What Is 5G Home Internet and Is It Good Enough for Your Home?
For most Americans, internet service providers are a constant source of stress and notoriously one of the country's lowest-rated industries. ISPs rank lower than social media, the US Postal Service and even airlines. It's not hard to see why. A recent CNET survey found 63% of Americans paid more for internet service last year than they had the year before. On top of that, wading through confusing details like hidden fees, yearly price hikes, contracts, service details and multiple speed tiers can make for a frustrating experience.
Folks in rural America know even more acutely how difficult it can be to find a good ISP. Depending on their location and address, some may feel there are hardly any options at all. It would be a real step forward if 5G could emerge as a viable broadband option for traditionally underserved parts of rural America. As CNET alum Rick Broida put it after he tested T-Mobile's service, "Imperfection is a lot more tolerable when you're paying less than half what you were before."
To that point, according to a recent J.D. Power report, 5G home internet can be a cheaper and more accessible internet connection type than cable or fiber. It may not produce the fastest speeds, but customers are willing to overlook that. CNET has reviewed all the primary 5G home internet services, and we have the details on how they work, what speeds you can expect, what it costs and where it's available.
What is 5G home internet?
Simply put, 5G stands for the fifth generation. The fifth generation of what? It's the fifth generation of wireless data networks. You're probably most familiar with hearing 5G used to describe better mobile communications and speedier phones. You're not wrong: 5G networks, which use different radio frequencies than previous generations, aim to provide faster data speeds with much less lag or delay than we had with 4G. However, while 5G cellular service might be available on your phone, 5G home internet is not as widely available.
Is 5G home internet fast?
My former CNET colleague Eli Blumenthal does a great job of breaking down the basics of 5G. Millimeter-wave technology uses higher frequencies than previous generations, providing faster speeds and connections. Those higher gigabit speeds come with a price: the data doesn't travel the same distance as 4G and has more trouble with obstructions. To combat that, midband technology, which offers speeds averaging between 300 and 400 megabits per second, increases the coverage area provided by millimeter-wave. Finally, low-band 5G offers a range similar to 4G but speeds between 100 and 200Mbps.
Locating local internet providers
Are 5G home internet and 5GHz the same?
Nope. One common mistake is to see the "5GHz" setting on your Wi-Fi router and assume you have access to 5G. Wi-Fi routers also use short-range radio frequencies (typically either 2.4GHz or 5GHz) to transmit your internet signal to connected devices within your home. 5GHz might be one of the band options for your home's Wi-Fi system, but it's not the same as 5G, a cellular technology that uses higher-frequency waves.
Cable, DSL and fiber internet plans require wires connecting your home to the provider's grid. Fixed wireless services, like 5G, connect your home to a provider's network over the air.
Taylor Martin/CNET
Why does 5G home internet stand out?
Most ISPs deliver internet service via phone lines or cables connecting your home to a more extensive network. This includes common internet connection types like digital subscriber lines (DSL), coaxial cable and fiber-optic internet, which are all wired connections from your provider to your home.
5G home internet, on the other hand, is a fixed wireless internet service, which means that the connection between your provider and your home is not wired. With 5G, you will need an indoor or outdoor 5G receiver at your house to pick up the signal. It's similar to satellite internet, but instead of beaming in a signal from satellites orbiting in the night sky, it's relaying information from a much closer wireless hub. Although you're using the same 5G network as your mobile phone, the gateway is specific to your location and cannot be used elsewhere.
Which providers offer 5G home internet?
5G is still being deployed across the country. Therefore, the number of providers offering any 5G home internet plan is relatively limited. Your 5G home internet options are AT&T Internet Air, Starry, T-Mobile and Verizon. All prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your monthly bill will be higher. Now, let's explore what each offers.
AT&T Internet Air
Price range
$60 per month
Speed range
75-225Mbps
Connection
Fixed Wireless
Key Info
Equipment included, no contracts, no overage fees
AT&T Internet Air uses AT&T's 5G wireless network and features download speeds between 90 and 300Mbps. The setup process is as simple as plugging in your router, setting up the Wi-Fi network and figuring out the best location in your home. CNET's broadband expert Joe Supan discovered this at home, taking him only 11 minutes to set up.
When it comes to latency, AT&T Internet Air is on par with T-Mobile, Starry and Verizon, featuring a latency between 30 to 65ms. The straightforward pricing (just one plan for $60 or $47 when bundled with an eligible AT&T wireless plan), terms of service and decent speeds make Internet Air a reliable option for many customers with access to it. The Internet Air router is included in your monthly cost, so there's no additional equipment or installation fee. AT&T offers mesh Wi-Fi extenders for an additional $10 monthly for improved connection. There are no overage fees, data caps or contracts.
What AT&T Internet Air lacks, however, is the same availability as its competitors. Although it's available across 48 states, many of those locations boast equal availability for AT&T's fiber internet option, which outpaces fixed wireless in terms of fast, reliable speeds and cost per Mbps.
