Midco Review 2023: Plans, Pricing, and More (2024)

Is Midco good?

Overall, Midco Internet and TV offers competitive prices and reliable service. We like Midco Internet’s fast speeds and affordable Wi-Fi equipment. Midco’s cable TV offerings are lackluster and short on HD channels, but they’re pretty darn cheap.

Midco—or Midcontinent Communications, as it used to be known—services five states in the Midwest, but primarily South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Read on for our in-depth review of Midco and how it compares to its competitors Sparklight, Frontier, and Viasat.

Midcon pros and cons

Pros

  • No contracts
  • Unlimited data
  • Fast internet speeds

Cons

  • Lackluster TV options
  • A glitchy website

If you live in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Kansas, Midcon may provide internet and TV service in your area. And if you’d like to see your other options, enter your zip code below to see the major providers in your neighborhood.

And no worries—we don’t store or share your location with anyone.

Jump to:

  • Internet packages
  • TV packages
  • Bundle packages
  • Equipment

Compare Midco internet plans and pricing

Package Price* Download speeds up to Upload speeds up to
Midco Gig Internet $74.95/mo. 1,000 Mbps 20 or 1,000 Mbps View plan
Midco Internet 500 $64.95/mo. 500 Mbps 20 or 500 Mbps View plan
Midco Internet 200 $54.95/mo. 200 Mbps 20 or 200 Mbps View plan
Midco Internet 100 $44.95/mo. 100 Mbps 10 or 100 Mbps View plan

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for the first 12 mos.

Midco offers fiber and cable internet service with grade-A download speeds and prices, but your upload speeds will be lower if you’re in a cable area. Even in cable internet areas, though, you shouldn’t notice much difference unless you do video calls a lot or download large internet files like video game updates.

Midco Internet prices are relatively close to Frontier Fiberprices, but which provider is cheapest between them varies based on the download speeds you want. We like Midco’s customer service a bit better, but you might snag a better deal with Frontier on mid-tier internet speeds.

On the other hand, Sparklight (formerly CABLE ONE) is much more spendy and has annoying data caps. Midco’s unlimited data will treat you much better.

Overall, we think Midco Internet will impress you. It’s a high-speed internet service with plans to fit your needs whether you want to scroll through Facebook and Twitter, stream online TV, or run a business (for real—it has a 5,000 Mbps plan that’s faster than what almost any Midwestern family needs).

View Midco plans

Compare Midco rural internet plans and pricing

Package Price* Download speeds up to Upload speeds up to
Midco Fixed Wireless Internet 100 $99.95/mo. 100 Mbps 20 Mbps View plan
Midco Fixed Wireless Internet 50 $84.95/mo. 50 Mbps 10 Mbps View plan
Midco Fixed Wireless Internet 35 $74.95/mo. 35 Mbps 5 Mbps View plan
Midco Fixed Wireless Internet 25 $64.95/mo. 25 Mbps 3 Mbps View plan

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for the first 12 mos.

In rural areas, Midco offers fixed wireless internet. This option is usually faster and more affordable than satellite internet providers like Viasat since the service uses local towers instead of satellites in orbit.

Unfortunately, Midco’s fixed wireless internet plans are more expensive and slower than its cable and fiber internet plans.

If you work from home or want to stream TV online, go for Midco Fixed Wireless Internet 100. While the price is high, and you’ll need to keep the kids offline during your video conference, those are just the tough tomatoes of rural internet. Uff da!

View Midco plans

Compare Midco TV plans and pricing

Package Price* Channel count Popular channels
Ultimate Theatre Suite $119.95/mo. 190+ HBO®, SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL, and STARZ® View plan
Theatre Suite $85.95/mo. 190+ HBO, SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL, or STARZ View plan
Preferred Cable $69.95/mo. 190+ NFL Network, NHL Network, and Disney Junior View plan
Basic Cable $59.95/mo. 145+ Disney Channel, ESPN, and MTV View plan
Essentials Cable $39.95/mo. 105+ Hallmark Channel, Food Network, Comedy Central, and CNN View plan
Limited Cable $22.95/mo. 90+ ABC, FOX, PBS, and NBC View plan

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for the first 12 mos.

Just like Midco has multiple internet service types, it also has two TV types. The plans listed above are for Midco Cable TV, a traditional cable TV service. But in a few select areas, you’d find the live TV streaming service MidcoTV instead.

MidcoTV seems fine, but it’s available only with internet service. Plus, there are plenty of streaming services we like better, so we’ll focus on the more widely available Midco Cable TV here.

