Breezeline Internet Reviews – Hands-on – With Data

Are you considering getting Breezeline Internet and looking for some only feedback on how it stacks up? When you look for Breezeline reviews on social media, you see page after page of customers reporting issues. Just how bad is Breezeline Internet service really, or is Breezeline Internet good?

As a resident of the Lakes Region area of New Hampshire, I have been using Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband) internet for a number of years. I have witnessed the changes in technology from DOCSIS 2.0 to DOCSIS 3.0 and then to DOCSIS 3.1.

There have certainly been some hiccups in service a few times, including a lengthy connection outage lasting over 24 hours. This was due to a major winter storm and was not to be completely unexpected. All internet services can go down due to damaged infrastructure.

Otherwise, the service has been quite reliable and consistent. Overall reliability is on par with or better than other internet service providers such as Comcast (Xfinity) or Spectrum. The lack of any data caps is also a great thing.

Breezeline Internet Speeds

Breezeline offers several internet plans in 2022 ranging from 100 Mbps up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps). I have personally used both their 200 Mbps internet plan and their gigabit internet plan. Both plans delivered the advertised bandwidth the vast majority of the time.

Of course, a gigabit internet plan really mazes out at about 945 Mbps of usable throughput. This is the same as with any provider. This is a limitation of the gigabit ethernet standard itself and not unique to Breezeline.

With the current gigabit internet plan, I consistently see speeds of between 920 and 945 Mbps. This includes during peak hours when many people are all online. Breezeline has done a decent job of limiting the number of connections per cable node. This is essential to getting the best performance out of any cable (DOCSIS) based internet connection.

Upload speeds are advertised as up to 50 Mbps on their gigabit internet plan. This is higher than what is currently offered by Comcast (Xfinity) or Spectrum. They both max out at 35 Mbps.

Of course, Breezeline is a DOCSIS-based service and does not deliver as much upload bandwidth as a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service such as Verizon Fios, AT&T Fiber, or Fidium Fiber. Actual upload speeds (tested using speedtest.net) generally hover around 53 Mbps. This is actually slightly higher than what they are advertising.

Unlimited data is another benefit to Breezeline Internet plans. In 2023 and beyond, unlimited data is definitely not something all companies include in the base monthly rates. With unlimited data, you can connect all of your devices without worrying about a device using up all of your precious data.

Breezeline Latency (Ping) Performance

Latency is not an issue whatsoever with Breezeline internet, at least in the Belmont / Rochester, NH service areas. I routinely see pings to Google (8.8.8.8) or to Cloudflare’s public DNS servers (1.1.1.1) of under 10 milliseconds. This is very similar to what you can expect with a fiber-based internet connection. It is also a fair bit lower than what is typically seen with Comcast, Spectrum, or Cox DOCSIS-based connections.

If you are a gamer, the stable low latency offered by Breezeline Internet is ideal. Generally, connections to popular game servers are 30 ms or less in latency. This is really good for lag-free gaming. When I tested Breezeline with popular gaming platforms, including Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Steam, the connection information was always showing as favorable,

Breezeline is also ideal for gaming because they do not use carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) and instead gives every customer a proper publicly routable IP address. This means no double NAT issues for gaming, and port forwarding is a breeze to setup. It also eliminates many other connection related issues.

Many ISPs do not clearly state in their product information that they use CGNAT. The fact Breezeline gives you a proper public IP is a plus. I much prefer it when a company is upfront and honest about what you are really subscribing to.

Breezeline Internet Connection Pricing

Pricing is what you would expect. During the promotional period, usually 6 or 12 months, the pricing is excellent. Pricing ranges from about $19 per month up to $60 per month during the promotional period. This is on par with the promotional pricing offered by most other internet service providers.

After the promo rate expires, you can expect to see a substantial increase in your monthly cost. The pricing generally ranges from $59 – $109 per month after the promotions run out. This is slightly above-average pricing for each speed tier. You can get similar speeds from other providers, often for a slightly less monthly cost.