Read our AT&T Internet Air review. See at AT&T
AT&T Internet Air plans and pricing
Plan Monthly price Max speeds Fees and service details
AT&T Internet Air
Read full review $60 ($47 with an eligible AT&T wireless plan) 90-300Mbps down, 8-30Mbps up No equipment fees, overage fees or contracts
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Starry Internet plans and pricing
Plan Monthly price Max speeds Fees and service details
Starry Connect
Read full review $15 30Mbps download, 30Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 100
Read full review $30 100Mbps download, 50Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 200
Read full review $40 200Mbps download, 50Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 300
Read full review $45 300Mbps download, 50Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 500
Read full review $55 500Mbps download, 250Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 800
Read full review $70 800 download, 250Mbps No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
Starry 1 Gig
Read full review $85 1,000Mbps download, 50Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
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T-Mobile 5G Home Internet plans and pricing
Plan Monthly price Max speeds Service details
T-Mobile Rely Internet
Read full review $50 ($35 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) 87-318Mbps download, 14-56Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
T-Mobile Amplified Internet
Read full review $60 ($45 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) 133-415Mbps download, 12-55Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
T-Mobile All-In Internet
Read full review $70 ($55 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) 133-415Mbps download, 12-55Mbps upload No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
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Verizon 5G Home Internet
Price range
$50 - $70 per month
Speed range
85 - 1,000Mbps
Connection
Fixed wireless
Key Info
Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment
Verizon's 5G internet service, which uses Ultra Wideband 5G technology, boasts maximum download speeds of up to 1 gigabit and average speeds of around 300Mbps. Upload speeds are not symmetrical and will plateau at 50Mbps or less because Verizon does not exclusively use millimeter-wave technology, but rather a mix of low-band, mid-band and millimeter-wave.
Verizon 5G Home Internet pricing is $50 a month for 50 to 300Mbps or $70 monthly for 85 to 1,000Mbps, plus some extra perks. Unlike most ISPs, you can expect a two to three-year price lock. Either way, it's an all-in price that includes equipment, setup fees and taxes. Like all other Verizon plans, it requires no contracts or data caps.
Verizon offers many promos and deals to sweeten the pot for potential customers. First, plans come with a price lock. In addition, if you switch to Verizon, eligible customers can receive an early termination fee credit of up to $500. Second, 5G Home Plus customers can choose either $400 off select Samsung products or get a free JBL PartyBox On-The-Go. Lastly, customers with qualifying Verizon mobile plans will get a discount on the monthly cost of either plan, bringing them down to $35 or $55 monthly.
Read our Verizon 5G Home Internet review. See at Verizon
Verizon 5G Home Internet plans and pricing
Plan Monthly price Max speeds Fees and service details
Verizon 5G Home
Read full review $50 ($35 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) 300Mbps download, 20Mbps upload Unlimited data, no contracts or equipment fees
Verizon 5G Home Plus
Read full review $70 ($55 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) 1,000Mbps download, 75Mbps upload Unlimited data, no contracts or equipment fees
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Who can get 5G home internet?
Let's not sugarcoat this: 5G home internet service is not yet available everywhere. While the list of cities seems to expand nearly every month, most are larger US cities.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is the most widely available service among the three highlighted providers, with coverage of 60%, according to the FCC. While Verizon's 5G home internet service is now available to 40 million homes, T-Mobile leapfrogged that by expanding its fixed wireless service to over 50 million households. Still, T-Mobile acknowledges it does not have unlimited availability across those locations due to network capacity.
Verizon's 5G Home Internet is currently offered in approximately 900 markets or 19% of the country. Although the total number of households in which it is available is less than T-Mobile's, it does cover more cities.
AT&T Internet Air is not quite as widely available as T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet. The service is still slowly expanding but making decent progress, available to nearly 100 locations in 48 states and covers just over 14% of the country.
Starry Internet is available in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, DC serving only 1% of the country, according to the FCC.
So, is 5G home internet for you?
The first thing to say is what we always say regarding ISPs: No matter how good the service, it's all moot if it's unavailable at your address. 5G technology is still being rolled out nationwide, so we should expect to see some bumps in the road as that effort continues.
Still, 5G home internet availability is increasing at a pretty rapid pace. The affordable, straightforward pricing is vastly appealing and it's what jumps off the page for me. Time will tell if that trend holds as availability continues to expand.
5G home internet FAQs
Is 5G home internet cheaper than other connection types?
5G home internet is one of the more affordable options available considering the decent download speeds that current plans average. T-Mobile averages just over 100Mbps, Starry chimes in at 200Mbps and Verizon's median speed is 300Mbps. The lowest monthly cost among the three main providers is $15 (Starry's low-cost option) and the highest is $70 (T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet Plus without the mobile discount). Each provider's monthly costs include all fees, taxes, equipment and installation charges. So the monthly charge you see is the monthly charge you pay. Lastly, none require term contracts, so you won't have to fear any early termination fees.
Is 5G fast enough for home internet?
In theory, 5G should enable a speedy connection that will match or improve what you get with cable or fiber internet. That's usually not the case regarding the reality of 5G home internet. To increase the reliability and coverage of the 5G internet service, most providers rely on a mix of millimeter-wave, low-band and midband technology -- as well as 4G LTE in some cases -- and this means home internet customers won't see the real high-end capabilities of 5G at present. You should see well over the average speeds of your typical DSL and satellite internet plans.
What does the 'G' stand for in 5G?
It simply means generation. In other words, 5G is the fifth generation of cellular technology.
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