RCN Internet Review 2021

Living in a large metropolis has its own perks?and one of them is access to RCN services. Primarily serving six major cities?New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Lehigh Valley?RCN offers are a must-have if available. Because RCN makes unlimited high-speed cable broadband an affordable commodity! After all who wouldn’t want a contract-free cheap and flexible plan specifically designed to fulfill the needs of metropolitan living?  

Life in the city is hard and getting a good connection that performs well during peak hours?that too in a dense locality?is a Godsend. But, is RCN all that it is made out to be? Well, let’s find out.

RCN Internet Speeds & Pricing

RCN Internet is one of the cheapest options in the market with plans starting as low as $19.99 a month for download speeds up to 100 Mbps in Washington, DC?but it’s all tied to your location. The same 100 Mbps connection can cost you $29.99 a month in Boston, MA. Or if you live in Philadelphia, PA you’ll be expected to pay $22 a month for half the speed i.e. 50 Mbps. Meaning, there is a drastic difference in how RCN prices its internet service in different service locations. With that said, relative to the competition, RCN Internet plans still stand out for their affordable quality.

Just as prices vary with the RCN service area, starting speeds vary to quite an extent as well. For instance, in Philadelphia and Chicago speeds start at 50 Mbps, but in Washington and Boston, the starting plan offers 100 Mbps fast download speeds. While New York and Lehigh Valley get the highest starting speeds on offer from RCN i.e. 250 Mbps and 300 Mbps respectively.

The one-speed which is common to all six service regions is 940 Mbps?albeit availability of this speed tier may be limited to select parts of RCN service regions.   

To get a better idea of the price of the most widely available and popular speed plans from RCN, take a look at the figures in the following listings:

RCN in Boston, MA	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price
	250 Mbps	$34.99/mo.	Good Value
	500 Mbps	$44.99/mo.	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$54.99/mo.	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

RCN in Chicago, IL	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price*
	50 Mbps	$29.99	Good Value
	250 Mbps	$39.99	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$44.99	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

RCN in NYC, NY	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price*
	250 Mbps	$34.99	Good Value
	500 Mbps	$34.99	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$49.99	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

RCN in Washington, DC	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price*
	100 Mbps	$19.99	Good Value
	300 Mbps	$29.99	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$49.99	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

RCN in Lehigh Valley, PA	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price*
	300 Mbps	$37	Good Value
	600 Mbps	$47	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$57	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

RCN in Philadelphia, PA	Max. Download Speed	Promo Price*
	300 Mbps	$32	Good Value
	600 Mbps	$42	Most Popular
	940 Mbps	$52	Top Speed

*For 12 months. Equipment priced separately.

How Cheap is RCN Internet Vs Competition?

The $19.99 a month plan for 100 Mbps speed is sure to have caught your attention. But, hold on! With so much variance within RCN internet plans and pricing, it is advisable to take into account the speed-to-cost ratio for lower, mid and top tier plans, when comparing RCN with the rest in the market.

So, let’s find out how does RCN Internet ranks on the budget-friendly scale in comparison to Xfinity from Comcast and Spectrum?the 2 major cable broadband competitors serving the market parallel to RCN.

Provider	100-300 Mbps	400-600 Mbps	940 Mbps
RCN	$0.20-$0.10 per Mbps (depending on the location) with Unlimited data	$0.07-$0.09 per Mbps (depending on the location) with Unlimited data	$0.04-$0.06 per Mbps (depending on the location) with Unlimited data
Spectrum	$0.25 per Mbps with Unlimited data	$0.17 per Mbps with Unlimited data	$0.12 per Mbps with Unlimited data
Xfinity	$0.25 per Mbps with 1.2 TB data	$0.16 per Mbps with 1.2 TB data	$0.07 per Mbps with 1.2 TB data

The table above lists a range of the cost per Mbps with RCN plans, due to the variation in pricing that we witness across its service regions. But, even if we consider the max end of the cost per Mbps range?for low to top speed tiers?we can see RCN Internet is cheaper than the competition. Especially Xfinity?which includes a $10 discount for AutoPay and paperless billing in its discounted promo pricing and does not include unlimited data either. As for Spectrum, it poses a closer competition because, like RCN, Spectrum Internet plans included unlimited data.  

RCN Internet Service?Features & Add-ons

While RCN offers some of the cheapest high-speed internet plans, it is not the only factor that attributes to its popularity. RCN is also one of the fewer internet service providers which do not limit your consumption of the internet to a cap. Plus, RCN sets subscribers free by not obligating them to sign up an annual contract. So, if you choose to discontinue the service for any reason?following the expiry of the 12-month promo term?you can do so without fear of a penalty.

