Latest news with #EliBlumenthal
CNET
11-06-2025
- CNET
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 Show more (0 item) Shop providers at my address 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 Show more (2 items) Shop providers at my address 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 Show more (0 item) Shop providers at my address 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 Show more (0 item) Shop providers at my address 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.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Best Streaming Service Deals: Stream More for Less and Enjoy Your Favorite Content
Whether you want to watch the new season of The Last of Us or rewatch some of the best movies, tons of streaming services are available. Picking and sticking to one isn't really realistic for many folks, especially when favorite shows are spread across many platforms. However, the cost of even two or three subscriptions can start to rack up a big bill every month. That's why we researched potential deals or bundles that can help you save while keeping you entertained. With more than five years of experience covering services and tech, Eli Blumenthal is one of CNET's resident streaming experts. Along with members of CNET's dedicated deals team, he's searched the web to bring you the best offers out there and help you make the most of your streaming budget. The bargains below include monthly discounts, bundle offers and price cuts for students. We'll continue to update this page as offers come and go, so be sure to check back often. Ultimately, the best streaming service deal will depend on the content you want. The Trio Basic subscription -- which bundles Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus -- is an excellent value. Combining three services for as little as $17 a month, you're getting a wide variety of shows, movies and sports and saving $14 a month compared with the cost of subscribing to each service separately. New and returning customers who sign up for Starz right now will get their first three months for just $5 a month. A subscription is usually $11 a month, which means you're getting a temporary 55% discount. Stream shows like Outlander, Minx or Power Book II: Ghost, as well as hit movies like Jordan Peele's Nope. You can also prepay for a six-month subscription at $18 upfront, which reduces the price to just $3 per month for half a year. See at Starz Even with the price hike, YouTube TV is still one of the best live TV streaming services, thanks to its wide selection of channels. If you're looking to try it out, you can get signed up for less right now. New subscribers can get 10 days for free, and then the first two months for just $60 for two months, which saves you $23 a month. See at YouTube TV Sling TV is one of our favorite live TV streaming services, and now you can get signed up for less. Sling offers two subscriptions, which typically cost $46 a month. Orange is focused on sports and family channels, whereas Blue is oriented toward news and entertainment. You can prepay for three months at $100. You can also try out add-on subscriptions free for one month, including services like AMC Plus, Paramount Plus With Showtime, Starz and MGM Plus. After the first month, your add-on subscriptions will be billed at their usual prices. See at Sling Fubo is another live TV streaming service, and though our reviewers found it to be a little lacking in the entertainment department, it is a pretty great value for sports fans. A few plans are available, with its main memberships usually starting at $85 per month for the Essential plan. But when you sign up now, you can save as much as $30 on your first month, dropping the price to $55. You can also get a free trial when you sign up for a plan. See at Fubo Disney now offers two bundles that can save you money monthly if you're paying separately for Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu subscriptions. The $17-a-month Trio Basic subscription provides access to the ad-supported versions of all three streaming services and saves you $14 a month compared to subscribing separately. The Trio Premium plan costs $27 a month and gets you ESPN Plus with ads and ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu, which saves you $20 compared to separate subscriptions. Sign up on the Disney+ website. If you've already got a Hulu or ESPN account, you must combine your accounts on your desktop. See at Disney Plus If you prefer fantasy over football, there is also a three-service Disney Plus and Hulu bundle that includes a Max subscription instead of ESPN Plus. There are two versions of this bundle, starting at $17 a month for the ad-supported subscriptions, which saves you $13 a month compared to subscribing separately. If you want the ad-free experience, the price increases to $30 a month, a $22 monthly discount. See at Disney Plus Paramount Plus offers two subscriptions. The basic Paramount Plus Essential plan is ad-supported, gives you access to NFL games on CBS and costs $8 a month. There's also the ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription, which allows you to stream CBS live, download shows and movies and get access to the Showtime library for $13 a month. You can save $3 a month on both plans when you opt for an annual subscription, which costs $60 for the Essential plan and $120 for the Showtime