Buckeye Broadband Review

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Buckeye Broadband at a Glance

Best for: Budget

Starting Price: $19.99/month

Connection Type: Cable, Fiber

Download Speeds: 25-1000Mbps

Coverage: 2

Money-back Guarantee: 30 days

What Services and Features Does Buckeye Broadband Offer?

Buckeye Broadband sells high-speed internet, HD cable TV, and phone plans to residential and business customers. Internet and cable TV services can be bundled for a discounted monthly payment.

Beyond this, Buckeye Broadband offers a whole-home Wi-Fi setup that uses multiple access points to give you complete coverage throughout your house. You can use a mobile app to administer your network, check speeds, and set schedules for kids.

Prices, Plans, and Value for Money

Buckeye Broadband separates internet plans into residential and business options. The basic plans are aimed at those on a budget, with relatively slow upload and download speeds. You get a significant discount and unlimited data for the first six months, but then the prices increase significantly.

If you qualify for the Emergency Broadband Relief Program, you can get an ad-supported 2Mbps plan from Buckeye Broadband with no monthly fee at all.

For businesses and people who work from home, unlimited plans start at $139.99 for a 400Mbps connection. Buckeye Broadband has many additional services, from equipment rental to enhanced phone features, which all have their own monthly fees.

Ease of Use, Hardware, and Setup

Buckeye Broadband installation is free for most plans, though the company may introduce activation charges in the future. Setup is simply a matter of plugging in the supplied modem and setting the right Wi-Fi password on your devices.

If you opt for the SmartNet whole-house internet plan, which costs $11.99/month, the system will be professionally installed at no extra cost, though you will be locked into a two-year plan.

Buckeye Broadband Security

With SmartNet Plus from Buckeye Broadband, which costs $19.99 per month, you get a set of apps designed to protect your devices from malicious actors. This includes a VPN (Encrypt.me), a password manager (1Password), and an anti-virus tool (Malwarebytes).

You can choose security-focused services from Buckeye Broadband on an à la carte basis too. Pricing varies based on service, but virus removal is offered from $75, and Bitdefender Antivirus Protection for three computers costs $2.99/month.

Buckeye Broadband Performance

Buckeye Broadband’s download speeds are mediocre, particularly on the Starter and Essential plans, but this is reflected in their relatively low price. More expensive plans mean better performance, but several ISPs in Ohio offer faster speeds at the same price.

Apart from the expensive Gig Symmetrical plan, all of Buckeye Broadband’s plans are quite stingy on upload speeds. Some users won’t notice this, as download speeds are more important, but it will affect activities like gaming, live streaming, and file sharing.

Buckeye Broadband Customer Service

Buckeye Broadband has physical store locations in Toledo, Oregon, Perrysburg, and Holland in Ohio. Here, you can speak in person with sales representatives and Buckeye Brainiacs, Buckeye Broadband’s technical support. 

There are even periodic free workshops that introduce all the Buckeye Broadband technology. Note that during the COVID-19 pandemic, interactions at the stores are limited.

There is an online knowledge base, but Buckeye Broadband’s technical support is a paid product. For $10/month, you get unlimited phone support and remote access support over the internet. For $90/hour, you can order an in-home visit.

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FAQ

What type of internet is Buckeye?

Buckeye Broadband primarily delivers service through cable internet, with Fiber in select areas.

Does Buckeye Broadband have unlimited data?

Basic services do not include unlimited data, but this can be added for an additional $30/month.

How much is Buckeye cable a month?

Cable TV and broadband internet bundles start at $64.98/month after the introductory offer expires.

Bottom Line

Buckeye Broadband is best suited for individuals and smaller families who are interested in lower pricing. You can get started with Buckeye Broadband for $19.99/month or even get the service for free if you qualify for the relief program.

This cheaper service does have downsides. Technical support will cost you an additional $10/month, for example, and after your first six months, there is a monthly data cap.

Power users will find the service less appealing, as the upload speeds are relatively slow and you need to pay an additional $30/month for unlimited service. TV service is also quite expensive.