Are you tired of being tied down? internet service provider Are you dealing with onerous contracts, slow speeds, restrictive terms and rising prices? You’re not alone.a 2023 customer survey ranks ISPs as the second lowest rated industry in the country. Yes, it’s even lower than airlines, social media, health insurance companies, and the U.S. Postal Service. Wow! But too often, We feel like we have few options and fewer options.. Could 5G be the answer?
The technology behind modern phones is also poised to meet home broadband needs. A stable home internet connection is essential if you: work remotely Or unzip with the latest video game. Early 5G home internet plans available from names like Starry Verizon and T-Mobile, offers decent speeds at an affordable price, but is only available in some cities and regions. CNET is We reviewed all major 5G servicesdetails how it works, its speeds, prices, and where you can use it.
1. What is 5G home internet?
Simply put, 5G is the fifth generation. What is the fifth generation? 5th generation wireless data network. It is probably best known to discuss 5G. better mobile communication And faster phones. you are not wrong. 5G networks use different radio frequencies than previous generations and aim to offer faster data speeds with far less lag and delay than 4G.
CNET colleagues Eli Blumenthal does a great job explaining the basics of 5G. Millimeter wave technology uses higher frequencies than previous generations, providing faster speeds and connectivity. But higher gigabit speeds come at a price. The data range is not the same as 4G and there are more obstacles. To combat this, mid-band technologies that deliver average speeds of 300 to 400 megabits per second extend mmWave coverage. Finally, low-band 5G offers similar coverage to 4G, but at speeds of 100-200Mbps.
2. Is 5G home internet the same as 5GHz?
no. One common mistake is looking at the “5GHz” setting on your Wi-Fi router and assuming you have access to 5G. Wi-Fi router It also uses short-range radio frequencies (usually 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) to transmit internet signals to connected devices in your home. So while 5GHz is a band option for your home Wi-Fi system, it’s not the same as 5G, a cellular technology that uses higher frequency radio waves.
Cable, DSL, and fiber internet plans require wiring to connect your home to your provider’s grid. Fixed wireless services such as 5G connect your home to your provider’s network wirelessly.
3. How is 5G home internet different?
Most ISPs provide Internet service through a phone line or cable that connects your home to a broader network.It also includes common Type of internet connectionlike digital subscriber line, coaxial cable and fiber optic internet.those are all wired Connection from provider to home.
5G home internet, on the other hand, is fixed. wireless Internet service. This means that the connection between your provider and your home is not wired. 5G requires an indoor or outdoor 5G receiver at home to receive the signal.It’s similar satellite internetBut instead of beaming signals from satellites orbiting the night sky, they relay information from much closer wireless hubs. Even if you are using the same 5G network as your phone, the gateway is specific to that location and cannot be used anywhere else.
4. Which providers offer 5G home internet?
5G is currently being rolled out across the country. As a result, the number of providers currently offering 5G home internet plans is relatively limited. for example, AT&T offers 5G mobile services, but did not utilize 5G networks in its fixed wireless solutions. However, that changed when AT&T announced that it would begin offering AT&T Internet Air in 16 markets across the United States in mid-2023.
But for now, the main options for 5G home internet are Starry, T-Mobile, and Verizon. All prices listed on this page reflect discounts available for setting up paperless billing. If you don’t choose automatic monthly payments, your monthly bill will be higher. So let’s take a look at what each has to offer.
fixed wireless
50～1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Our view – Starry is a relatively new player in the ISP space. The company was founded in 2016, but is not focused on 5G connectivity. It does not use the 5G NR radio technology that mobile phone providers are focused on. Still, it uses mmWave technology as a key aspect of providing fixed wireless home internet to its customers. “We operate in the 24GHz and 37GHz spectrum bands and our network technology is the same in all markets,” a Starry spokesperson said.
fixed wireless
50～1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Starry Internet plans and prices
| plan | maximum speed | Monthly fee | Equipment usage fee | data limit | contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| starry connect | Download 30Mbps, upload 30Mbps | $15 | none | none | none |
| starry basic | Download 50Mbps, upload 50Mbps | $30 | none | none | none |
| starry select | Download 100Mbps, upload 50Mbps | $30 | none | none | none |
| starry plus | Download 200Mbps, upload 100Mbps | $50 | none | none | none |
| starry pro | Download 500Mbps, upload 250Mbps | $65 | none | none | none |
| starry gigabit | Download 1,000Mbps, upload 500Mbps | $80 | none | none | none |
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fixed wireless
72～245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our view – T-Mobile Home Internet features the slowest broadband speeds of the providers listed. This is because it oscillates between 4G LTE and 5G. It’s not just 5G. T-Mobile “expects” most customers to average download speeds between 72 and 245Mbps. When CNET tested T-Mobile’s service in 2021, it reached a maximum speed of 132Mbps.
