High-speed internet has reached the point where we see it as a given in our everyday lives. We use it for work, pleasure, social media, communication and idle late-night browsing when we should otherwise be sleeping.
This is not the case for everybody. Reliable, fast internet can be a luxury for people on a tight budget. Those who qualify can sign up for free internet service from T-Mobile, AT&T, Comcast, Spectrum or Verizon. Tap or click here to learn more.
As the summer travel season nears, you may want to take care of some things at home before you go. You can pause your internet service and save some money if you’re leaving for a while.
Why not just cancel?
If you’re going on an extended trip or staying at a seasonal destination, it makes sense to stop your internet service back home. Note: You will be charged to put your service on hold, but this will be lower than standard rates.
You may consider canceling the service before you go and reactivating it when you return. Here’s why that’s a bad idea:
- You’ll often face a cancellation fee for severing your contract.
- Canceling your service takes time. You’ll likely be bombarded with questions about why you’re canceling and offers to keep you on. And once you’re through with everything, you’ll have to take the time to return equipment to your ISP.
- You’ll often pay an activation fee to reactivate your previous service or sign up with a new one.
- Resuming service takes time. You’ll need to set up your plan, payment and equipment.
Many ISPs and cable/satellite providers allow you to pause service over a certain amount of time. This involves much less work than canceling a service.
Read on for your options from some of the biggest ISPs in the country. If you don’t see yours, check its website or give them a call.
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Comcast Xfinity
Xfinity’s Seasonal Convenience Plan lets you put your TV, internet and voice services on hold while you’re away. You keep your equipment, phone number and your Comcast.net email address, which you can still access anywhere.
If you upgrade to Seasonal Internet Access, you’ll still be able to control your smart devices at home while you’re away. There’s no reconnection charge, and you won’t need a service call when you return. You can sign up by phone, online, or by enrolling in the EcoBill paperless billing program.
Xfinity charges $8 each to pause your TV, internet or voice services. If you want to keep your internet, it’s $29.95 for Seasonal Internet Access. The amount of time you can activate the Seasonal Convenience Plan varies by region, from three to nine months.
Charter Spectrum
Spectrum customers can use the company’s Seasonal Status option to put TV, internet and voice services on hold for a monthly fee. You keep your phone number, email address, voicemail, Spectrum receiver and other TV, internet or voice equipment.
You’ll still be able to access your Spectrum.net account to pay your bill online and check email, voicemail and account status. But you won’t have access to the internet for the duration of your Seasonal Status. When you get back home, your services will resume without the need for a visit from a technician.
You’ll need to either provide a forwarding address for billing purposes or enroll in AutoPay to sign up for Seasonal Status. You can place your account in Seasonal Status once every 12 months. Seasonal Status can range from two to nine months in duration.
AT&T
AT&T’s Vacation Hold lets you pause your internet, phone or U-verse TV service. If you put all three on hold, you’ll still have access to your email IDs to use AT&T’s Wi-Fi network while you’re away. You’ll keep your number and can receive calls and access voicemail.
Call AT&T at 800-288-2020 to suspend or hold your U-verse TV, internet or phone service. Call the same number when you want to reactivate. AT&T charges $7 per month for each service you put on hold. You can use Vacation Hold twice per year for two to nine months.
A caveat
If you have a home security camera or other connected monitoring devices at home, make sure you can still access them before putting your account on hold. Some plans have this option while others don’t. Check with your ISP.
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