Midco Internet Review: Plans, Pricing and Availability Compared

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Midco rating

How we calculated our rating

Pros

• Competitive pricing on multiple speed tiers
• Fast upload speeds with cable service
• Fiber connection where available
• No data caps or contracts

Cons

• Rate increase up to $30 after 12 months
• Mandatory $11 equipment fee with wireless service
• Installation fee up to $100

Midco Internet Review

Midcontinent Communications, or Midco, is a unique internet provider in that it offers cable, fiber and fixed wireless internet connections. This Midwestern internet provider offers a contract-free service, unlimited data and fast and reliable speeds. However, speeds will vary depending on the available connection type at your address. Fixed wireless has the slowest max speed, around 100 megabits per second. It's fiber internet is also steadily expanding and boasts the fastest speeds, though its cable service is no slouch.

However, as with any internet provider, Midco is far from perfect. Midco offers one of the most competitively priced starting rates, yet, for most plans, you only get to keep those prices for six months. This is usually not the norm, considering that most ISPs' promo pricing period ends after a year. However, Midco offers high-speed internet and many selections to choose from, making this regional provider stand out. Let's dive into the details.

Midco internet plans and pricing

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Midco offers a total of eight plans, including its fixed wireless option. However, what drew my attention was its cable and fiber plan selections, which are among the most I’ve seen from a regional provider, with speeds ranging from 125 to 5,000Mbps. Those on Midco’s cable network can decide between four plans with max speeds up to 2,000Mbps. The Internet 2 Gig plan boasts upload speeds of 350Mbps, that's impressive considering that most cable ISPs offer upload speeds that top out at 35Mbps.

Which Midco internet plan is best?

Midco presents multiple plans to choose from, but there’s a noticeable jump in speed between each plan and the next, typically 250Mbps, to make it easier to find the right plan for your needs. Consider what you use the internet for and how many devices and users will be on your network to .

Those fiber plans certainly come with impressive speeds, however, if you want a high-speed plan and would prefer to keep your bill under $100 a month, I would recommend Midco’s Internet 500 plan. The plan offers ample speed for general household use and will cost about $69 per month (not including taxes and fees), jumping to $79 after six months.

Regardless of the plan you choose, Midco’s pricing is as fair as any, even after the standard rates go into effect after six months. With the Wireless Home Internet plan, you get to keep your competitive price of $39 per month for longer. After a year, your rate will increase to $59, which is still pretty decent for relatively fast speeds, up to 100Mbps.

Aside from speeds and pricing, what else can you expect from Midco? Here’s everything to know about the ISP before signing up.

Midco internet availability

Midco's total internet coverage comes from three service types: cable (shown in pink), fiber (purple) and fixed wireless (green).

FCC

Appropriately named, Midcontinent Communications is situated in the Midwest region of the US, with headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Midco offers internet service in parts of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and, to a lesser extent, Iowa, Kansas and Wisconsin. 

Popular Midco service areas include: 

• Aberdeen, South Dakota
• Bemidji, Minnesota
• Bismarck, North Dakota
• Dickinson, North Dakota
• Fargo, North Dakota
• Grand Forks, North Dakota
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Minot, North Dakota
• Pierre, South Dakota
• Rapid City, South Dakota
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Wilmar, Minnesota

The majority of Midco’s coverage area comes from its wireless network, but the provider’s cable service is available to more homes. Fiber internet is less widely available, though Midco’s fiber coverage has steadily increased in recent years, according to the FCC. In November 2024, Midco announced in a press release that it had begun expanding its fiber network to over 18 communities around Lake Minnetonka. Moreover, more than 360,000 homes will be equipped with fiber internet by 2028.

