Is there a bigger waste of money than paying for something you don’t need or use? Like my gym membership, monthly subscriptions for idle services can take an empty bite out of the household budget.
If you split time between homes or perhaps own a rental property that goes vacant for a period, internet service may be one such budget-burdening expense.
Fortunately, you shouldn’t have to pay for internet for the entire time you’re away or your property is unoccupied. It may be possible to pause your internet service.
What does it mean to pause your internet?
Most internet service providers offer an option for customers to temporarily suspend their service for a month or two, perhaps longer. Often referred to as a “vacation hold” or “seasonal hold,” the pause stops internet service to your home for a set period of time.
During the hold, monthly payments are also suspended or significantly reduced. Pausing your internet will not cancel your internet service or deactivate your account.
Why pause your internet service?
There are a few reasons why you may want to pause your internet service, but it mostly comes down to no one being in the home to make use of it. If your home or property will be unoccupied for a month or longer and you don’t need internet service, it may be worth your while to ask your ISP to pause your service.
Pausing internet and other home services is especially useful for anyone going on an extended trip or “snowbirds” who split time between homes to escape seasonal extremes. It may also be useful for rental property owners who experience down seasons when their property remains vacant for an extended period.
Why not just cancel and sign back up later?
A service pause keeps your account active, which means you can (usually) keep your plan and any promotional offers, plus any rented equipment, for the duration of the pause, so it’s there when you return.
That may not seem like a big deal, but consider for example Quantum Fiber. The ISP offers a price-for-life guarantee, pledging to never raise the internet rate as long as you keep your plan. If you pause service, your rate should remain the same with the price guarantee still in effect. On the other hand, if you cancel and return later, the same rate and price guarantee may not be available.
If you’re going to be away for longer than a few months, simply canceling your internet service and renewing it upon return may be the most cost-effective solution. However, keep in mind that an early termination fee may apply if you are under contract, and you could have an activation fee, plus a potential credit check, every time you renew service. Additionally, you will be required to return any rented Wi-Fi equipment upon cancellation.
Pausing your internet versus temporarily downgrading
Suspending internet service can save you some money while you’re away, but it’s not always practical. With no internet to your home, Wi-Fi cameras, DIY security systems, smart thermostats, smart doorbells and other devices will not work as intended, if at all.
Such devices rarely require a lot of speed, so if you want to keep them connected without paying the price of a high-speed internet connection, consider downgrading your plan for the duration of your time away.
Speeds of 100 to 200 megabits per second should support numerous smart devices. Depending on your provider, switching from 500 or 1,000Mbps to 100 or 200Mbps could save you $50 or more per month.
Again, before switching plans, you should check with your internet provider to ensure there aren’t any potential negative consequences, such as early termination fees or forfeiting promotional offers.
How to pause internet with your provider
Nearly all major internet providers offer the opportunity to pause service, but how to do it and the conditions of the pause can vary by ISP. Here’s what to expect when pausing service with many of the top national internet providers. Jump to a specific provider by clicking on the links below.
How to pause Astound internet service
Astound does not offer vacation holds for internet service. There are no contracts, so no early termination fees, but canceling and renewing service may come with sacrificing Astound’s extraordinarily low introductory rates.
How to pause AT&T internet service
AT&T’s Vacation Hold reduces the monthly internet rate to $7 while your service is suspended. Two holds are allowed within a twelve-month period, and they must be for a minimum of two months and a maximum of nine consecutive months. Your account must be in good standing and active for at least 30 days before requesting a hold.
You can request an AT&T Vacation Hold by calling customer service at 800-288-2020. If you have multiple AT&T services to pause, such as mobile lines or DirecTV, you will need to place a hold on each service separately.
Visit the AT&T Vacation Hold support page for more information.
How to pause Brightspeed internet service
Brightspeed’s seasonal hold policy may vary by location, but most internet customers have the option to pause their internet service at the reduced monthly rate of $10 for one to nine months.
To pause your Brightspeed internet service, sign into your account online and select Manage my plan from the Home screen. Then select Pause plan to enter your Pause Service Date and Resume Service Dates, then hit Submit. Your internet will automatically stop and resume on the dates you submit.
For more information, visit the Brightspeed support page on how to pause your service.
How to pause CenturyLink internet service
CenturyLink’s Vacation Service allows customers to pause their CenturyLink internet at a reduced monthly rate of $10. Service holds must be a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of nine months.
To start your service pause, visit the CenturyLink Vacation Service page, select Start Vacation Service and enter your CenturyLink account information on the next page. Choose the dates for your service pause and click the Schedule button. To restore service, log in to your CenturyLink account and click Restore Service.
How to pause Cox internet service
Cox’s Seasonal program permits customers to suspend their internet service and receive a reduced monthly rate with no Wi-Fi equipment rental fee. Up to two service pauses are available in a twelve-month period and must last for a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of nine consecutive months.
To schedule your pause, select Pause your services from the Cox Seasonal page. Enter your account information and choose the dates you plan to pause and resume service. Your Cox internet will automatically suspend and resume on your selected dates.
How to pause Frontier internet service
Frontier’s Vacation Service suspends your Frontier internet service for two to nine months at a monthly rate of $5. To qualify, your account must be in good standing and active for 30 days.
You can schedule Vacation Service online by selecting Chat with us from the Frontier Support page and entering “Vacation Service” in the chat. To continue, enter your email, phone number or Frontier account number and select the dates to pause and resume service.
