Know your options
See your options. Switch only if it's better for you.
First Choice Communications is a free, no-pressure service for Tampa Bay households. We show you the internet and mobile options at your address, so you're never stuck with one provider. If your current plan is the right fit, we'll tell you. If something else is better, we'll help you switch. The choice is always yours.
Check my options · Call (813) 875-4911
Our service is free to you. Providers we're authorized to sell pay us a commission when you sign up through us.
1. Fiber, cable, or 5G home internet: what's the difference?
| Fiber | Cable | 5G home internet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it reaches you | Glass fiber all the way to your home | Fiber to the neighborhood, then a coaxial cable to your home | A receiver in your home connects to nearby cell towers |
| Upload speed | Usually the same as download | Usually much lower than download | Usually the lowest of the three |
| Lag (latency) | Lowest | Low | Higher, and it changes more |
| What affects it | Wired, so weather and tower traffic don't matter | Wired; the neighborhood network is shared | Signal strength and how busy the tower is |
In plain English: fiber is great for uploads, video calls, and gaming. Cable is fast on downloads but slower on uploads. 5G home internet is easy to set up with no wires, but your speed depends on the signal.
What testing found:
- FCC testing found fiber connections had about 8–14 ms of idle latency, compared with about 13–22 ms for cable. FCC testing also found cable upload speeds were typically 1/5 to 1/10 of download speeds. (FCC Measuring Broadband America, 13th report, based on 2022–2023 data. These are national averages, not a guarantee for your home.)
- Ookla reported a median 5G home upload speed of 13.57 Mbps for T-Mobile in the second half of 2025. (National figure, not Tampa-specific.)
- Verizon says its 5G Home speeds "vary due to factors affecting cellular networks."
Tip: every provider has to show a broadband label (like a nutrition label) with the typical speed and latency for each plan. Check it for your address before you buy.
2. Why your bill goes up after the promo ends
Before you sign up, read the provider's FCC broadband label. It lists the price, whether it's an introductory rate, what you'll pay after it ends, one-time and monthly fees, data limits, contract length, and typical speeds. Providers that advertise in Spanish have to offer the label in Spanish too.
Common reasons a bill goes up:
- The promo price ends. Many offers last 12 months, and then standard rates apply.
- Equipment or Wi-Fi add-on fees. Some providers charge monthly for upgraded Wi-Fi equipment.
- You lose a discount. For example, Frontier says a $10/mo fee applies without Auto Pay, and Verizon's lowest 5G Home price requires a Verizon mobile plan.
- One-time fees. Installation, paper bills, and unreturned equipment can all add charges.
- Contracts and early cancellation fees.
- Price locks cover less than you think. Verizon and T-Mobile say their price guarantees cover the base monthly rate, not discounts, promotions, or add-ons.
What providers say (prices as of Oct 12, 2026; availability varies by address; taxes and fees extra):
- Frontier Fiber (now a Verizon company). As of Oct 12, 2026, per Frontier's offer terms: 5-year price guarantee on Fiber 1 Gig and faster (4-year on Fiber 500), per Frontier, for new residential customers; offer fine print also states price guaranteed for 12 months; a $100 early termination fee, prorated, if you cancel in months 1–12; Auto Pay required or a $10/mo fee applies; paper bill $3.49/mo; $50 expert installation fee; up to $150 per device ($400 for 5 Gig) if equipment isn't returned. Taxes and other charges extra; subject to availability; terms may change. No data caps. Upload and download speeds are the same.
- First Choice offer (separate from Frontier's guarantee): Sign up for Frontier through First Choice and get an extra $5/mo off for your first 12 months. For new Frontier internet customers who order through First Choice.
- Ongoing local support: If your bill goes up, call us at (813) 875-4911 and we'll help you review your options.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet. As of Oct 12, 2026, per verizon.com: from $35/mo with Auto Pay and any Verizon mobile plan. Without a mobile plan, 5G Home is $60/mo and 5G Home Ultimate is $85/mo. Verizon says its price guarantees (3 years for 5G Home, 4 for Plus, 5 for Ultimate) cover the base monthly rate only. No annual contract, router included, and unreturned equipment fees of up to $300 per unit.
