Internet outages can ruin a movie night or interrupt a workday, but a new study suggests the monthly bill is a bigger reason customers are ready to leave their internet providers.
An analysis from CompareInternet.com examined 1,020 home internet discussions on Reddit and found that 43% of posts explaining why someone switched providers cited price or a price increase. Moving came next at 26%, while outages or unreliable service accounted for 15%.
The findings arrive as Comcast continues losing broadband customers and wireless carriers expand their home internet offerings. For households tired of rising bills, the numbers offer another look at why the traditional cable internet business is facing growing pressure.
The Bill Is the Breaking Point for Many Customers
Price led every other reason people gave for switching internet providers, according to the study. Here is how the leading reasons compared among the 109 posts that explained a switch.
Moving ranked second, often because customers discovered their existing provider did not serve their new address or they ran into problems transferring service and retaining a promotional discount.
Meanwhile, price complaints appeared most often in discussions about Xfinity and Spectrum. Price came up in 30% of Xfinity posts and 23% of Spectrum posts, compared with 15% for Verizon, 14% for AT&T and 9% for T-Mobile.
These figures indicate the frequency of price-related comments about each provider, not how their prices compare or how satisfied customers are overall.
Still, the results add to a growing collection of reports about customer frustration with internet and telecommunications companies. A separate Consumer Friction Index report ranked Xfinity, AT&T and Verizon as the three companies customers most frequently asked for help dealing with.
Outages Still Matter, but Billing Problems Can Make Things Worse
Price might lead the list of switching reasons, but unreliable internet remains a major concern. Outages appeared in 21% of all the posts analyzed, even though they accounted for 15% of the posts explaining a switch. This difference matters because complaints about outages do not automatically translate into customers leaving their provider.
Billing problems also showed up in 12% of the posts. Among those billing complaints, 47% involved charges customers said they had already paid or did not owe. Reports included unexpected fees, duplicate bills, equipment charges and continued billing after cancellation.
The consequences sometimes extended beyond an annoying bill or a slow connection. CompareInternet found that 21% of all posts described an impact beyond the original service or billing problem.
- Financial loss: 7% of all posts.
- Disrupted gaming or streaming: 5%.
- Missed work or difficulty working from home: 4%.
- Time spent dealing with customer support: 3%.
- Disrupted household routines: 1%.
Elsewhere, complaints have varied by location. A separate Cord Cutters News report on internet complaints by state found that West Virginia had the highest rate of internet complaints per capita in the FCC data examined, followed by Alabama, Delaware, Florida and New York.
Could a Call to Cancel Save You Money?
Before switching providers, some customers might be able to get a better deal simply by asking for one.
CompareInternet found examples of customers who negotiated substantial savings. One said a loyalty call cut a $75 monthly bill to $30 for two years. Another reported that threatening to cancel lowered a $90 plan to $40, with a speed upgrade included.
However, those results were not universal. Other customers said calls, online chats and store visits failed to secure a lower rate. The study also does not establish how often these negotiations succeed.
Even so, it offers a practical reason to review your bill before moving to another provider. Ask whether your promotional rate has expired, whether a new discount is available, and whether you are paying for equipment you no longer need.
CompareInternet Content Editor Caroline Lefelhoc offered a reminder for customers weighing their options.
“Customers should compare the full monthly cost, including equipment charges and other recurring fees,” Lefelhoc said. “For providers, these discussions offer a chance to understand customers’ concerns and address them before they decide to leave.”
Cable Internet Faces More Pressure as Alternatives Grow
The study also found different priorities across connection types. Price appeared in about 32% of cable internet posts, compared with 21% of fiber posts and 7% of fixed wireless posts.
Speed discussions followed a different pattern. They appeared in 37% of fixed wireless posts, 25% of cable posts, and 16% of fiber posts.
In other words, cable customers talked about cost more often, while fixed wireless customers focused more heavily on speed. Gaming and streaming disruptions also appeared more frequently in fixed wireless discussions than in cable or fiber posts.
Those findings come as the internet market becomes more competitive. Comcast has lost roughly 1 million residential broadband customers since its late-2021 peak, including another 144,000 residential broadband customers in the third quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are gaining home internet customers as cable broadband declines. Their 5G home internet services give eligible households another way to get online without a traditional cable connection.
Ready to Leave Xfinity or Spectrum? Here Are Some Alternatives
Customers frustrated by rising bills have more options to consider, although availability depends on the address. Depending on the market, alternatives can include fiber internet, 5G home internet, and other local providers.
Here are several services worth checking before renewing a plan or accepting another price increase.
Notably, T-Mobile is expanding its fiber lineup. On November 3, the company launched a 5 Gig fiber plan for $90 per month with AutoPay, plus taxes and fees, backed by a 10-year price guarantee. The plan includes unlimited data, professional installation, and no monthly equipment fee. Qualifying new customers can also receive two months of free service and $300 in virtual prepaid cards for a limited time.
Before making a switch, check the full monthly price after any promotion expires, equipment charges, AutoPay requirements, and any mobile plan needed to qualify for a discount. Wireless service also depends on coverage and local network performance, so the cheapest advertised plan may not be the best fit for every household.
For a broader comparison, see our guide to home internet alternatives for customers thinking about leaving Xfinity or Spectrum.
The Numbers Tell Part of the Story
CompareInternet reviewed 4,418 public posts from five Reddit communities covering AT&T, Spectrum, T-Mobile, Verizon and Xfinity. Researchers selected 1,020 posts about U.S. residential home internet service published between October 19, 2025, and October 18, 2026. The analysis used AI assistance to code posts against a fixed set of categories.
The results reflect self-selected Reddit discussions, not a representative survey of all internet customers. The switching-reason percentages are based on just 109 posts that explained why someone was leaving, and a single post could cover multiple topics.
Even with those limitations, one finding stands out. Customers may tolerate an occasional service problem, but rising prices, disputed charges, and expiring discounts can turn an ordinary monthly bill into a reason to shop around. As more fiber and wireless options become available, internet providers have another reason to give customers a better deal before they decide to leave.
