber internet.

You will definitely sign a contract for the service but there is also a price lock that protects you from sudden price hikes.

That said, before you can pick this service, do your homework and ensure the area has good coverage to prevent future frustrations such as slower speeds and unexplained service disconnects.