Xfinity Prepaid Internet is one of Comcast’s Internet service Provider that does not require customers to sign a contract before they can be connected to the Internet; this service allows customers to purchase Internet access in advance. Depending on a user’s requirements, it may be a cost-effective and convenient means of going online, especially if he or she does not require fast and constant access to the internet. Here's an overview of the data allowances available with Xfinity Prepaid Internet plans.
The Basic Plan
Xfinity Prepaid Internet offers its core service of offering 10GB of high-speed internet for every 30 days. Anything that you download after one has used the 10GB will not allow you to access the Internet at the normal speed, rather, you will be limited to 1-3Mbps for the rest of the 30 days. This plan is the most basic one offered by the platform and comes with a cost of $45 for a 30-day subscription.
Full-speed 10GB is fine for users who do not excessively use their Internet accounts for downloading large files or streaming movies and music videos. Although it won’t take long if you use the modem and router for streaming music and videos, or if your household has many devices connected to the internet.
The Plus Plan
Upgrade to the Plus tier and get twice the amount of high speed data equal to 20GB in a prepaid period of 30 days for $60 only. This aspect is similar to the Basic plan in the sense that the speed is throttled once you use up 20GB of the data for that 30 day period.
20GB offers you slightly more leeway if you frequently use your device to stream video or music. But you will have to keep an eye on its usage moderately to avoid slow connections before your final 30 days are up. It’s possible that lighter users won’t come even remotely close to 20GB, but medium to heavy users probably will.
The Advanced Plan
To access the maximum data usage, consider the Advanced tier that offers 60GB 4G LTE data usage per 30 days. Out of the three plans offered by Xfinity Prepaid, 60 GB offers you the most unlimited streaming, downloading, browsing, and downloading until you start feeling the slower connection.
With 60GB, you can listen to a lot of music and watch videos, download large files and use video applications, play online games, connect multiple devices and so on, and so forth, before you start to worry about slower speeds. Few users won’t get half 60GB and heavy internet users should watch out for their usage. It is the most expensive plan at $90 for a 30-day allowance but is the only plan that comes with the most data.
Exceeding the Allowed Amount of Data Usage on a High-Speed Internet Connection
Every Xfinity Prepaid plan you select allows you to experience unlimited internet browsing for 30 days without a hitch even if the plan offers a limited high-speed data usage allowance. The only difference I noted once you reach a specific amount of data in your given plan is that the internet speeds slow down to as low as 1-3Mbps.
Even though some basic internet uses such as email and browsing will still be workable at those speeds, streaming and downloads will be chock full of buffering or will be completely unresponsive. But, do prepare yourselves for an internet experience that is slower than dial-up 56K modems!
If you use the data sparingly and you only sometimes find yourself grappling with slower internet speeds for a day or two before your 30 days is up, you should be fine with your initial selection. But if you have a habit of getting through all your high-speed data limit in less than 30 days, then it will be advantageous to move to the next level plan so as to avoid constant throttling of speed.
Adding More High-Speed Data
Each Xfinity Prepaid plan allows you to add more high-speed data through two options.
Data passes: For a one-time fee ranging from $10 to $60 according to the amount of GB added, you can get a one-off data rush, which gives you full-speed data as from the time you purchase it, up to the end of the 30 days. It is a versatile option to provide some wiggle room in case you exceeded or could be close to your cap for one particular high usage month.
Switch plans: Currently there are three Xfinity TV Packages namely the basic plan, the 30-day plan, and the next level plan; depending with the cycle you are in, you can upgrade to the next level plan in order to enjoy the opportunity of having a higher bandwidth rather than waiting for the one month period. So if you find out that 20GB with the Plus plan will not suffice for your needs, you can consider the 60GB Advanced plan. This switch in a way means that you relinquish any remaining data from your initial plan and in exchange you get the higher data amount of your newly purchased upgraded prepaid plan.
No contracts also mean that if you are a consumer who requires less data one month and more data the next, you can easily change your plan to suit this regularly changing need. However, remember that changing or reducing plans also reverts your internet speed so if you consumed the high-speed data of a plan and then changed to a lower plan, your connection will slow down right away.
Key Considerations
When weighing Xfinity Prepaid Internet, consider these key factors.
- Data demands: Deduct how many gigabytes of high-speed data your household needs for one month depending on the number of users and devices, the frequency and intensity of streaming, etc., and then choose a suitable prepaid plan based on the data amount. Also, consider usage surges during school terms or holidays when data demands are high for a short time.
- Network management: With Xfinity Prepaid internet service, you could experience slowed speeds during peak hours due to congestion even before reaching the limit of the amount of data you have been given even for extremely heavy users.
- Additional fees/taxes: The total monthly cost for Xfinity customers will include equipment rental fees, if necessary, plus taxes/government fees, bringing the final prices 5-7% higher than the prepaid plan rates shown here.
The use of Xfinity Prepaid Internet service may be appealing especially if you want a service that is convenient and doesn’t come with a contract plus with a certain amount of data allowance. However, one should compare whether the caps on high-speed data are suitable for household use or not and whether an uncapped postpaid plan with 1-2 years lock-in period is a good idea in the long run. Closely monitoring usage is vital when dealing with any prepaid data plan in particular to avoid those speed reductions that often interfere with your internet use.
Call (844) 339-9555 to get a new Xfinity connection now!
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