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. As of Oct 12, 2026, per t-mobile.com: Rely, Amplified, and All-In plans come with a 5-year price guarantee that excludes taxes, fees, promotions, and add-ons. Ask us for current pricing at your address.
- T-Mobile Fiber (Greater Tampa Bay). T-Mobile says: "unlimited data, multi-gigabit upload and download speeds, no annual contracts, plus equipment and installation included. Speed tiers vary by location." Ask us for current pricing at your address.
- Spectrum (cable). Spectrum says its promotional internet prices last one year, and "after one year, standard rates apply." Spectrum doesn't list its standard rate on that page, so check your broadband label for the price after the promo. Spectrum says it has no data caps and no contracts, and installation may cost extra.
Prices and terms are from each provider's website as of Oct 12, 2026, and can change at any time. Availability, speeds, and prices vary by address.
3. Check what's available at your address (free FCC map)
- Go to broadbandmap.fcc.gov and type in your street address.
- Leave the Fixed Broadband tab selected to see home internet providers, their technology (fiber, cable, wireless), and advertised top speeds. Switch to Mobile Broadband to see cell coverage.
- Remember that providers report this data themselves. Always confirm with the provider at your exact address.
- Is the map wrong? If a provider is listed but won't actually serve you, click "Availability Challenge" under your address, fill in the form, add screenshots or emails as proof, and submit.
- If your home's location dot is wrong or missing, use "Location Challenge" instead.
Prefer help? We'll check your address for you. Start here or call (813) 875-4911.
4. How to lower your mobile bill
- Pay for the data you actually use. Check your recent usage before choosing a plan.
- Know the Auto Pay rules. At Verizon, new Auto Pay discounts need a bank account or Verizon Visa card, and debit cards no longer qualify for new sign-ups. At T-Mobile, Auto Pay must use a bank account, debit card, or T-Mobile Visa; credit cards don't qualify. AT&T lists its Auto Pay terms at att.com/deals/autopay-discount.
- Ask about home + mobile bundles. For example, as of Oct 12, 2026, Verizon says 5G Home can be as low as $35/mo with Auto Pay and any Verizon phone plan. Availability varies.
- Read trade-in fine print. T-Mobile pays most trade-in deals as monthly bill credits, so you have to keep the required plan and lines for the whole period to keep getting them. A phone that fails the condition check may get a lower value.
- Understand every line on your bill. The FCC recommends reading promo fine print and asking about any charge you don't recognize.
5. Help for lower-income households (as of Oct 12, 2026)
- Lifeline (FCC): up to $9.25/mo off phone or internet for eligible households ($34.25 on Tribal lands). One per household; recertify every year. Apply at lifelinesupport.org.
- Verizon Forward: up to $30/mo off eligible Verizon 5G Home and Frontier Fiber plans for qualifying households (for example, through Lifeline, SNAP, WIC, or Pell Grants). Verizon says the final cost is $20/mo or more.
- Access from AT&T: low-cost internet for qualifying households; AT&T says the price depends on what's available at your address.
- Spectrum Internet Assist: Spectrum lists 50 Mbps for $25/mo, or $15/mo for households in certain programs (NSLP, CEP, or SSI).
- Hillsborough County: the county's digital equity and broadband program is still in the planning stage. Questions: broadband@hcfl.gov.
Ready when you are, never pushy
See your options. Switch only if it's better for you. Check my options · Call (813) 875-4911
Disclosures: First Choice Communications (Scorah Marketing Group LLC) is an independent retailer and is not the service provider. We are an authorized retailer of Frontier®, Verizon, and T-Mobile Fiber, and we may receive commissions from providers. Other providers on this page are named for comparison and education only. All product names and brands belong to their respective owners and are used for identification only. Service, speeds, pricing, and promotions are subject to availability, credit approval, and provider terms, and may change. Prices are as of Oct 12, 2026; availability varies by address. Speed figures are from FCC and Ookla testing and are not a guarantee. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.