According to the company's website, Midco is committed to expanding it's fiber offerings to new communities in the Midwest. Certain homes in areas like Jamestown, North Dakota; Amboy, Minnesota; Deephaven, Detroit Lakes, Fairhaven, Frazee and Independence may already have access to Midco's fiber tiers. Eligible households could also have speeds of up to 5 gigabits (5,000Mbps)

Midco equipment fees, data caps and contracts

Renting Wi-Fi equipment through Midco will add $11 to your monthly bill. That’s not a bad deal considering many ISPs charge more to rent a router, but it’s worth noting that some . The exception is the fiber 5-gigabit plan, which requires customers to provide their own router. Check out Midco's recommended routers for optimal service.

Cable and fiber customers have the option to and by skipping the rental fee. However, cable customers aren't fully in the clear, as there is a required modem fee of $9 a month. Wireless internet customers, unfortunately, do not have the option to skip out on additional fees and use their own equipment, so if you’re considering wireless service, go ahead and add $11 to your monthly cost.

For houses larger than 1,500 square feet or with more than one floor, Midco recommends adding Wi-Fi pods as needed (up to five) for better whole-home Wi-Fi coverage. Mesh pods are available to rent for just $2 monthly per device.

As for data caps and contracts, all Midco service types and plans come with unlimited data and are contract-free.

How does Midco internet compare?

Midco’s quality of service and overall value will vary depending on the available service type at your address. Fiber is a preferable connection type over cable, and cable is preferred to fixed wireless.

If your area's internet options include fiber internet from Midco and cable internet from another provider such as Xfinity or Spectrum, Midco will likely offer the best plan selection, including the fastest download and upload speeds and superior speed reliability. Pricing may be lower for comparable speeds as well. The downside to Midco is that while your prices start generally low, you don't keep that price for long. Other cable ISPs like Xfinity and Spectrum raise prices after a year versus Midco after only six months. For example, 500Mbps from Midco starts at $69 per month ($79 after six months), and the same download speed potential from Spectrum can initially run you $70 per month and $108 after 24 months. Even if you don't get to keep your price for an entire year, you would still be saving more money with Midco in the long run.

On the other hand, if your address is only serviceable for Midco’s cable service and a fiber provider like AT&T Fiber or Quantum Fiber is available, the fiber service will again probably present the best speed selection and value. 

Additionally, fiber internet is capable of delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds. While Midco’s cable upload speeds are faster than most, maxing out around 200Mbps, they are still slower than what’s available from a fiber connection.

Midco’s fixed wireless service is a decent option for internet in rural areas, but you’ll want to pass on it if a cable or fiber ISP is available in your area. If there are none, Midco’s fixed wireless internet is worth considering, especially in favor of a DSL service, though wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet may be faster and cheaper (with no required equipment fees).

Midco customer satisfaction

Our usual sources for customer satisfaction, the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, don’t currently include Midco in their national customer satisfaction reports. Midco did appear in a 2022 report from J.D. Power, however, where it took the top spot for customer satisfaction in the North Central region with a score of 734 out of 1,000, edging out AT&T's 724.

The BBB gives Midco an A+ rating, but their customer review score is less favorable at 1.27 out of 5. While low scores are concerning, they are common among internet providers. For comparison, Xfinity, Frontier and Spectrum have BBB customer review scores of 1.07, 1.05 and 1.09, respectively. Among the mere 42 complaints filed with the BBB in the past three years, most concerns involve intermittent service outages and billing issues. Again, that’s fairly typical of internet providers.

Over on Allconnect, Midco received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars from 27 customer reviews. One user commented that “Midco is a great provider,” while another took issue with the TV pricing and another quipped the service “only works about 4 hours a day while it spends the other 20 buffing.” 

The bottom line on Midco

Your experience with Midco will vary depending on the available connection type -- cable, fiber or fixed wireless -- at your address. Fixed wireless has the largest coverage area, but cable service is available to the most homes. Those fortunate enough to be on Midco’s growing fiber network will have the best speed selection and service reliability.

Pricing is competitive across all Midco connection types, even after the standard rates go into effect after 12 months. Service terms are also largely favorable as there are no data caps or contracts, though the router rental fee could add $11 to your monthly bill. 

Midco internet FAQs