Windstream Internet vs. Hosted America
When choosing an internet service provider (ISP), many customers weigh affordability, speed, reliability, and availability. Windstream, under the brand Kinetic by Windstream, offers a mix of DSL internet, cable internet, and fiber optic services in select areas. Meanwhile, Hosted America focuses exclusively on delivering 100% fiber-to-the-premise internet with future-proof performance across North Carolina, Texas, and beyond.
This breakdown compares Windstream Internet plans and Hosted America to help you choose the best fit for your home or business
Windstream Service Features
Windstream offers a variety of internet options depending on your location. Under its Kinetic brand, customers may have access to DSL, cable, or fiber—but speeds and reliability vary significantly depending on the infrastructure in your area.
Key features of Windstream Kinetic:
- DSL internet is available in many rural areas, especially in Kentucky, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Georgia.
- Select regions have Kinetic Fiber Internet, branded as Kinetic Gig, offering symmetrical gigabit speeds.
- Additional services include home phone, phone service, and TV bundles.
- Flexible Kinetic internet plans with promo rates and autopay discounts.
- Options to enroll online through www.windstream.com.
- Standard modem rental included or available for purchase.
- 24/7 tech support and U.S.-based service centers.
- Fiber plans are expanding in areas like Missouri, Iowa, and Oklahoma, but are still limited.
Note: availability of fiber plans is often subject to location-based restrictions (disclaimer: not all services are available in all areas).
Challenges with Windstream Internet
- The majority of Windstream’s network still runs on DSL internet, which struggles with low speeds, especially for upload.
- Cable internet is only offered in limited urban areas; it shares bandwidth with neighbors, causing slowdowns during peak hours.
- Fiber optic through Kinetic Fiber Internet is only available in select locations and not widespread across their entire footprint.
- Windstream internet plans and pricing can vary significantly based on location and often come with limited-time promo pricing.
- Autopay may be required to access the lowest rates.
- Extra fees for modem rentals and home phone add-ons.
- Customers report inconsistent speeds and reliability, particularly on DSL plans.
Tech support responsiveness can vary.
What Does Hosted America Fiber Internet Offer?
Hosted America provides 100% fiber internet, delivering the fastest and most reliable connection available. Unlike Windstream’s primarily DSL offering, Hosted America’s fiber internet is a wired broadband service that delivers symmetrical speeds (equal download speeds and upload speeds), making it ideal for streaming, remote work, and online gaming.
Hosted America Fiber Internet Perks
- Fast, reliable speeds: Up to 2 Gbps with no slowdowns
- Future-proof infrastructure: Fiber is designed to handle growing bandwidth demands
- Low latency: Ideal for streaming live TV, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, online gaming, and Zoom calls
- No data caps: Unlimited data with no throttling or overage fees
- Locally-based support: Raleigh, NC-based customer service team for easy activation and continued support
- Stronger connection than DSL: Not affected by network congestion
- Reliability: Hosted America has maintained minimal outages, with most caused by planned maintenance.
Hosted America Fiber Internet Limitations
- Higher starting price: $89.99/month for fiber compared to Windstream’s $24.99/month for DSL or cable (which has slower speeds than fiber).
- Limited availability: Fiber infrastructure is still expanding, so it may not be available in all areas
Windstream vs. Hosted America Fiber: The Final Verdict
Kinetic by Windstream offers a mix of DSL, cable, and fiber depending on where you live—but most customers are still served by outdated infrastructure that struggles to deliver the high-speed internet experience modern households demand. While Windstream has made strides with Kinetic Fiber Internet, it’s only available in certain areas of Georgia, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
By contrast, Hosted America delivers dedicated fiber optic internet directly to homes and businesses with no copper or coaxial involved. That means faster speeds, lower latency, and a more reliable internet connection—ideal for work-from-home professionals, gamers, and smart homes.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where Hosted America is available, the choice is simple. Hosted America’s 100% fiber plan offers unmatched performance and consistency over the patchwork approach of Windstream’s services.
See How We Compare to Others
Choosing the right internet connection can be overwhelming with so many options available. Hosted America goes head-to-head with major providers like Viasat, Hughesnet, Optimum, and T-Mobile, each offering different technologies and performance levels.
While some providers rely on wi-fi, cable, satellite internet, or fixed wireless connections, Hosted America’s 100% fiber network ensures faster speeds, lower latency, and unmatched reliability. Want to see how we compare? Explore our in-depth home internet reviews and FAQs to find the best internet service for your needs.
Residential Internet
Get the upload speeds and download speeds you need for streaming, remote work, and more. Our low-latency home internet plans include:
- 25 Mbps plan
- 100 Mbps plan
- 300 Mbps plan
- 500 Mbps plan
- 1 Gbps/gigabit/gig plan
- 2 Gbps/gigabit/gig plan
Our 2 gig internet plan is the fastest plan we offer to home internet customers, but we’re confident that all our plans will offer you the accessibility you need for your daily life.