34Truth
Astound Broadband
3.5
(1 reviews)PoorCableFiberDSL
Astound Broadband was formed from the merger of RCN, Grande Communications, and Wave Broadband. They serve select markets in the Northeast, Texas, and Pacific Northwest with cable and fiber internet. Known for competitive pricing and local market focus.
Founded
2021
Locations served
2.5M
Headquarters
Princeton, NJ
Coverage
National
Pros
- Competitive pricing in served markets
- Gigabit speeds available in most areas
- No data caps in many markets
- Local customer service offices
Cons
- Very limited geographic availability
- Brand consolidation still in progress
- Some legacy infrastructure needs upgrades
- Pricing varies significantly by market
Brand Pulse — Public Sentiment Analysis
AI-PoweredAI-analyzed from 3,845 consumer mentions across Reddit, X, BBB, and review sites
-0.32
out of +1.00Previously +0.08(-0.40)
3,845total mentions
45last 30 days
Category Breakdown
Speed
-0.1
Price
-0.3
Reliability
-0.6
Customer Service
-0.6
Installation
-0.2
Billing
-0.5
What People Love
High download speeds available8
Fiber/broadband plan options5
Own-router hardware flexibility4
Top Complaints
Chronic latency and packet loss14
Unresolved outages and downtime10
Sketchy billing and refund practices8
Unhelpful customer service7
Trending Issues
Upstream signal power issues (high dBmV readings) causing severe upload latency and packet loss, particularly in Kitsap-area markets, with no clear repair timeline from Astound support.high12
Refund disbursed via fee-laden prepaid debit cards rather than direct check or bank transfer, with the online override process being difficult or impossible to find.medium7
Customers blocked from using standalone ONTs or their own routers on Astound fiber installs, with technician-discretion policies creating uncertainty and potential surprise service fees.medium5
Notable Quotes
“Called ISP - Astound Broadband today, seemed like a 3rd party. They told me it was their infrastructure and that everyone in my area has this issue, it'll be 8-10 months... then immediately tried to sell me AT&T 5G service.”
Reddit2026-03-17
“For the last 3 months I recently switched to Astound Broadband and it was working perfectly fine, then out of nowhere every hour my upload speeds go from an average of 400 download and 50 upload to around 200 download and around 10-20 upload.”
Reddit2026-03-21
“Upon reading the fine print, I noted that the debit card charges a $4 operation fee per month, starting the month after this card was issued. I don't trust myself to activate this card and then remember to cancel it.”
Reddit2026-04-02
“They said they aren't able to give me a standalone ONT - the way customer service implied it'll be the technician's decision makes me apprehensive that they'll just be like 'no, and that'll be $79 for the house call.'”
Reddit2026-03-20
Available Plans
| Plan | Download | Upload | Type | Data Cap | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Internet 300 No data caps in most markets | 300 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Cable | Unlimited | $40/mo $55/mo |
Internet 600 No data caps | 600 Mbps | 30 Mbps | Cable | Unlimited | $55/mo $75/mo |
Internet 1 Gig Gigabit download speeds | 1 Gbps | 50 Mbps | Cable | Unlimited | $70/mo $95/mo |
Internet 300
Cable$40/mo
$55/mo
Download
300 Mbps
Upload
20 Mbps
Data Cap
Unlimited
Internet 600
Cable$55/mo
$75/mo
Download
600 Mbps
Upload
30 Mbps
Data Cap
Unlimited
Internet 1 Gig
Cable$70/mo
$95/mo
Download
1 Gbps
Upload
50 Mbps
Data Cap
Unlimited
Coverage Area
Available in parts of the greater Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and select Texas cities including Austin and San Antonio.
View on FCC Broadband MapCustomer Reviews
Good third option in the Bay Area
Astound (used to be RCN) gives us a third choice besides Comcast and AT&T. Speeds are solid, no data caps, and pricing is competitive. The brand transition from RCN has been smooth. Local customer service is a nice bonus.
Nicole H.·San Francisco, CA·Aug 22, 2024
Tested: 580 Mbps down / 28 Mbps up