We recommend you skip the Limited Cable plan, which features local channels you can get with a good OTA antenna. Essentials Cable comes with a few background noise favorites like Food Network and Hallmark Channel, but you have to get the Basic Cable package if you want ESPN and Disney Channel.

For the most well-rounded TV plan, go for Preferred Cable. It has more major sports channels and family channels for all ages. This is a great choice for families, since it has a bit of something for everyone.

If you want even more, you can also upgrade to the Theatre Suite, which comes with your choice of one premium channel—HBO, SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL, or STARZ. The top package, Ultimate Theatre Suite, comes with all five premium channels.

While these packages are pretty low in channel counts, they come with the channels most folks want, and Ultimate Theatre Suite is a close contender with Spectrum TV, our pick for best movies package. We wish Midco’s HD channel count were a bit higher though—you deserve good-looking TV.

View Midco plans

Compare Midco internet plus TV plans and pricing

Package Price* Download speeds up to Channel count
Midco Gig Internet & Preferred Cable $144.90/mo. 1,000 Mbps 190+ View plan
Midco Internet 500 & Basic Cable $124.90/mo. 500 Mbps 145+ View plan
Midco Internet 200 & Basic Cable $114.90/mo. 200 Mbps 145+ View plan
Midco Internet 200 & Essentials Cable $94.90/mo. 200 Mbps 105+ View plan
Midco Internet 100 & Limited Cable $67.90/mo. 100 Mbps 90+ View plan

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for the first 12 mos.

Unlike its competitor Sparklight, Midco doesn’t offer additional discounts when you bundle TV and internet service. But since Midco’s plans are much more affordable (and better) to start with, it still wins over Sparklight.

If you’d like to add phone service to your Midco TV and internet bundle, Midco offers two options:

  • Basic Home Phone (additional $9.95/mo.): unlimited local calling
  • Home Phone Package (additional $22.95/mo.): unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling, voice mail, caller ID, three-way calling, and more

For the best Midco TV and internet bundle, go with Midco Gig Internet & Preferred Cable—or switch Preferred Cable out for the Ultimate Theatre Suite if you want premium channels.

But if you’d prefer to save a bit of cash, we think Midco Internet 200 & Basic Cable will take care of most folk’s home entertainment needs just fine.

View Midco plans

Midco internet equipment

With your Midco internet plan, you can rent Midco’s modem/router combo for $8 a month. Since most home Wi-Fi rentals cost about $10 a month, you’re saving a bit of cash with Midco.

If you’d prefer not to rent, though, you can choose from Midco’s approved modems list. Make sure you get a router for Wi-Fi too.

We were tickled to see that you can upgrade to Midco Freestyle Wi-Fi for a total of $9.95. Midco Freestyle Wi-Fi comes with advanced Wi-Fi control in the Midco Wi-Fi app. You’ll also get better coverage throughout your home since Midco will provide any extenders you need to improve your connection.

Go for Midco Freestyle Wi-Fi if you have a problem with dead spots in your home. Midco will help you cover them all.

Midco internet equipment prices

  • Midco Freestyle Wi-Fi (cable): $9.95/mo.
  • Wireless gateway (fiber): $8.00/mo.
  • Wireless modem/router combo (cable): $8.00/mo.
  • Standard modem: $6.00/mo.

Final take: Is Midco worth it?

For a smaller regional TV and internet provider, Midco impressed us. Its internet has good bones: unlimited data, no contracts, fast internet speeds, and competitive prices. Midco’s TV plans aren’t quite so impressive, but they get the job done.

Midco’s a great choice for families, high-speed internet fanatics, and folks who love a deal on TV and internet.

Pick Midco over Sparklight and Viasat. Frontier Fiber is stiff competition, but Midco plans tend to be a tiny bit more affordable—and unlike Frontier, Midco currently offers TV plans.

View Midco plans

Midco FAQ

What’s the number to Midco?

You can call Midco 24/7 at +1-800-888-1300 or text customer support at 64326.

Is Midco good internet?

Midco Internet comes with fast download speeds, unlimited data, and no contracts—that’s good. We think Midco’s a standout internet provider, and we’d recommend it over its competitor, Sparklight.

How much does Midco Internet cost?

See the Midco internet plans and pricing list.

How much does Midco Cable cost?

See the Midco TV plans and pricing list.

What channels are on Midco Basic Cable?

Midco Basic Cable comes with over 145 channels, including CNN, Disney Channel, Food Network, ESPN, MTV, Hallmark Channel, and various local channels.

