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Do you rent your modem from your internet service provider? If so, you may be missing out on savings on your monthly internet bill as a result.
The costs of renting a modem in 2022 can be staggering. If you rent from Comcast Xfinity, the $14 per month charge will cost you $168 per year!
Some internet providers would like you to believe that you need to rent a modem or a gateway (modem and router combination) from them each month in order to receive quality service. That’s not necessarily true.
In many cases, these companies are merely implying you need their modems in hopes you’ll blindly pay their rental fees. Truthfully, you’re capable of breaking this cycle with the purchase of your own modem.
I tried this for myself several years ago and have never turned back. My internet bill is lower as a result, and I’m able to enjoy an upgrade to my modem whenever I feel it’s necessary.
In this article, I’ll explain why purchasing your own modem is a good idea and how you may be able to lower your monthly internet bill in the process.
In some minor ways, there are parallels to the home buying versus renting debate in the modem decision. No, you’re not putting hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line with the biggest decision of your life. But you are weighing some similar factors on a much smaller and less consequential scale.
Before I persuade you to consider purchasing your own modem or gateway, I want to acknowledge that — just like housing — sometimes the right answer is renting instead of buying.
Ask yourself some of the questions below before deciding to rent or purchase a modem.
If you’re in a short-term living situation, it could make sense to rent the modem from your internet service provider. Modem compatibility is a big component of the buying decision. You run the risk of purchasing a modem that is compatible now but may not be compatible with your next internet service provider.
I’m not talking about knowing how to engineer the next piece of technology here, but can you get your modem back up and running after a bad storm takes out power?
If you’re not able or willing to invest a bit of time familiarizing yourself with troubleshooting potential issues with your modem, renting may be the best solution for you. Renting a modem usually provides you with customer support. You’ll be able to let the experts fix your issues much like a landlord on a home rental.
You’re taking a calculated gamble when you purchase your own modem. You hope it lasts from the day you take it out of the package until you no longer need it. But the reality of electronics is that things don’t always work as intended. There likely is some limited warranty protection against certain issues with new modems, but that varies greatly. We have to assume that a busted modem means an out-of-pocket expense for a new one.
The advantage to renting a modem is that your internet service provider will replace it if it malfunctions often at little or no cost for the customer. If your budget is tight and you can’t risk this type of hiccup, perhaps renting the modem is an option.
But will that actually save you money in the long run? That’s the topic I want to cover next.
It’s time to break out our calculators. Now that we’ve covered some of the instances that could point to renting your modem, I want to talk math.
While renting can provide some short-term perks, it probably isn’t the friendliest on your bank account. With many major internet service providers, you’re going to see a big savings from purchasing a modem.
First, let’s identify a solid, affordable sample modem that most internet users could purchase: As of late December 2021, you can get an ARRIS SURFboard modem for as little at $60 at Walmart.com.
Next, for the purposes of this exercise, let’s look at the approximate monthly equipment rental cost from some popular internet service providers. Since many providers offer bundles in 12 and 24-month increments, I have charted estimated costs for two years of renting a modem:
| Months | Comcast Xfinity | Verizon | Charter Spectrum | Cox |
| 1 | $14 | $12 | $5 | $10.99 |
| 2 | $28 | $24 | $10 | $21.98 |
| 3 | $42 | $36 | $15 | $32.97 |
| 4 | $56 | $48 | $20 | $43.96 |
| 5 | $70 | $60 | $25 | $54.95 |
| 6 | $84 | $72 | $30 | $65.94 |
| 7 | $98 | $84 | $35 | $76.93 |
| 8 | $112 | $96 | $40 | $87.92 |
| 9 | $126 | $108 | $45 | $98.91 |
| 10 | $140 | $120 | $50 | $109.90 |
| 11 | $154 | $132 | $55 | $120.89 |
| 12 | $168 | $144 | $60 | $131.88 |
| 13 | $182 | $156 | $65 | $142.87 |
| 14 | $196 | $168 | $70 | $153.86 |
| 15 | $210 | $180 | $75 | $164.85 |
| 16 | $224 | $192 | $80 | $175.84 |
| 17 | $238 | $204 | $85 | $186.83 |
| 18 | $252 | $216 | $90 | $197.82 |
| 19 | $266 | $228 | $95 | $208.81 |
| 20 | $280 | $240 | $100 | $219.80 |
| 21 | $294 | $252 | $105 | $230.79 |
| 22 | $308 | $264 | $110 | $241.78 |
| 23 | $322 | $276 | $115 | $252.77 |
| 24 | $336 | $288 | $120 | $263.76 |
Note: The above chart uses approximate modem rental fees in 2021. Some promotional offers include free use of a rental modem, so study your internet provider’s offer carefully.
