Latest news with #InternetAir
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AT&T Internet Review: Let's Look at Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability
AT&T is one of only a few internet providers offering customers three different internet connection types" target="_self: 5G home internet, DSL and fiber internet. With over 28 million customers plus the distinction of being named the nation's fastest ISP, according to Ookla data from the second half of 2024, AT&T is a popular home internet option. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) But how do AT&T's different internet services measure up? If you're living in one of the 22 states where AT&T provides wired internet service and are one of the 8 million customers eligible for the company's fiber internet plans, you're in luck. AT&T's fiber service offers the best value for reliable, fast speeds. That's good news, especially after a recent CNET survey revealed that over 40% of US internet customers report experiencing unreliable broadband connectivity" target="_self. However, many of AT&T's service area customers aren't living in homes wired for fiber. Instead, AT&T connects those customers using fixed wireless connections like AT&T Internet Air or AT&T Fixed Wireless, which uses 4G LTE, or its DSL hybrid service. That means less value and much slower speeds than you'll get with fiber. In other words, recommending AT&T home internet service depends on where you live and what type of internet service is available at your address. If AT&T Fiber is an option, move it to the top of your list. If you aren't serviceable for fiber, shop around for other available internet service providers to see if you can do better than AT&T's fixed wireless or DSL services. Let's take a closer look at what you can expect with AT&T internet service. See at Unknown Merchant Source: CNET analysis of provider data. A couple of potential outcomes exist when you seek to sign up for AT&T's home internet service. If you see the 300, 500 or gigabit speed tiers offered at your address, you can access AT&T's fiber internet service, which uses 100% fiber technology. Fiber connections are symmetrical by design, which means that your upload speeds will be just as fast as your downloads, unlike DSL, cable and other modes of internet. That's particularly useful for videoconferencing, transferring files (for those working and schooling from home) and online gaming. AT&T officially discontinued offering its 100% DSL networks to new customers in 2020. Now, it uses a DSL-fiber hybrid infrastructure to deliver speeds up to 100Mbps, rebranded as "AT&T Internet." While those plans are contract-free, you can expect a data cap of 1.5TB on all plans. AT&T recently announced plans to discontinue its DSL-hybrid offerings by 2029, though we'll have to wait and see how that plays out. Alternatively, AT&T also offers fixed wireless internet connections. AT&T's Fixed Wireless offering, which relies on 4G LTE to get you online, features speeds up to 10Mbps down and 1Mbps up. In 2023, AT&T introduced AT&T Internet Air, a newer fixed wireless solution targeted to current customers subscribed to slower DSL plans. This plan features download speeds of up to 225Mbps and upload speeds of up to 30Mbps. This connection meets the FCC's benchmark for home broadband of 100Mbps download speed and 20Mbps upload, making it a decent alternative to DSL plans if you can get top speeds. That said, when CNET's Joe Supan gave AT&T Internet Air a one-week test run" target="_self, he did not consistently experience broadband speeds. Overall, AT&T's most reliable, cost-efficient plans are its fiber internet plans, which come without contracts or data caps and feature speeds up to 5,000Mbps. The company tells CNET that three of those fiber plans -- Internet 300, Internet 500 and Internet 1000 -- are available to approximately 21 million customers in the company's footprint. The multi-gig plans are available to a smaller portion of that base, currently just over 8 million. Overall, AT&T Fiber is available in more than 100 major cities in the US, per the company's website. All of AT&T's fiber plans are rock-solid options, and the company's overall fiber-optic service frequently tops customer service surveys and polls. AT&T's wired internet service area covers 22 states: Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Michigan Mississippi Missouri Nevada North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas Wisconsin You can dig deeper on the AT&T coverage map to see the specific cities included within each state. For the most part, AT&T's internet service has simple, easy-to-understand terms and conditions. However, a few differences from other ISPs should attract your attention. AT&T includes the cost of equipment rental in your monthly service bill for all internet plans. In some cases, you may even be eligible to use your own equipment. AT&T charges $99 for a full, in-home tech installation for DSL service. For some addresses, there's no self-install option (you have to go online to find out if you "qualify" for the self-install kit). On the positive side, AT&T's fiber and Internet Air plans frequently waive the installation fee, so keep an eye out for offers like that. If none are available, you could also ask them to waive it when you're calling to sign up. If you're struggling to get a signal in the far reaches of your home, AT&T will sell you a Smart Wi-Fi Extender to pair with the gateway. Moreover, the gateway modem is included in your monthly bill, while the extender is free for customers on the 2-gig and faster plans. Otherwise, it will cost you an additional $10 a month. Here's