fixed wireless
72～245 Mbps
$60 per month
T-Mobile Home Internet Plans and Prices
| plan | maximum speed | Monthly fee | Equipment usage fee | data limit | contract | price guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Download 72-245Mbps, Upload 15-31Mbps | $50 ($30 for eligible mobile customers) | none | none | none | yes |
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fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Our view – Using Ultra Wideband 5G technology, Verizon’s 5G internet service boasts maximum download speeds of up to 1 Gigabit and average speeds of approximately 300Mbps. However, upload speeds are not symmetrical and plateau below 50Mbps. This is because Verizon does not use only mmWave technology, but a combination of low-band, mid-band, and mmWave.
fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Verizon 5G Home Internet Plans and Prices
| plan | maximum speed | Monthly fee | Equipment usage fee | data limit | contract | price guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 5G Home | Download 50-300Mbps, upload 5-20Mbps | $50 ($35 for eligible Verizon mobile customers) | none | none | none | 5 years |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus | Download 85-1,000Mbps, upload 10-70Mbps | $70 ($45 for eligible Verizon mobile customers) | none | none | none | 5 years |
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5. Where can I get 5G home internet?
Don’t try to explain this too hard. 5G home internet service is not yet available everywhere. The list of cities seems to grow almost every month, but most of them are large cities in the United States.
T-Mobile Home Internet is the most widely used service of the three providers featured.meanwhile Verizon in 2022 Announcing that its 5G home internet service is now available in 40 million households, T-Mobile has gone above and beyond by expanding the reach of its fixed wireless service to more than 50 million households. However, T-Mobile acknowledges that it won’t have unlimited availability in these locations due to network capacity.
Verizon’s 5G home internet is currently available in approximately 900 markets. This means that while it serves fewer total households than T-Mobile, it covers more cities.
Starry Internet is available at: boston, denver, Los Angeles, new york city and Washington DC.
6. Is 5G home internet right for you?
First of all, let me say what we always say about ISPs: No matter how great the service is, it’s worthless if it’s not available at your address. 5G technology is still being rolled out across the country, so expect some bumps in the road as the effort continues.
Still, the availability of 5G home internet is increasing at a significant pace. The affordable and straightforward pricing is very appealing and made it jump off the page for me. Time will tell if this trend continues as availability continues to expand. Still, it would be a major step forward if 5G could emerge as a viable broadband option for traditionally underserved areas of rural America. As CNET alum Rick Breida said after testing T-Mobile’s service, “Imperfections are much more tolerable when you’re paying less than half what you were paying before.”
5G Home Internet FAQ
Is 5G home internet cheaper than other connection types?
5G home internet is one of the more affordable options available, considering the average download speeds of current plans are quite affordable. T-Mobile’s average speed is just over 100Mbps, Starry’s speed is 200Mbps, and Verizon’s median speed is 300Mbps. The lowest monthly price of the three major providers is $15 (Starry’s low-cost option) and the highest is $70 (Verizon 5G Home Plus without Verizon mobile discount). However, each provider’s monthly cost includes all fees, taxes, equipment and installation fees. Therefore, the monthly fee displayed is the monthly fee you will pay. Finally, none of them require a fixed term contract, so you don’t have to worry about early termination fees.
Is 5G fast enough for home internet?
In theory, 5G should enable connections as fast as or faster than cable or fiber internet. But when it comes to the reality of 5G home internet, that’s usually not the case. To increase the reliability and coverage of 5G internet services, most providers rely on a combination of mmWave, low-band, mid-band technologies, and in some cases, 4G LTE. This means it is unavailable to home internet customers. See the true high-end capabilities of today’s 5G. However, it’s well above the minimum broadband speed of 25 Mbps, and you’ll see higher average speeds than his regular DSL or satellite internet plans.
What does the “G” in 5G stand for?
It simply means generations. In other words, 5G is the fifth generation of mobile phone technology.
What is the difference between 5G Home Internet and Cable Internet?
Cable internet (coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, or a hybrid of the two) relies on wires to transmit data into your home from a central hub. However, 5G home internet is a fixed wireless solution that uses radio frequencies to connect to your home using an internet gateway to connect to nearby cell phone towers and data hubs.
