Affordable 5G Home Internet Expands Access Beyond Traditional ISPs

For many Americans, dealing with traditional internet service providers (ISPs) is a source of frustration due to rising costs, confusing fees, and limited options, especially in rural areas. According to a recent CNET survey, 63% of Americans paid more for internet service last year than the year before, and ISPs rank among the lowest-rated industries in the country.

Enter 5G home internet—a fixed wireless broadband solution that offers a promising alternative to cable, DSL, and fiber connections. Unlike traditional wired ISPs, 5G home internet connects your home to a nearby wireless hub using radio frequencies, eliminating the need for cables. This technology is particularly appealing for rural and underserved areas where wired infrastructure is limited or costly to deploy.

5G home internet leverages different radio frequency bands:

• Millimeter-wave technology offers the fastest speeds but has limited range and difficulty penetrating obstacles.
• Midband technology balances speed and coverage, delivering average speeds between 300 and 400 Mbps.
• Low-band 5G provides coverage similar to 4G but with improved speeds of 100 to 200 Mbps.

It's important to note that 5G home internet is not the same as the 5GHz Wi-Fi band found in home routers. The former is a cellular technology connecting your home wirelessly to a provider's network, while the latter is a short-range frequency used within your home network.

Several providers currently offer 5G home internet plans with varying speeds, prices, and coverage:

• AT&T Internet Air offers speeds from 75 to 225 Mbps at $60/month with no contracts or overage fees, available in 48 states.
• Starry Internet uses millimeter-wave technology to provide symmetrical speeds up to 1 Gbps in select cities, with plans starting as low as $15/month and no contracts.
• T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers speeds between 87 and 415 Mbps with tiered plans from $50 to $70/month, no contracts, and unlimited data.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet provides speeds up to 1 Gbps with plans at $50 or $70/month, including price locks, no contracts, and equipment included.

Availability is expanding but still limited mostly to larger cities and some rural areas. T-Mobile currently covers about 60% of US households, Verizon about 40 million homes, AT&T around 14%, and Starry focuses on five major metropolitan markets.

5G home internet offers several advantages over traditional ISPs:

• Affordable, straightforward pricing with all fees included.
• No contracts or early termination fees, providing flexibility.
• Unlimited data plans without overage charges.
• Simple setup processes that often take less than 15 minutes.

While 5G home internet may not yet match the peak speeds of fiber, it generally outperforms DSL and satellite internet, making it a viable option for many households.

In summary, 5G home internet is rapidly expanding as an affordable, flexible, and wireless broadband alternative. It holds particular promise for rural and underserved areas where traditional wired ISPs have struggled to provide competitive service. As deployment continues, consumers can expect more options with straightforward pricing and no-contract plans.

If you’re considering switching to 5G home internet, check availability at your address and compare providers’ speeds and pricing to find the best fit for your needs.