In the most simple form of this cost analysis, we’re looking for the break-even point for the cost of the purchased modem versus the monthly charge from the internet service provider.
Rounding up for tax and potential shipping charges for our purchase of a $65 modem, let’s call the final cost $75. As you can see on the chart, you’ll approach that number (and, in some cases, surpass it) by the six-month mark of the rental process. From that point forward, you are losing money each month that you rent instead of buying.
Let’s take Comcast Xfinity, for example, since it has some of the highest rental prices on the market. The company is charging $14 per month for modem equipment fees, which means you will be charged $336 by the end of a two-year agreement. You could have saved more than $250 of that by purchasing your own modem instead. That’s significant savings!
And if you’re able to get three, four or even five years out of the modem you purchase. that’s even better.
With all of this talk about savings through modems, you may be wondering how wireless routers fit into this discussion. The router is a device that provides a Wi-Fi connection for wireless devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.
A router can either be connected to a modem to provide internet access to wireless devices, or it can be built into a device that has both modem and router capabilities. These are commonly referred to as “gateways.”
Many internet service providers now rent gateways that have both the modem and router built into one device. So if you’re considering purchasing a modem in place of renting one of these devices, you will need to make sure the new modem you are purchasing also has router capabilities. If you don’t purchase a gateway, you’ll need to purchase the modem and router separately and then connect the two to provide Wi-Fi in your home.
If you already own a modem and want to add a router for wireless access, there are plenty of cost-effective options for less than $50 from retailers like Walmart or Amazon.
And if you’re looking to purchase a new modem, I have spotted a couple of gateway devices that will provide the desired Wi-Fi connection with a single purchase.
The three most important things to remember when looking to purchase your own modem:
Here’s a look at a couple of good values on the modem market, both of which are gateways with built-in routers:
Again, you’ll want to make sure these gateway devices are compatible with your internet service provider. Next, let’s take a look at the approved list for modems and gateways from some of the major service providers.
Comcast Xfinity has a handy website to help you determine which modems are compatible with its service. It requires that you enter your ZIP code and internet speed to give the best results.
If you’re looking for internet speeds of up to 1000 Mbps, there are only 11 compatible modems. If ratchet it all the way down to a speed of 25 Mbps, there are 87 compatible modems. Use the above link to verify, but that opens your options up quite a bit.
Cox provides a list of “certified” modem options for personal internet use.
Charter Spectrum has a list of approved options on its website.
I went through the signup process on AT&T, and it appears a $10 Wi-Fi gateway equipment fee is required. If your internet provider is going to require that you pay a monthly fee for its modem, it likely doesn’t make sense to purchase your own.
So, do you think you’re ready to make the buying versus renting decision?
If you’re at a spot in life where you feel comfortable making a 24-month commitment to an internet decision, it’s really hard to argue against buying a modem.
As we found in the cost analysis, you’re likely to recoup your money spent on the purchase in the first year.
If I’ve talked you into considering a modem purchase, make sure that you check with your internet service provider for a list of compatible modems.
Also, be sure that you understand the amount of Mbps you will be receiving each month. You’ll want your new modem to be able to process speeds on par with your top possible speed.
This post was last modified on February 6, 2024 11:29 am
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