bundle. You'll also get a 25% discount on the monthly plan if you're a student, which drops the Essential subscription to just $6 a month. Also, note that the option to prepay for a year and save isn't exclusive to Paramount Plus -- streaming services such as Max and Hulu also offer discounts if you pay annually. See at Paramount Plus MagellanTV has a huge collection of documentaries, featuring more than 3,000 curated titles ready for your next movie marathon. Sign up through StackSocial and you can score a two-year subscription for just $60 or a three-year subscription for $72, which saves you up to 59% and drops the cost down to as little as $2 a month. You can also ditch the annual fees and opt for the $200 lifetime subscription instead. See at StackSocial Inquisitive minds will get a lot from a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream. The documentary streaming service costs just $200 for a lifetime subscription at StackSocial. That's 50% off its regular price of $400. See at StackSocial Students will want to check out Spotify's Premium Student offer, which combines a $12 monthly Spotify Premium membership with Hulu's $10 a month ad-supported plan. At just $6 a month, this bundle would save $16 each month, and it comes with a one-month free trial. You need to be a student above the age of 18 who is enrolled at a US Title IV-accredited college or university to qualify, and Spotify works with a third party called SheerID to verify that you're eligible. You can even get the first month for free. You will need to verify eligibility every 12 months, with the offer available for a total of four years. Full details can be found on Spotify's site. See at Spotify Peacock offers two subscription tiers. The ad-supported Premium plan is $8 per month, and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 per month. But when you sign up for a one-year membership, you'll save around 17% compared with paying monthly. That saves you $16 on a Premium membership and $28 on a Premium Plus membership. You can get a Peacock Premium subscription for just $4 per month if you're a teacher, which is a 50% monthly discount. And if you're a student, you can score the subscription for $3 per month for the first year. See at Peacock College students who don't want the Spotify bundle can get ad-supported Hulu for $2 a month. Hulu similarly uses SheerID to verify eligibility, with more details available on Hulu's site. See at Hulu A Basic-tier Disney Plus subscription is available at no additional cost for Spectrum customers with select Spectrum TV packages. To qualify for this perk, you'll need to subscribe to a TV Select package or higher. More details can be found at Spectrum's site. See at Spectrum Comcast, which owns Peacock and its parent NBCUniversal, includes a free two-year Peacock Premium subscription for all Xfinity internet customers who subscribe to gigabit or higher speed service. This offer is also open to Diamond- and Platinum-tier Xfinity Rewards members and those with a Now TV subscription. More details can be found on Xfinity's site. Peacock is also now available to Instacart Plus members. Users in the US can receive a free Peacock Premium subscription as a membership perk. Instacart Plus costs $10 a month -- or $100 a year -- and grants members unlimited fast, free delivery on orders over $35. Sign up for Peacock via the Instacart app. See at Peacock This list features several straightforward streaming deals that include temporary discounts for new or returning subscribers. These offers aren't the only way to score some savings. We've also included plenty of other ways to stretch your streaming budget, including discounted student subscriptions, annual plan savings and bundle offers that combine multiple services. Some of these offers may not technically qualify as a "deal," but they're among the most consistent ways to get a streaming subscription for less.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Streaming Service Deals: Watch Any TV Show or Movie on Hulu, Disney Plus, YouTube TV and More for Less
There are many different streaming services to choose from these days, which makes it tough to access all your favorite shows and movies without spending a fortune. Some of them are more traditional in the sense that they have a range of shows and movies for you to watch on demand, while others differentiate themselves by including live TV or focusing on a specific category, like documentaries. You'll probably want more than one streaming service, which is why it's a good idea to take advantage of savings any chance you can. Straightforward deals aren't exactly common, but there are plenty of ways to save if you get a little creative. To help you take advantage of these discounts, we've rounded up some of the best bargains available below. With over five years of experience covering services and tech, Eli Blumenthal is one of CNET's resident streaming experts. Along with members of CNET's dedicated deals team, he's combed the web to bring you the best offers out there and help you make the most of your streaming budget. Below, we've rounded up the best bargains, including monthly discounts, bundle offers and price cuts for students. We'll continue to update this page as offers come and go, so be sure to check back often. Ultimately, the best streaming service deal will depend on the content you want. The Trio Basic