That said, the pricing is upfront and honest, and there are no surprise charges. The pricing information shows this before you sign up for service. You are also able to call and ask for current promotions. While this is unlikely to get you back to the new customer rate, it will likely lower your monthly bill by a fair amount.

Breezeline does not have data caps on any of its service plans. This is a welcome relief in a world of data caps and throttling, and an area that Breezeline really does well.

If you choose to rent their modem router combo unit, it will cost you an additional $14.99 per month. Honestly, I would just pass on this anyways. It is generally preferable to purchase your own modem and router rather than renting it from your ISP.

Not only can it save you money in the long run, it also generally offers better performance. I would highly recommend anyone who plans to use cable internet in the same house or same general area for more than a year purchase their own modem. If you tend to move frequently or change ISPs frequently, renting may be a good option for you.

When you buy, you know what you are getting and that it is new. When you rent a modem, you do not know what you are getting. ISPs have been known to take modems from one house to another without even testing them out thoroughly. Many people have reported experiences similar to this.

Breezeline Customer Support

Customer support is a common criticism of virtually every internet provider. Breezeline is no exception. While I would not say their support is outstanding, I would not say it is horrible either. It is honestly middle of the pack and quite comparable to Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon.

Generally, the wait times for technical support are the longest during the evening hours. If you are able to call off hours, you will generally get through to a support agent much faster. You also have the option of using the live chat support feature on their website. The technical support appears to be outsourced to a foreign country much of the time. This is not highly unusual but also doesn’t always make for easy communication. This is an area that could be improved for sure.

Billing and account support appears to be handled more regionally. Generally, the wait time to get through to an account representative is minimal. Once again, the support is about average. Nothing to write home about, but good enough to get the job done.

The best thing about the support not needing them very often. Generally, everything works as it is supposed to, bills can be paid online, and generally, there is no need to reach out to customer service if you do need to be prepared for a lengthy wait, especially for technical issues during peak hours.

Tips For Saving Money With Breezeline

1. Use your own modem and router.
2. Ask about any promotions for existing customers.
3. Bundle any Breezeline service together.
4. Consider your phone options, do you really need a landline?

Saving money on internet, phone, and TV service is defiantly something that interests most people. Rates seemingly go up every year, and the level of customer support seemingly goes down every year. There are, however, a few techniques that can save you a substantial amount on your Breezeline bill each month.

Do not rent their modem router combo unit. The rental fee is almost $15 per month as of 2022. Over the course of a year, you will pay close to $200 for what is really a relatively low-end piece of hardware. You can do much better by purchasing your own. If you want a modem router combo unit, you can get a really good one for about $180.

If you want a separate modem and router (highly recommended), you can expect to spend a little bit more. Just make sure the modem you buy supports the DOCSIS 3.1 standard. The DOCSIS 3.0 standard will likely be dead long before your modem.

Either way, in 12 months, you will already have made back the cost of buying the equipment. You can easily get 4 – 5 years out of a decent modem and router. Each additional year will save you about $200 over the rental. Do this for 4 years and save almost $800, and get better performance/reliability.

If you see your price suddenly increase, call customer support. Ask them about any available promotions for existing customers. In many cases, you will be able to lower your monthly bill by 20% or more this way. It really pays to give it a try.

This is especially a good idea at the end of your new customer promo period. At the end of the promo period, your rates will roughly double overnight. This can be a great time to ask for any discounts/promotions. You will likely still end up paying more than during the promo, but not nearly as much as if you did not call and ask.

If you currently have a combination of services such as TV, Internet, and Phone with Breezeline, you need to bundle them to get the best pricing. Do not expect that they will automatically do that for you. You need to call and ask them to bundle your services in order to get the best pricing. This is also a great time to ask about any current promotions available for new customers.

Another way to save money with Breezeline is to drop services you no longer really need. For example, if you have Breezeline phone service, ask yourself the question. Do I really need a landline? You may just have one out of habit and find that you do not really use it very much at all. Many people prefer to use their cell phones for everything. By canceling your landline service, you could easily save $20 per month or more, even with bundle pricing.

Still, want to keep your landline? You could also consider moving your landline over to an over-the-top VoIP service such as Ooma Telo. This could save you some money on your monthly Breezeline bill.