Methodology

Our TV and internet experts compared Midco’s value, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction with those of its direct competitors and providers across the US. To learn more about CableTV.com’s methodology, check out our How We Rank page.

Related articles

  • Frontier Review
  • Sparklight Review
  • Viasat Review
Midco Review 2023: Plans, Pricing, and More (2024)

FAQs

How much is Midco internet per month? ›

Midco Cable Internet Plan Options
Internet plansPriceMore information
Midco Gig Internet$74.95 per month800-888-1300
Midco Internet 500$64.95 per month800-888-1300
Midco Internet 200$54.95 per month800-888-1300
Midco Internet 100$44.95 per month800-888-1300
2 more rows

How much is basic cable with Midco? ›

Basic Cable .......... .. .. ......... . .... $64.95 PER Mo.

How much does it cost to rent a modem from Midco? ›

Services may not be available in all areas, and some restrictions apply. Visit Midco.com/Shop to check serviceability, or contact us at Midco.com/Contact. 1 Customer is responsible for modem purchase or lease required for Midco internet. Modem lease price is $9 for standard modem or $11 for Midco Wi-Fi.

Is Midco owned by Comcast? ›

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and operated as a joint venture between Midcontinent Media and Comcast, Midco provides service to 200 communities both urban and rural, serving an area that covers over 1.2 million people.

What is the average monthly fee for internet? ›

How much does internet cost per month? The median price for internet access is about $75 per month. That's according to an December 2023 analysis from Consumer Reports, which found that about two-thirds of US households pay between $50 and $100 per month for internet service.

What are midco pods? ›

Midco Wi-Fi Pods continually adjust to home usage, topography and neighborhood activity to deliver in-home performance beyond the capabilities of standard mesh-based systems – all intelligently managed from the cloud. There's a lot of tech packed into these pods!

How much does Midco Plus cost? ›

A monthly subscription to Midco Sports Plus is $9.99 per month, plus applicable taxes.

How much should I be paying for basic cable? ›

How Much is Basic Cable? Basic cable packages vary greatly depending on the provider you choose. On average, however, the basic plans offered by major cable TV providers can range from around $20 to $55 per month. The number of channels offered at this price range is often between 10 and 75.

What is the cheapest cable TV option? ›

The cheapest TV providers under $50/month that we found are Spectrum, Xfinity, and Cox. Spectrum offers no-contract plans where all channels are in HD and premium channels included. With Spectrum TV, you'll also get limited DVR storage and second-year pricing can change quite a bit from your first year.

Does Midco provide a router? ›

Midco provides routers (for lease or purchase) for fixed wireless customers only. However, you have the option to use your own router if you choose.

Do you have to pay for modem and router? ›

Do you need to buy a modem? Depending on what type of internet you have, you may need to purchase a cable modem in addition to your router. Some ISPs, like Spectrum, include the modem for free but charge extra for a router.

How much should I spend on a modem? ›

Renting: Running the Numbers. Buying a new DSL or cable modem and router can cost anywhere from $50-$350 each. Or, instead of buying a separate modem and router, you can actually purchase a modem router combo for $300-$500.

How many subscribers does Midco have? ›

We are proud to serve more than 400,000 customers in five states.

What does Midco stand for? ›

Midco (until 2016, was called Midcontinent Communications) is a regional cable provider. They give a triple play service of Cable television, Internet and telephone service. They give this service for North Dakota, South Dakota, some of Minnesota, and some cities in Kansas and Wisconsin.

What country owns Comcast? ›

Comcast Corporation (simply known as Comcast, and formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings), incorporated and headquartered in Philadelphia, is an American multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate.

What is midco 250? ›

Midco Internet 250

Up to 250 Mbps downloads and 20 uploads. Good for up to 8 devices at a time. Great for playing light online games and browsing the web. Perfect for online learning and working from home.

Is Midco good for gaming? ›

Midco's quality rating is 21.7 across all its services. In North Dakota, Midco's Gaming Quality index score is 15.2, which helps keep the state's average quality level at 26.9—because there are far fewer tests to affect the average quality.

How much is the Midco Sports package? ›

How much does Midco Sports Plus cost? A monthly subscription to Midco Sports Plus is $9.99 per month, plus applicable taxes. Subscriptions will automatically renew until canceled. CCHA package details coming soon.

What does mbps mean? ›

Mbps stands for megabits per second. A bit is a tiny piece of data, and a megabit is many many tiny pieces of data. Not to be confused with Megabytes – megabits are what is used to measure your download speed. The higher the number of megabits, the faster your internet traffic will be.

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