subscription -- which bundles Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus -- is an excellent value. Combining three services for as little as $17 a month, you're getting a wide variety of shows, movies and sports and saving $14 a month compared with the cost of subscribing to each service separately. Both new and returning customers who sign up for Starz right now will get their first three months for just $3 a month. A subscription is usually $11 a month, which means you're getting a temporary 73% discount. Stream shows like Outlander, Minx or Power Book II: Ghost, as well as hit movies like Jordan Peele's Nope. You can also prepay for a six-month subscription at $18 upfront, which also drops the price down to just $3 per month for half a year. See at Starz Even with the price hike, YouTube TV is still one of the best live TV streaming services thanks to its wide selection of channels. If you're looking to try it out, you can get signed up for less right now. New subscribers can get their first six months for just $70 a month, which saves you $13 a month or $78 total. See at YouTube TV Sling TV is one of our favorite live TV streaming services of 2025, and right now you can get signed up for less. Sling offers two subscriptions, which typically cost $46 a month. Orange is focused on sports and family channels, whereas Blue is more news and entertainment oriented. When you sign up right now, you can save 50% on your first month, which drops the price down to just $23. Or you can can try both for just $31, which is also a 50% discount. You can also prepay for three months at $115, which drops the price down to $38 per month. You can also try out add-on subscriptions free for one month, including services like AMC Plus, Paramount Plus with Showtime, Starz and MGM Plus. After the first month, your add-on subscriptions will be billed at their usual price. See at Sling Fubo is another live TV streaming service, and though our reviewers found it to be a little lacking in the entertainment department, it does offer a pretty great value for sports fans. There are a few different plans available, with its main memberships usually starting at $85 per month for the Essential plan. But when you sign up right now, you can save as much as $20 on your first month, dropping the price down to $65. You can also get a free trial when you sign up for a plan. See at Fubo Disney now offers two bundles that can save you up to $20 or more a month if you're paying for separate Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu subscriptions. The $17 a month Trio Basic subscription gives you access to the ad-supported versions of all three streaming services and saves you $14 a month compared to subscribing separately. The Trio Premium plan costs $27 a month and gets you ESPN Plus with ads, and ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu, which saves you $20 compared to separate subscriptions. Sign up on the Disney Plus website. If you've already got a Hulu or ESPN account, you'll need to combine your accounts on your desktop. See at Disney Plus If prefer fantasy over football, there is also a three-service Disney Plus and Hulu bundle that includes a Max subscription instead of ESPN Plus. There are two versions of this bundle, starting at $17 a month for the ad-supported subscriptions, which saves you $13 a month compared to subscribing separately. If you want the ad-free experience, the price jumps up to $30 a month, which is a $22 monthly discount. See at Disney Plus Paramount Plus offers two different subscriptions. The basic Paramount Plus Essential plan is ad-supported, gives you access to NFL games on CBS and costs $8 a month. There's also the ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription, which allows you to stream CBS live, download shows and movies and get access to the Showtime library for $13 a month. You can save $3 a month on both plans when you opt for an annual subscription, which costs $60 for the Essential plan and $120 for the Showtime bundle. You'll also get a 25% discount on the monthly plan if you're a student, which drops the Essential subscription to just $6 a month. Also, note that the option to prepay for a year and save isn't exclusive to Paramount Plus -- streaming services such as Max and Hulu also offer discounts if you pay annually. See at Paramount Plus MagellanTV has a huge collection of documentaries featuring more than 3,000 curated titles ready for your next movie marathon. Sign up through StackSocial and you can score a two-year subscription for just $60, or a three-year subscription for $72, which saves you up to 59% and drops the cost down to as little as $2 a month. You can also ditch the annual fees and opt for the $200 lifetime subscription instead. See at StackSocial Inquisitive minds will get a lot from a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream. The documentary streaming service costs just $200 for a lifetime subscription at StackSocial. That's 50% off its regular price of $400. See at StackSocial Students will want to check out Spotify's Premium Student offer, which combines a $12 monthly Spotify Premium membership with Hulu's $10 a month ad-supported plan. At just $6 a month, this bundle would save $16 each month, and it comes with a one-month free trial. You need to be a student above the age of 18 who is enrolled at a US Title IV-accredited college or