If needed, you can reactivate your service prior to your selected resume date. Once Vacation Service has begun, your connection must stay suspended for a minimum of 30 days.
For more information, visit the Frontier Vacation Services page.
How to pause Google Fiber internet service
Google Fiber does not offer vacation holds. However, since there are no contracts or promotional rates, customers are free to cancel their service at any time. So long as your account is left in good standing, you can reinstate your service at a later date.
How to pause Hughesnet internet service
Hughesnet customers can temporarily suspend their service for up to six months out of a 12-month period. There is no charge to suspend service, though your monthly lease rental will still apply. Note that time spent under temporary suspension does not count towards your two-year term agreement.
To schedule a temporary suspension, call Hughesnet Customer Care at 866-347-3292. For more information, visit the Hughesnet temporary suspension support page.
How to pause Kinetic internet service
The Kinetic Seasonal Plan allows customers to place their internet service on hold for one to six months at the reduced monthly rate of $10. Call Kinetic customer service at 800-347-1991 to schedule the start of your Seasonal Plan. You will need to call again to have your service restored.
Kinetic is one of the few internet providers to offer a low-speed connection (1Mbps) to keep Wi-Fi cameras operable while service is paused. On the downside, the Seasonal Plan does not suspend the expiration of any promotions or offers. If your introductory rate was originally set to expire while your service is paused, it will.
For more information, visit the Kinetic Internet Seasonal Plan page.
How to pause Metronet internet service
Metronet offers an Internet Vacation Suspension and Restoration service that enables customers to suspend their service for a minimum of 30 days and up to six months. During the suspension period, a $5 monthly fee will apply. Restoring service in the middle of the month will result in a prorated bill.
You can schedule a Vacation Suspension and Restoration by calling customer support at 877-407-3224 or through your Metronet account portal. Access your customer portal at portal.metronet.com, then click Manage Vacation Services under the My Services tab. Select your start and end dates and submit them to schedule your internet pause.
How to pause Optimum internet service
Optimum may allow you to place a seasonal hold on your internet service for up to six months for a monthly fee. For more information about placing a possible suspension on your Optimum internet service, log in to your Optimum account and chat online with a customer service representative, or give them a call at 866-218-3259.
How to pause Quantum Fiber internet service
Quantum Fiber customers can pause their internet service free of charge for a minimum of one month and up to nine months.
To pause service, log in to your Quantum Fiber account, then select Services > Manage Account > Schedule Pause. Select your dates and click Submit to schedule your pause. From the same page, you can adjust your resume date, if needed.
How to pause Spectrum internet service
Spectrum offers two seasonal hold options to keep your account active while you’re away: Basic and Plus. Basic suspends your internet connection completely, while Plus provides reduced speeds to support Wi-Fi home security devices. Customers can only place one seasonal hold in a 12-month period, and the hold must last for a minimum of two months and no longer than nine months.
Contact Spectrum customer service at 833-267-6094 to inquire about monthly rates for Basic and Plus seasonal holds and to schedule your service suspension.
For more information, visit Spectrum’s Seasonal Status page.
How to pause Starlink internet service
Service under Starlink’s fixed residential plan can not be paused. Roam service, however, can be paused and un-paused at any time via the Starlink app. Per Starlink, “When un-paused, the monthly Roam Unlimited subscription fee will be charged immediately, on a prorated basis.”
For more information, visit the Starlink Terms of Service page.
How to pause T-Mobile Home Internet service
Unfortunately, T-Mobile Home Internet does not currently offer a pause option. However, T-Mobile offers voice customers the option to suspend a line for up to 90 days, twice a year, for $10 a month.
How to pause Verizon internet service
Verizon Vacation Suspend allows customers in most locations to place their Verizon internet service on hold for 30 days and up to nine months. To qualify, you must have the service for 90 days prior to the suspension and maintain service for at least three months in a calendar year.
Availability, plus initial and ongoing fees for Verizon’s Vacation Suspend vary by location and service type. Where available, you can schedule your service pause from the My Verizon page or by calling customer service at 800-837-4966.
For more information, visit the Verizon Vacation Suspend page.
How to pause Viasat internet service
Viasat offers a Hibernation plan that enables customers who have had service for at least one month to suspend service for two to six months at a time, for a total of up to six months in any 12-month period.
The Hibernation plan is a bit more expensive than similar services from other ISPs at $20 a month plus any monthly equipment lease fees. On the positive side, and unlike Hughesnet, the suspension time does count towards any term agreement. So, if you have 12 months left on your contract and suspend service for two months, you will have only 10 months left when you resume service.
To request a service pause, call Viasat Customer Care at 855-463-9333 on the day you would like the suspension to begin. Your service will be suspended immediately upon switching to the Hibernation plan. To resume service, call the Customer Care line again or log in to your My Viasat account and select an available plan. The plan you had before suspending service may no longer be available when you go to restore service.
For more information, visit the Viasat support page on how to temporarily suspend your service.
How to pause Xfinity internet service
Xfinity offers an internet suspension for $8 a month or a Seasonal Internet Access plan, with speeds up to 3Mbps to support Wi-Fi devices such as smart doorbells and cameras, for $30 monthly. Equipment lease costs do not apply during the service suspension period.
In most Xfinity markets, customers can schedule a vacation hold for two to six months. However, we’ve seen that Xfinity pricing, speeds, terms and conditions vary by location — the same may be true of its seasonal hold offerings.
For more information and to schedule your seasonal hold, contact Xfinity customer service at or visit the Xfinity Seasonal page and click Enrollment & Manage Seasonal.
