Key takeaways

Price: Race’s Gigabit Internet is $39.95/mo + $9.95 Tech Assure fee. Spectrum’s 1 Gig is $60/mo.
Upload speed: Race’s uploads match its downloads (1,000 Mbps on the gig plan). Spectrum’s 1 Gig plan uploads at 35 Mbps.
Where Race wins: Race runs fiber all the way into your home. Spectrum uses fiber to the neighborhood, then coaxial cable for the last stretch.
Where Spectrum wins: wider coverage across Lancaster, plus TV and mobile bundles.

If you live in Lancaster, chances are you’ve had a Spectrum bill land in your inbox. And if Race Communications has built fiber internet on your street, you’ve probably wondered whether switching is worth the hassle.

We compared both providers line by line, read Spectrum’s own price disclosure, and checked what Lancaster neighbors say about each. Here’s the honest version, minus the fine print.

If Race is available at your address, it’s the better deal for most Lancaster homes. Race costs less at every speed both providers sell, installation is free, and uploads are up to 25 times faster. Spectrum still makes sense if Race hasn’t reached your street yet, or if you want cable TV or Spectrum Mobile in the same bill.

Written October 2026. Prices, speeds and promotions were checked this month and can change. Confirm the details at your address before you order.

Race vs. Spectrum at a Glance

Green checks are what you get, red crosses are what you don’t. The HTML version of this table is in the snippets page.

Feature	Race Communications	Spectrum
Fiber all the way into your home	Yes.	No.Fiber to the neighborhood, coaxial cable to your home
Upload as fast as download	Yes.940 Mbps on the gig plan	No.35 Mbps upload on the 1 Gig plan
Speeds above 1 Gig in Lancaster	Yes.5 Gig and 10 Gig plans	No.1 Gig at most addresses
Free professional installation	Yes.	No.$50, plus a $20 activation fee
Free Wi-Fi router	Yes.	Partly.Included on 1 Gig; $10/mo on other plans
No data caps	Yes.	Yes.
No contracts	Yes.	Yes.
Local, California-based support	Yes.	No.National provider in 41 states
TV and mobile bundles	No.	Yes.
Available across most of Lancaster	Partly.Still expanding	Yes.

Race vs. Spectrum Prices in Lancaster

Race costs less than Spectrum at every speed both providers sell. The table shows each provider’s current advertised prices.

Speed	Race	Spectrum
100 Mbps		$30/mo
500 Mbps	$19.95/mo(+ $9.95 Tech Assure fee)	$40/mo(+ $10/mo Wi-Fi router)
1 Gig	$39.95/mo(+ $9.95 Tech Assure fee)	$60/mo(router included)
2 Gig		$80/mo(select areas)
5 Gig	$59.95/mo(+ $9.95 Tech Assure fee)
10 Gig	$119.95/mo(+ $9.95 Tech Assure fee)

Both providers’ prices exclude taxes. Spectrum’s 2 Gig plan is sold in select areas, including parts of Lancaster, according to HighSpeedInternet.com, and it includes Spectrum’s Invincible WiFi backup.

Race’s plan prices are $19.95, $39.95, $59.95 and $119.95, plus its mandatory $9.95/mo Tech Assure fee, which is already added above. Spectrum’s prices exclude taxes, and Spectrum also offers 2 Gig and 7 Gig plans in select areas.

Promotions are subject to change.

These offers are current as of October 2026. Check each provider’s website before you order.

Race: 3 months free plus a $150 gift card on the 1 Gig, 5 Gig and 10 Gig plans. The free months include the Tech Assure fee. Offer ends October 31, 2026.
Spectrum: new internet customers get one Spectrum Mobile Unlimited line included for 12 months.

Speed: Why Upload Matters More Than You Think

On download speed, the two gig plans look alike: both deliver about 1,000 Mbps. The real difference is upload, the speed at which your home sends data out.

Gig plan	Download	Upload
Race Gigabit Internet	940 Mbps	940 Mbps
Spectrum Internet 1 Gig	1,045 Mbps	40 MbpsAbout 40 Mbps in Spectrum’s own tests

Backing up a 2 GB folder of videos takes about 16 seconds at 1,000 Mbps and more than 7 minutes at 35 Mbps.

Upload is what enables your side of a video call, your game moves, files you send to the cloud and footage from your security cameras. Say you back up a 2 GB folder of family videos: about 16 seconds at 1,000 Mbps, and more than 7 minutes at 35 Mbps.

Upload speed matters most when several people are online at once. One person on a Zoom call, another streaming on Twitch and a phone backing up photos can fill a 35 Mbps upload quickly. That’s when calls freeze and games lag.