Other Peoples’ Feedback Regarding Breezeline

Breezeline Internet Reviews on websites such as Yelp, BBB, and Consumer Affairs are a mixed bag. Of course, many of the reviews are largely negative. This is not surprising when you think about customer motives. You are much less likely to take the time to write a review when things are good. You are much more likely to write a review when you need to vent your frustration.

Breezeline averages about 1.5 stars on most websites. This is roughly on par with Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and many others.

It also doesn’t take into account all the people that falsely believe their Breezeline internet is not working when the issue is really with their device or the website they are visiting. Breezeline Internet Reviews on Reddit are also primarily negative.

There are many Breezeline complaints from WOW customers who are not happy with changes that have been made since Breezeline took over operations. Many of the negative Breezeline internet reviews are from customers in the Columbus, Ohio, region.

Breezeline Alternatives You Should Consider

Breezeline Internet is generally a good choice. However, several alternatives are also worth checking out. Some of these alternatives include:

• Spectrum Internet
• AT&T Fiber
• Fidium Fiber Internet
• Verizon Fios
• Xfinity Internet

Depending on where you live, you may have several alternatives available to you for internet service in addition to Breezeline. Comcast / Spectrum / Cox are big players in the cable internet space. Generally, most Breezeline areas are not served by one of these other cable giants. However, that is not always the case.

Fiber internet may be available to you depending on your location. These are often services such as Verizon Fios or AT&T Fiber. Additional local options may also be available. Consolidated Communications now offers fiber internet in 8 states sold under the Fidium Fiber brand. Check out our review of Fidium Fiber. If fiber internet is available to you, it is worth consideration, especially for the ultra-fast upload speeds and low latency.

5G home internet from companies such as T-Mobile and Verizon are also expanding in footprint. At this time, I would hesitate to recommend 5G home internet if you have access to anything better. Breezeline is definitely a superior option to 5G home internet at this time. Starlink, similar to 5G, is also an option in many places but lags behind cable and fiber internet both in terms of speed and stability.

About Breezeine

Breezeline is the trade name in the United States for Cogeco Communications. Breezeline is considered the 8th largest cable operator in the United States. Breezeline is a multi-service operator which currently offers TV, Internet, and phone services using a modern coax fiber hybrid network architecture.

Breezeline is estimated to have approximately 700,000 broadband customers located in twelve different states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina.

Breezeline has recently acquired some new service areas and is also looking at expanding its footprint into some areas with existing cable internet providers.

Breezeline was originally branded as Atlantic Broadband. With the acquisition of WOW based in Ohio, Atlantic Broadband now offers services beyond just the east coast. They then decided that they wanted a name that better fit their needs. In January 2022, Atlantic Broadband announced it would be rebranding as Breezeline.

As with most internet service providers (ISPs), Breezeline has both its fair share of loyal customers and harsh critics. This is not unlike Comcast, Spectrum, Verizon, AT&T, and most other providers. Breezeline is especially facing harsh criticism in markets that they have recently acquired, such as the Columbus, Ohio, region.

Is Breezeline Internet Good

Breezeline Internet is a good choice if it is available at your service address. Speeds of up to 1 Gbps and low latency make Breezeline a competitive choice for most people. Pricing is on the higher end but not completely out of line with other similar options. I would say Breezeline internet is good for most people.

Breezeline Reviews: Conclusion

Breezeline is estimated to have over 700,000 broadband customers located in twelve different states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina.

They have recently added more customers with the purchase of WOW in the state of Ohio. As with most internet service providers, some people are happy with the service, some people would like to drop them in a heartbeat, and most people fall somewhere in between.

It is difficult to speak for all of their service regions, but Breezeline internet service in the lakes region area of New Hampshire performs very well overall. Pricing is on the higher side relative to other similar providers, but not totally out of line. This is especially true when you use your own modem and router, avoiding the $14.99 per month rental fee.

My overall rating of Breezeline Internet is 4/5 stars. This compares favorably with most other internet service options available. However, there are other great options to consider as well.