university to qualify, and Spotify works with a third party called SheerID to verify that you're eligible. You can even get the first month for free. You will need to verify eligibility every 12 months, with the offer available for a total of four years. Full details can be found on Spotify's site. See at Spotify Peacock offers two subscription tiers. The ad-supported Premium plan is $8 per month and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 per month. But when you sign up for a one-year membership, you'll save around 17% compared to paying monthly. That saves you $16 on a Premium membership and $28 on a Premium Plus membership. It's worth noting that you can get a Peacock Premium subscription for just $4 per month if you're a teacher, which is a 50% monthly discount. And if you're a student, you can score the subscription for $3 per month for the first year. See at Peacock College students who don't want the Spotify bundle can get ad-supported Hulu for $2 a month. Hulu similarly uses SheerID to verify eligibility, with more details available on Hulu's site. See at Hulu A Basic-tier Disney Plus subscription is available at no additional cost for Spectrum customers with select Spectrum TV packages. To qualify for this perk, you'll need to subscribe to a TV Select package or higher. More details can be found at Spectrum's site. See at Spectrum Comcast, which owns Peacock and its parent NBCUniversal, includes a free two-year Peacock Premium subscription for all Xfinity internet customers who subscribe to gigabit or higher speed service. This offer is also open to Diamond- and Platinum-tier Xfinity Rewards members, and those who have a Now TV subscription. More details can be found on Xfinity's site. Peacock is also now available to Instacart Plus members. Users in the US can receive a free Peacock Premium subscription as a membership perk. Instacart Plus costs $10 a month -- or $100 a year -- and grants members unlimited fast, free delivery on orders over $35. Sign up for Peacock via the Instacart app. See at Peacock This list features several straightforward streaming deals that include temporary discounts for new or returning subscribers. These offers aren't the only way to score some savings. We've also included plenty of other ways to stretch your streaming budget, including discounted student subscriptions, annual plan savings and bundle offers that combine multiple services. Some of these offers may not technically qualify as a "deal," but they're among the most consistent ways to get a streaming subscription for less. Check out Yahoo's latest streaming advice, based on hands-on testing. Best streaming services | Best live TV streaming services Disney Plus review | Hulu review | Hulu + Live TV review | Paramount Plus review | Peacock Review | Sling TV review
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
What Is 5G Home Internet and Is It Worth It?
You've heard of the big names in 5G home internet: T-Mobile, Verizon, Starry and AT&T Internet Air, but what is 5G home internet and what makes this technology stand out from the rest? For most Americans, internet service providers are a constant source of stress to consumers and, notoriously, one of the lowest-rated industries in the US. ISPs rank lower than social media, the US Postal Service and even airlines. We can collectively agree on why: wading through confusing details like hidden fees, yearly price hikes, contracts, service details and even the different speeds, can make for a frustrating experience. Many rural Americans know how difficult it is to find a good internet provider at their address, some can often feel like there are hardly any options at all. Could 5G be the answer? The technology powering the latest phones is tackling our household broadband needs. In addition, cellular internet like 5G could help rural and underserved communities to stay connected. According to the 2024 J.D. Power Survey, 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 major 5G services and we've got the details on how they work, what speeds you can expect, what it costs and where it's available. Read on to see if a 5G connection is for you. Simply put, 5G stands for the fifth generation. The fifth generation of what? 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. My 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. 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, which is a cellular technology that uses higher-frequency waves. Most ISPs deliver internet service via phone lines or cables connecting your home to a more extensive network. That includes common internet connection types like digital subscriber lines or DSL, coaxial cable and fiber-optic internet. Those 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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." 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. 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. It simply means generation. In other words, 5G is the fifth generation of cellular technology. Cable internet relies on wires to transmit data from a central hub into your home. 5G home internet is a fixed wireless solution that uses an internet gateway to connect your home using radio frequencies to connect to a cell tower or data hub nearby. If you're not sure about which internet connection type is better suited for your home, read our guide on the different connection types.