Race also sells 5 Gig and 10 Gig plans in Lancaster. In January 2023, Lancaster became the first city in California with 10 Gig internet available to homes city-wide, thanks to Race’s network.

Fiber vs. Cable: What “Fiber-Powered” Really Means

Race is fiber to the home (FTTH): a fiber line runs from the network straight into your house. Spectrum markets its service as “fiber-powered,” and its own internet page explains what that means: fiber runs most of the way, then coaxial cable carries the connection the last stretch into your home.

That last stretch is where the differences come from:

Upload speed: coaxial cable reserves most of its capacity for downloads, which is why cable plans upload far slower than they download. Fiber can send just as fast as it receives.
Busy evenings: on cable, homes in a neighborhood typically share the same line, so speeds can dip when everyone streams at once.
Lag: fiber usually has lower, steadier latency, which you notice in video calls and online games.
Future-proofing: the same fiber line can carry 10 Gig today, with room for more later.

Fees and Fine Print, Side By Side

Race has one monthly fee to know about; Spectrum’s extra costs mostly show up at sign-up and when you change your service.

Fee	Race Communications	Spectrum
Monthly service fee	$9.95/mo Tech Assure (mandatory, added to every plan)	None
Activation	Free	$20
Professional installation	Free	$50
Wi-Fi router	Free	Included on 1 Gig; $10/mo on 100 and 500 Mbps
Wi-Fi extenders / mesh units	$5/mo each	$5/mo each
Technician visit	None	$50/hour labor charge
Early termination fee	None (no contracts)	None (no contracts)
Data caps	None	None

Spectrum fees from its broadband disclosure, revised October 12, 2026.

Spectrum’s fees come from its broadband disclosure, revised October 12, 2026.

What Lancaster Residents Say

Most Lancaster residents who switched from Spectrum to Race mention the same thing first: fewer outages.

I absolutely love it. Internet never goes out compared to spectrum

Race customer, on r/LancasterCA

The same themes come up again and again:

Reliability: that Reddit user works from home and canceled Spectrum because of near-daily outages. Since switching to Race, they’ve had one outage, and Race emailed them a detailed explanation of the cause and how long it lasted.
Gaming and streaming: another resident in the same thread says they’ve never been disconnected while gaming online, even while streaming on Discord at the same time.
Customer service: in a thread comparing Race and Frontier, one resident called Race’s service excellent from the very first call.
Price: neighbors in a 2025 Nextdoor thread described paying about half of what Spectrum charged them for similar speeds.

Race was top tier customer service and even expedited my installation.

Race customer, on r/LancasterCA

When Spectrum Might be the Better Fit

Race wins on price, speed and technology, but Spectrum is the right call in a few situations:

Race isn’t at your address yet. Spectrum reaches more of Lancaster today, while Race is still building out its fiber network.
You want cable TV on the same bill. Spectrum sells TV and internet bundles.
You’re adding Spectrum Mobile. New internet customers currently get a mobile line included for the first year.
You want a backup connection. Spectrum’s Invincible WiFi add-on ($30/mo, or included with 2 Gig) keeps you online with a 5G backup and a battery.

The Verdict: Race or Spectrum?

If Race is available at your Lancaster address, it’s the stronger choice on almost every count that shows up on your bill and in your day:

Lower price on every speed both providers sell.
Uploads that match downloads, so video calls, gaming and cloud backups stay smooth.
No surprise costs at sign-up: installation and the Wi-Fi router are free.
A local provider that’s been connecting Californians since 1994 and shows up at Lancaster community events.

Choose Spectrum if Race doesn’t serve your street yet, or if a TV or mobile bundle matters more to you than speed and price. Either way, there are no contracts, so you’re never locked in.

Ready to see if Race fiber is on your street?

Plans and prices vary by address. Enter yours to see what Race offers at your Lancaster home.

Check availability

Is Race cheaper than Spectrum in Lancaster?

Yes, at every speed both providers sell. Race’s Gigabit Internet is $39.95/mo (+ $9.95 Tech Assure fee), compared with $60/mo for Spectrum’s 1 Gig.

Is Spectrum fiber internet?

Mostly not to your door. Spectrum calls its service “fiber-powered”: fiber carries the signal most of the way, then coaxial cable connects your home. Race runs fiber all the way into your home.

Do Race or Spectrum have data caps or contracts?

Neither. Both offer unlimited data with no annual contracts and no early termination fees.

How hard is it to switch from Spectrum to Race?

Not hard. Race installs for free, and Spectrum has no contract or cancellation fee. Schedule your Race installation first, then cancel Spectrum once you’re connected, so you’re never without internet.

How do I check if Race is available at my address?

Enter your address on Race’s availability page. Race is still expanding in Lancaster, so if it’s not at your street yet, you can sign up to be notified.