Internet is getting faster, and cheaper, to the point where there’s little to distinguish one internet service provider from the next. Perks like free equipment, unlimited data and no contracts are nice, but the best ISPs know it’ll take a bit more to win your business. That’s where promotional offers and signup bonuses come in.
Available internet promotions vary by ISP and possibly even your location and the plan you choose, but gift cards, streaming service subscriptions, free equipment and bill credits are among the most common offers I’ve seen. Below, you’ll find my top picks for the best internet promotions for the month of March. Offers are subject to change and they do change often, so check back regularly to avoid missing out on any limited-time freebies.
Top internet promos for March
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Price range
$50 – $120 per month
Speed range
300 – 2,000Mbps
Connection
Fiber
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service
How to get it: Sign up for Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection.
Verizon is really encouraging customers to sign up for gig service. In addition to free equipment rental, new gig customers can also receive a Walmart Plus subscription free for 12 months, $300 off a Verizon Stream TV Soundbar or Soundbar Pro, plus the choice of a free Disney Plus subscription for six months and 2TB of storage, or a free MoCA Ethernet adapter and a $50 Xbox gift card. New customers can also qualify for a $100 gift card when signing up online.
That’s quite the offer. To get it, you’ll need to keep your new Verizon Fios Gigabit service in good standing for 65 days, then redeem the offer online within 60 days.
What if you don’t want or need gigabit speeds? Verizon still has something for you, but it won’t be quite as enticing. Those signing up for the 300Mbps or 500Mbps plans can get a $50 gift card when signing up online, plus a free subscription to Walmart Plus for three or six months, respectively, but no soundbar discount or other special offers.
Verizon also recently announced Fios internet plans will come with a price guarantee of two to four years depending on the plan you choose.
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How to get it: Sign up online for a Frontier Fiber plan.
Frontier’s promotional offers vary by plan. To get the grand prize, a $200 gift card, you’ll have to sign up for either of Frontier’s multigig plans, Fiber 2 Gig or the recently released Fiber 5 Gig. Frontier’s gig service comes with a $150 gift card while the Fiber 500/500 plan includes an Amazon eero 6 Plus.
One caveat about Frontier’s special offers: They may come with a one-year contract requirement, so you can’t sign up for Fiber 2 Gig, get your free gift card, then cancel service without penalty. Canceling before your contract is up can mean early termination fees that may outweigh the value of gift cards or other offers, so make sure you’re ready to commit before accepting any special promotions. You can opt out of the special offers when signing up for Frontier internet online.
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Price range
$55 – $180 per month
Speed range
300 – 5,000Mbps
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
Special offers
$100 to $150 gift card if you sign up online
How to get it: Order any AT&T Fiber plan online.
AT&T is known for frequently giving away gift cards, and this March is no exception. All AT&T Fiber plans — that’s AT&T Fiber 300, 500 and 1000 along with the new multi-gig plans available in select areas — come with a $200 gift card just for signing up online. The offer is not available with AT&T Internet (a DSL-based service) or AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet.
In addition to the gift card, AT&T is offering to pay “cancellation fees in full” for customers who want to switch to AT&T but are under contract with another provider.
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Price range
$40 – $80 per month
Speed range
300 – 940Mbps
Connection
Cable, fiber
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts
How to get it: Sign up online for Optimum 500 or gigabit plans.
New customers signing up for Optimum internet 500Mbps can get a $100 gift card. Signing up for Optimum Gig will get you a $300 gift card. There’s currently no gift card offer for the provider’s entry-level plan, Optimum 300.
Gift card offers aren’t particularly new from Optimum, but its price guarantee is. Standard Optimum internet plans now come with a two-year price guarantee. As always, there are no contract requirements, so you can lock in your monthly price for two years without getting locked into a service contract.
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How to get it: Qualifying customers in the NYC metro area will receive two free months of service when signing up for the 1,200Mbps plan.
Astound’s internet offers vary by location and are a bit all over the place. New York City customers can get the biggest payout — two free months of service and a gift card up to $100 when signing up for the provider’s fastest plan. The next two lower tiers, 600Mbps and 940Mbps, come with a free month of service while the slowest plan, 300Mbps, comes with free installation.
In other areas where Astound service is available, promotional offers and plan details will vary. Residents of the DC metro or Lehigh Valley areas, for example, may qualify for a $100 gift card depending on your location and the plan you choose. In other locations, like the greater Boston and Chicago areas and various Texas cities, the only offer is free installation. It’s not much, especially when compared with a $100 gift card or two months of free service, but it could save you around $80 off the initial cost of signing up.
Internet promotion FAQs
Who has the best internet offer?
Currently, Verizon Fios has arguably the best internet promotion running, if you’re interested in gigabit service. New customers will receive free equipment, a free Walmart Plus subscription for 12 months, a $100 gift card for signing up online, $300 off a Stream TV Soundbar or Soundbar Pro, plus the choice of a free Disney Plus subscription for six months and 2TB of storage, or a free MoCA Ethernet adapter and a $50 Xbox gift card.
You’ll find more gift card promotions from AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber and Optimum, as all are giving away high-dollar gift cards up to $100 or higher. If you’re looking for free service, Astound is giving away two free months of service in select areas.
Is the promo offer worth signing up for a new internet service?
Promotional offers are all well and good, but they shouldn’t be the sole consideration when choosing an internet service or particular plan. The best bang for your buck will often lie in the plan that delivers the speed you need for the lowest price. Anything extra on top of that, such as gift cards or free streaming services, is welcome, but if it entices you into paying a premium for more speed than you need, the signup bonus may not have been worth it.
For example, let’s say you’re shopping for Frontier Fiber internet and are interested in the 500Mbps plan, which comes with a $100 gift card. Then you see the gig plan, which is $20 more per month, and decide the $200 gift card is worth the upgrade. After less than a year, the extra $100 you got with gig service is gone and you’re left paying $20 a month more for a plan that may have more speed than you need. In short, always try to go with the best plan for your needs, not necessarily the plan with the highest upfront gratification.
What other internet promotions are available?
Kinetic is offering a $100 instant credit when you sign up online, but other than the promos listed above, there isn’t much worth writing home about. Sure, some providers have lower introductory pricing or free install offers, but that’s so common among ISPs now that they could hardly be considered “promos.”
That’s not to say that other special offers aren’t available, they’re just not as heavily advertised or may not be available to all residential customers. When signing up for a new internet service, ask the internet provider what other special offer they can throw in for you.
Can existing internet customers get promotional offers?
Internet promos are often reserved for new customers or returning customers who have been away for more than a year. That’s not to say a lower price or a deal on upgrading to a faster speed isn’t available, though. Try calling your current ISP and ask what it can do to keep your business. That may get you nothing, but it could get you a lower rate, free equipment or something else that wasn’t advertised online. Hey, you never know, it never hurts to ask.
