WOW! Cable Box Review (WideOpenWest)
WOW!'s regional cable platform — competitive pricing in its Midwest and Southeast markets.
Our Take
WOW! (WideOpenWest) is a regional cable provider operating in select Midwest and Southeast markets. After installing in WOW! markets alongside Comcast and Spectrum competitors, the honest read is that WOW! competes mostly on price. Hardware is mid-tier standard cable. Channel lineup is narrower than the big four. App integration is limited. The interface is functional, not innovative.
The case for WOW! is straightforward: in markets where WOW! and Comcast compete, WOW! is often $20–$40/month cheaper for a comparable bundle. For price-sensitive households, that's the entire story.
The drawbacks center on what you don't get. Smaller channel selection in premium tiers. Less RSN coverage in some markets. Slower investment in modern features (no Xumo-equivalent yet). Customer service that's average for the industry — not better, sometimes worse.
Whether WOW! is right for you depends on the price delta in your specific market, your channel needs, and whether you'd be just as well-served by cord-cutting via Internet-only.
The biggest daily frustration — feeling like a second-tier cable customer
WOW! is competent. It's just not the flagship platform any company is investing heavily in. After years of installing both WOW! and big-four cable in the same neighborhoods, the daily experience on WOW! always feels a step behind — slower interface refreshes, narrower app set, fewer channels in deeper tiers.
For most households this is fine. For households who notice these things, the savings vs Comcast or Spectrum start feeling smaller.
When to keep / get WOW!
WOW! is materially cheaper than Comcast or Spectrum in your market. The price advantage is real and the primary reason to choose WOW!.
Your channels are all in WOW!'s lineup. Verify.
Your install is stable. Coax delivery works.
You don't need a modern cable-streaming interface. Standard cable experience is fine for many households.
When to skip WOW!
WOW!'s pricing isn't significantly cheaper than the big-four competitor in your market. Without the price advantage, WOW!'s smaller channel lineup and feature investment make it the weaker choice.
You watch local sports channels that WOW! doesn't carry. RSN gaps hit regional providers harder.
You want modern built-in app integration. WOW! doesn't ship X1-class app integration.
You're in a new build or doing a renovation. Streaming alternatives are more future-proof.
Key features (and what they actually mean for you)
The box — standard cable receiver
WOW! ships standard mid-tier cable receivers. Single HDMI out, RF voice remote support on newer units, IR universal TV control.
🧠 Why this matters: confirm the receiver generation at signup. Newer units have better interface speed and broader built-in app support.
The voice remote — standard cable
RF for the box, IR for TV control. Voice search across channels.
Channel lineup — typically smaller than big four
WOW! TV tiers range from ~140 channels (Essentials) to ~225+ (Premier). Broadcast and major cable networks present. Regional sports channel coverage varies by market — often narrower than Comcast or Spectrum.
🏈 Why this matters: verify your team's local sports channel is in WOW!'s lineup. WOW!'s smaller scale means less leverage in RSN deals.
DVR — cloud-based, moderate capacity
50–100 hours of cloud DVR. Multi-room playback via WOW! mobile app.
⚠️ The honest caveat: standard cloud DVR retention applies.
Built-in streaming apps — limited
Built in:
- ✓ Netflix
- ✓ YouTube
- ✓ A few others
NOT built in:
- ✗ Most premium streamers
🎮 What this means in practice: narrow built-in app integration. Households who pay for major streamers use their TV's smart platform or a separate streamer — the two-remote dance.
The remote — standard cable
| Remote feature | WOW! Voice Remote | Roku Voice Remote Pro 2 | Apple Siri Remote |
|---|---|---|---|
| RF / Bluetooth — hide the box | ✓ RF | ✓ Bluetooth | ✓ Bluetooth |
| Voice search across channels and apps | ✓ Cable | ✓ "Hey Roku" hands-free | ✓ Siri (press to talk) |
| Controls TV power, volume, input | ✓ IR | ✓ Most TVs | ✓ Built-in IR + CEC |
| Headphone jack on remote | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lost-remote finder | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Backlit buttons | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Button count | ~28 | ~12 | ~7 |
| Battery / charging | 2× AA | Rechargeable USB-C | Built-in rechargeable, USB-C |
Functional, basic.
Closed captions, parental controls, and accessibility
Standard. Captions customizable. ADA-compliant.
Box rental costs (you cannot buy them)
WOW! cable boxes are rental-only. ~$9–$11/month per box.
| Per box | Per year | 5-year cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Each WOW! receiver | ~$9–$11/month | $108–$132 | $540–$660 |
| Typical 2-TV setup | ~$20/month | $240 | $1,200 |
| Typical 4-TV setup | ~$40/month | $480 | $2,400 |
The three real options compared
Numbers below for a typical two-TV setup on Gigabit Internet:
| Item | Keep WOW! | Switch to YouTube TV | Cut TV — keep Internet only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet | $70/mo (often competitive) | $70/mo | $70/mo |
| TV service | $69/mo | $82.99/mo | — |
| Box rental (2 TVs) | $20/mo | $0 | — |
| Fees & taxes | ~$15/mo | ~$5/mo | ~$3/mo |
| Monthly total | ~$174/mo | ~$158/mo | ~$73/mo |
| Channel count | 200+ | 100+ | — |
| Local sports channels | Verify market | Limited | None |
WOW! is often the cheapest wired option in its markets. Cord-cutting via YouTube TV is competitive.
What's missing
Big-four scale for content licensing. RSN gaps possible.
A modern cable-streaming interface (Xumo-equivalent).
Active development. Slower feature investment than Comcast or Spectrum.
Premium tier depth. Smaller channel selection at higher prices.
Who this is best for
Best for price-sensitive households in WOW! markets where it undercuts Comcast or Spectrum. The savings are real.
Best for stable installs that match WOW!'s channel lineup. Don't overthink it.
For everyone else — sports households, app-integration users, anyone where the price delta vs the big-four is small — Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, or YouTube TV is worth real consideration.
Prices vary by market. The best way to see exactly what you'd pay across all three options is to run the quiz with your ZIP code — we'll show you real numbers for your address.
More photos
Where to rent
Boxes are rental-only — you cannot purchase them. Rate is per box, per month, billed by Verizon as part of your service.
Setup tips from a pro installer 8 tips · click to expand
- Verify channel lineup before signing WOW! has narrower lineups than the big four, especially on premium tiers. Audit the channels you actually watch against WOW!'s lineup.
- Use the WOW! mobile app for streaming Live channels and DVR stream to phones.
- Build a Favorites list Speeds daily navigation.
- Set audio output to pass-through Settings → Audio.
- Pair the voice remote Required during install.
- Negotiate at signup WOW! competes hard on price in overlap markets — new-customer rates can be aggressive.
- Activate built-in apps Netflix, YouTube, a few others available.
- Configure DVR priorities Standard cable cloud DVR — set priorities early.