where things get a little squirrelly. For the most part, AT&T home internet plans don't come with data caps. Customers get unlimited data with all fiber plans. You won't have to track your data usage for fear of fees or throttling issues once you hit some arbitrary threshold. However, there's still a decent chunk of AT&T's geographic footprint where AT&T's DSL hybrid is the only option. For those households, there is a data allowance. AT&T Internet plans from 0.8 to 75Mbps have a data cap of 1.5 terabytes (1,500 gigabytes). If you exceed that monthly limit, you'll incur a $10 charge for each additional 50GB of data you use, up to $100 monthly. That's on par with other major providers who enforce a data cap, including Xfinity and Cox, but both offer a slightly lower cap at around 1.25TB. Cox also waives all your overage charges the first month you break the cap. Don't expect a free pass like that from AT&T. If you think you'll surpass AT&T's data allowance, you can upgrade your plan to a fiber plan, which includes unlimited data. The Internet 300 plan, for example, offers you the same rate but with faster speeds and unlimited data. Another option is to choose a TV and internet bundle, which would allow you to get unlimited data at no extra charge -- although there's usually a contract involved with any bundling of services. One last caveat -- the data allowance for AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet is 350GB a month. While the $10 charge for each additional 50GB you use is the same as above, fixed wireless customers can be billed up to $200 extra per month for overage fees. That's a recipe for sticker shock, so you'll want to be extra cautious with your data usage if you're a fixed wireless subscriber. AT&T likes to run short-term promotions and deals throughout the year. The main promo right now is an AT&T Visa Reward Card for new fiber customers who order online. Depending on your selected speed tier, the amount ranges from $50 to $150. In addition, new customers can have their cancellation fee paid in full when they switch to an AT&T Fiber plan. Also, AT&T's nationwide network of over 30,000 hotspots is free to all AT&T home internet customers. That allows you to connect while away from home without using your mobile data. Customers on the 2 gigabit and faster plans can access AT&T's Active Armor internet security (an $80-a-year value) for free. This technology features tools that protect your home internet and mobile devices from a wide range of online threats. AT&T crows that "you deserve the best," and the company points to its stellar showing in the 2024 J.D. Power US Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study as evidence that it's delivering. AT&T nabbed the top spot in that study's North Central and West regions, with an average score of 542 on a 1,000-point scale. Only Verizon Fios (575) and Google Fiber (702) can point to a higher average in the survey. AT&T also fared extremely well in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, which releases a yearly customer satisfaction survey for internet providers. AT&T Fiber's score of 80/100 remained the same from the previous year, topped all fiber ISPs and was well ahead of the industry average of 71 (76 among fiber providers). Since 2023, the ACSI has differentiated between fiber and non-fiber providers, and AT&T certainly benefited from that move. Even the company's non-fiber numbers were decent; it scored a 69 in that category, which was third behind T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. If AT&T Fiber is an option for your address, finding a better combination of service and affordability is tough. The catch? AT&T's fiber plans aren't an option for approximately half of the company's coverage area. All other AT&T plans are fraught with issues not faced by fiber, from slower download speeds to data caps. Simply put, don't hesitate if you can hop on an AT&T Fiber plan, but research your options if you're only eligible for DSL or fixed wireless internet from AT&T in your area. No. While the promo price on some plans expires after your first year of service, you don't have to sign a term agreement to receive that price. The one exception is if you seek to sign a bundle deal. Standalone internet service doesn't require a contract, but if you bundle your broadband with another service, you may be required to sign a term agreement. The answer to this question always depends on which plans are available in your area. No matter the fastest plan that any provider might offer (say, the 50,000Mbps plan from Ziply Fiber), it's moot if it isn't available at your address. For example, AT&T's Internet 5000 plan is one of the fastest residential plans you can find from a national ISP, but it's not available to all AT&T areas. It covers just over 8 million households across approximately 100 metro areas. For a third-party perspective on what's fast, the speed-testing website Ookla tracks ISPs based on its scoring system that looks at both download and upload speeds. Using the most recent metrics taken during the first half of 2024, AT&T Fiber came in first place. Finally, remember that those scores consider the median of AT&T Fiber plans, which are the provider's speedier options. The slower numbers from AT&T's DSL and fixed wireless plans didn't come into play there. Yes. Access from AT&T is an affordable option for eligible households within the 22 states that AT&T services. You can expect speeds up to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds for $30 monthly. This plan is available for limited-income households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or getting Supplemental Security Income benefits. You can start the process by going to the AT&T Contact Us page. Since no contracts are required for service, you can cancel AT&T Internet anytime without an early termination fee. Since you are billed month-to-month, you will not receive a refund or credit if you cancel before the end of your billing cycle. However, customers can be charged up to $150 if the equipment isn't returned within 21 days of canceling. Also, pay attention to the small print of your promo offers. For example, if you have an internet plan that gets you free HBO Max, you'll lose that access upon cancellation. Lastly, if you want to transfer your service, rather than cancel (for a pending move, for example), you can contact an AT&T moving specialist at 800-288-2020. Read our guide on how to cancel your internet service.