WOW! Internet, a dba (doing business as) name for WideOpenWest, is among the top ten largest cable operators in the U.S. WOW! provides hybrid fiber-coaxial cable internet, cable TV, and VoIP phone service.

With fiber-coaxial cable internet service most of the network uses fiber-optic cable to carry the internet signal but then switches to a coaxial cable to extend directly into homes. cable TV and home phone services. Their customizable Wi-Fi feature allows users to choose between a built-in Wi-Fi modem or a Whole Home Wi-Fi system at an additional cost.

WOW! provides no-contract cable internet service to nine states in the eastern half of the US. Their internet plans are fast (ranging from 100 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps) and relatively inexpensive with plan costs ranging from $19.99 (available in some locations) to $94.99 a month.

WOW was founded in Denver CO in 1996 and is still headquartered there but does not serve customers in Colorado. Through the decades acquisitions and divestitures have resulted in a footprint that centers on Eastern and Midwestern states. It offers internet in certain cities in Michigan Detroit, Lansing), Alabama (Huntsville, Montgomery, Dothan, Auburn), Illinois (Chicago), South Carolina (Charleston), Florida (Panama City Pinellas), Indiana (Evansville), Georgia (Augusta, Columbus, Newnan, West Point) and Tennessee (Knoxville).

Hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) technology is a type of wired internet service. Fiber optic cable is paired in a relay system with standard coaxial cable. Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) uses both fiber and coaxial cables to transmit data. The technology combines optical fiber and copper cables (coaxial) to create a broadband network. HFC can transmit internet and TV data including videos, music and voice. WOW! Internet therefore offers internet, television, and phone service. The optical fiber lines typically end close to but not directly in a home or business so the final connection to the premises is made using coaxial cables.

HFC allows the provider to increase the signal beyond what coaxial alone can accomplish. For example, coaxial cable covers 40 MHz to 550-MHz (a wide range) but by adding fiber optic technology the signal can extend from 40 MHz to 750-MHz on the spectrum. Optical fiber can also transmit signals over much longer distances before needing augmentation.

HFC is an affordable alternative and speeds can rival those of fiber-only networks.

On the plus side, WOW Internet does not require contracts. That’s a big plus and it lets you shop around if you’re not satisfied after the introductory period. Depending on your plan you get unlimited data included or you can buy for $30 a month but the data allotments in the plans are fairly generous to start with although your needs may be heavier than average depending on what you do online. Download and upload speeds with fiber-optic coax internet tend to be fast.

The WOW! Internet 1 Gig plan, for example, is $50 a month with AutoPay and you get free modem rental for 2 years. Your data allowance for $50 is up to 3TB of data, which is generous and lets you stream, game, watch in HD and video conference, but if you need more (maybe you video conference regularly with 15 people and all participants have cameras on, which devours a massive amount of data) it’s an additional $30 a month. The 1 GIG plan gives you download speeds of 1 Gig, which is superfast, and upload speeds of up to 50 Mbps, again, very fast.

If you tend to upload very large files, for example, posting thousands of photos to a website, then you want the Internet 1 Gig plan to save serious time on the uploads.

You can bundle cable TV, internet, and phone service with WOW! Internet. Reach out directly for additional internet plan options as well as bundles in your area.