When was the last time you had a terrible customer support experience (from any business, not just fiber optic companies)? What did you do after that experience? If you’re like a majority of Americans, you switched to another company.
A 2020 Microsoft study found that 58% of Americans switch companies after a poor customer service experience. And 90% of Americans evaluate potential providers based on the quality of their customer support. This is especially true for businesses, where the cost of poor customer support can be measured in dollars.
In today’s digital, Internet-reliant environment, fiber optic companies have to prioritize customer service. Choosing a fiber optic company with excellent customer service can alleviate potential future headaches. What if you lost Internet connectivity for your entire office? You’d want to be able to trust your fiber company’s customer support team and feel taken care of by them.
Whether you’re searching for a new fiber-optic provider because of poor customer service or are looking into fiber-optic companies for the first time, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a shortlist of the most customer-focused fiber-optic companies that provide excellent service.
6 Fiber Optic Companies that Nail Customer Support
Customer support should be one of the biggest things you consider when searching for a fiber optic company. Without adequate service, you might be stuck with outages lasting several days or waiting to hear back about discrepancies in cost. When fiber optic is your connection between you and your customers and employees, any issue can be costly, no matter how small.
You might want to consider how you, as a customer, can even reach out to customer support. Does the company offer live chat features? Are their phone lines 24/7? Or, do you have to submit a help ticket and wait to hear back?
That’s why you need to consider customer service as one of your top concerns when shopping for a new company. With this in mind, here is a list of six of the leading fiber optic companies and what their specific customer service setup looks like.
1. Verizon Fios for Business
Verizon Fios is available throughout the New England area, covering areas in New York, Maryland, Virginia, and DC. Fiber services are offered in three different packages depending on your needs as the customer.
Overall, the general sense of reviews is that the customer service is excellent, and Verizon has quickly solved any issues. Some reviews reference fast download and upload speeds, and negative reviews seem to be about limited coverage areas primarily. For example, one customer, Robert, left a review on broadbandnow.com sharing his experience:
“In the 6 years since my installation, I have only had 2 service interruptions that were handled the next day, they were due to equipment failure. I am very satisfied with my FIOS service as well as the pricing. I have full service, phone, TV and Internet. Customer service has always been excellent the few times I called to send a signal to my DVR box. I recommend FIOS to anyone if available.”
2. CenturyLink Business
CenturyLink Business offers fiber optic Internet service throughout the United States, with many services being offered on the US northwest coast. They have a phone line and online chat system staffed during business hours to let customers call and work through any problems they may have.
Many reviews reference snappy speeds and good customer service, making them one of our recommendations to consider based on customer support. For example, an anonymous user left a review on G2 sharing their experience:
“Hired CenturyLink Fiber+ Internet for a temp agency that we set up, we needed to make sure our Internet was fast, and reliable and we got just that with CenturyLink Fiber+ Internet.”
3. Crown Castle
With coverage across the US, though primarily on the northeast coast, Crown Castle may not be as well known as some of the competition but focuses on individualized experiences and promoting services specific to their audience.
They have a contact form on their website and a phone line so customers can get in touch with customer services representatives when faced with issues. For example, Crown Castle shared a review on their Facebook page from a happy customer:
“In our current virtual environment, high-speed broadband is no longer a luxury amenity, but rather an essential service for homes, businesses, and schools. By helping our customers get air faster, they’re able to continue their critical work helping bring connectivity to those who need it.”
4. Allied Telecom
Thirteen states in the US have support with Allied Telecom services, and across those 13 states is regarded as one of the top Internet service providers. Allied Telecom offers customer service in a few ways. They provide tutorials and guides on their website to solve common issues and have an intuitive help-ticket form directly on the contact page. Also, they have a customer service line and a chat system built into the website.
Reviews are incredibly positive for the company, nearly all mentioning stellar customer service, and fast speeds. For example, Brian MacLeod left a review on spiceworks.com sharing his experience:
“We have had Allied for 2 years as well. Never lost service, price is very reasonable, and it's been a great decision so far. Help desk has been very responsive when questions arise.”
5. Zayo
Zayo has miles of fiber currently installed throughout the United States. They offer the ability for customers to escalate concerns at the top of the webpage and get in touch with customer service lines over the phone.
Reviews for Zayo emphasized excellent customer service, highlighting how knowledgeable representatives are at handling customer concerns. For example, one user writes:
“We have been using Zayo since before I arrived at this company. Their support people are pleasant and knowledgeable to work with. We have a number of services with them, including Internet and hosted IP phones. I would definitely recommend them.”
6. Atlantech Online
Atlantech Online primarily services the DMV but offers a feature on their website to check whether or not the specific area you live in is serviced by their company. We offer customer service 24/7 for technical-related issues, and for other inquiries, a customer service line is staffed during regular business hours.
Reviews for Atlantech frequently reference our high speeds, reliability, and customer service. For example, Juan Sanchez shared his experience with us:
“To say Atlantech Online is one of AOTA’s most strategic technology partners is an understatement. They have played a pivotal role in helping us succeed with at least 3 major projects that are often some of the most complex an organization can undertake. In a span of just a few short years, we have accomplished a data center migration, phone system implementation, and an entire office renovation. The entire team at Atlantech has been there through all of those projects providing us with valuable guidance, project management, and simply honest and excellent work.”
Do Your Research when Evaluating Fiber Optic Companies
When you’re shopping for fiber optic Internet, getting the details about customer service options is crucial. Before purchasing, you should make sure you know what the complaint process looks like, what needs to be done to get a case escalated, etc.
If you want a company to function as your partner day-to-day, look no further than us at Atlantech Online. We handle customer support simply and easily. If you scroll to the bottom of our website, all available customer service options are made readily available. You can schedule an in-person visit, book an online meeting or simply call a customer service representative.
If you’re thinking of switching to fiber optic Internet to take advantage of the lightning-fast speeds, consider us at Atlantech. Our entire coverage map can be found here.