Each RCN Internet plan comes with a McAfee® Internet Security Suite?which protects your devices and your identity?the anti-virus and personal firewall prevent malicious activity, your sensitive information remains secure, and you get access to Parental Controls. In case you wish to enhance the level of protection, you can upgrade to McAfee® Total Protection for under $8 per month.

The best part is Enhanced Whole-Home WiFi powered by eero is available to take care of your in-home WiFi woes. RCN’s Whole-Home WiFi works for homes of all sizes, and shapes. Because it comes equipped with TrueMesh tech, and multiple access points strategically placed around the house are able to give you wall-to-wall coverage. For under $10 you can include the advanced WiFi in your RCN subscription. And, if you wish to secure your in-home RCN WiFi network, there is eero Secure which lets you manage all your security settings and tools in one place. eero Secure provides brilliant security features to fit any modern digital home.

RCN Webmail is another feature-rich perk that you get with the RCN Internet subscription?it comes with calendar functionality, web apps, and 5 GB storage.

RCN Internet: The Additional Costs

As with any internet provider, you’ll have to bear the cost of service installation and activation which is a one-time upfront cost, as well as an additional equipment fee which is added to your monthly service charge.

As we said, RCN plans are free of an annual contract so there is no ETF when you cancel service after the promo term. But, the one aspect of pricing which comes as a surprise?even if you have known all along?is the increase in price to the standard rate after the promo period comes to an end. Albeit at times subscribers may be able to negotiate a better rate at the time so as to be able to keep the fast and reliable service from RCN.   

Equipment Fees

No matter how fast an internet plan may be, with the wrong equipment, it just won’t deliver. You need the right devices if you wish to take advantage of the speeds offered.  

RCN offers quality equipment that is fully supported by their service?albeit you can choose BYOD if you are tech-savvy and confident that you can handle setting up and troubleshooting.

Here’s a price list to give you an idea of how much the monthly rental fee for the essential pieces of RCN equipment can amount to?once again you will note the variation in price from one service region to another:

Service Area	Modem Rental	Wireless Router Rental	Enhanced Whole-Home WiFi	Additional Whole-Home WiFi Beacons	Eero Secure
Chicago, IL	$15/mo.	$10.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.
Boston, MA	$13.95	$13.95	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.
New York, NY	$16/mo.	$12.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.
Washington, DC	$12.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.
Lehigh Valley, PA	$12.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.
Philadelphia, PA	$12.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$9.95/mo.	$5/mo.	$9.99/mo.

Service Fees

Here are some additional service fees you may incur when you subscribe to RCN Internet:  

RCN Customer Service

The number one complaint internet users have against their providers is crappy customer service. It’s baffling how a company bringing you uninterrupted access to the world can be so inaccessible in times of need. Or, so inept at answering basic tech-related questions.

RCN too is guilty of the above to an extent. Getting customer care can be frustrating, but perhaps no more than the average internet provider, so you can take some heart in that. However, if you must deal with them, we suggest you take out some time and hold your cool when talking to a representative. It can be time-consuming, but things may be sorted in no time.

The one good thing is they do provide dedicated channels for general, technical, and billing support. Plus their Customer Service is U.S. based?and gives you the option to not only call in but chat live or interact with RCN representatives on social media.  

Final Words

After reviewing the varied aspects of RCN Internet service, one can safely conclude it is worth a shot. You get high-speed internet at affordable rates, free of an annual contract. Of course, once you actively start looking into getting an internet plan, you’ll have to do a localized search as speed and prices vary from one region to another. To make things easy you can call at 1-844-343-1374 and speak to RCN sales support. They can check offer availability in your neighborhood and also help you pick a plan that is right for you, and subscribe.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Does RCN throttle internet service?

RCN does not throttle internet connection or block access to any lawful content online so if you don’t do anything illegal you’ll be good.

Is there an RCN mobile app?

RCN does have a mobile app that helps you manage the RCN account from mobile devices. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play. RCN also has the RCN2Go app which comes with a subscription to the RCN TV service.

What speeds do RCN plans offer?

RCN offers internet plans with speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 940 Mbps. Availability of speed and the price depends on your location. For more information call us at 1-844-343-1374.

What type of internet does RCN offer?

RCN primarily offers cable internet which is for the most part delivered over a hybrid Fiber-Coaxial network and is able to deliver speeds up to 1 Gbps.