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AT&T Shows No Sign of Slowing Down
While fellow telecom giant Verizon is struggling with subscriber losses, AT&T (NYSE: T) put up strong numbers in its first-quarter report Wednesday morning. Postpaid phone net adds topped 300,000, mobility service revenue jumped 4.1%, and the fiber business continued to grow at a blistering pace. The wireless industry faces headwinds from a potential economic slowdown and unpredictable tariff policies from the Trump administration, but it was largely business as usual for AT&T in the first quarter. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » There are two core components to AT&T's current strategy. First, the company is taking a customer-first approach with policies like its AT&T Guarantee program, which provides bill credits to customers for wireless or fiber outages. By prioritizing customer satisfaction, the company can win and retain customers without needing to resort to pricey promotions and deals. Second, AT&T is pushing its wireless-fiber bundle. As of the first quarter, more than 40% of AT&T fiber households also subscribe to the company's wireless plans. As AT&T noted during its analyst day event last year, customers with both fiber and wireless subscriptions are more satisfied, less likely to churn, and have higher lifetime values than other types of customers. This strategy is clearly working. AT&T added 324,000 net postpaid phone subscribers in the first quarter and maintained a low churn rate of 0.83%. In contrast, competitor Verizon lost a similar number of subscribers during its own first quarter. AT&T also added 261,000 fiber subscribers, marking the 21st consecutive quarter of at least 200,000 net fiber adds. Internet Air, AT&T's fixed wireless internet offering aimed at areas without fiber access, added 181,000 subscribers. Growth in consumer wireless and fiber more than offset continued weakness in the business wireline segment. The company is transitioning from legacy services to fiber, a process that's knocking down revenue. While business wireline revenue dropped 9.1% year over year, overall service revenue still rose 1.2% on the strength of the company's other segments. AT&T reiterated its full-year guidance along with its first-quarter report, a testament to the confidence the company has in its strategy. Mobility revenue is expected to grow by 2% to 3%, consumer fiber revenue should expand by a mid-teens percentage, and free cash flow excluding contributions from DirecTV is expected to surpass $16 billion. AT&T expects the sale of its 70% stake in DirecTV to close in mid-2025. AT&T's balance sheet has been improving over the past few years as the company paid down debt related to ill-fated media acquisitions of the past. AT&T is now within its target net-debt-to-adjusted EBITDA range, which is the trigger for the company restarting share buybacks. AT&T plans to begin buying back shares sometime in the second quarter. There are certainly risks facing the company this year. While smartphones are currently not subject to tariffs, that situation could change at any time, making promotions involving free or discounted phones more costly for wireless providers. In addition, an economic slowdown could lead to customers delaying bill payments or seeking out cheaper wireless plans, both of which would hurt AT&T's profit and cash flow. While a change in economic conditions could threaten AT&T's ability to hit its guidance this year, the company's customer-friendly approach and bundling strategy is paying off. Before you buy stock in AT&T, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and AT&T wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $561,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $606,106!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 811% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 153% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025 Timothy Green has positions in AT&T. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. AT&T Shows No Sign of Slowing Down was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I Tried AT&T Internet Air for a Week. Here's My Take on the 5G Internet Provider
Seemingly overnight, we've seen a rise in the 5G home internet takeover. It's become an attractive option for internet customers around the country. One report found that 89% of new broadband subscriptions over the past two years came from just two 5G providers: T-Mobile and Verizon. So when AT&T threw its hat in the ring last year and launched AT&T Internet Air, I was excited -- but quickly disappointed -- to see how it compared. I have as friendly a testing environment as you'll ever find for an internet provider. I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment, and the list of connected devices I own is shockingly short: just my iPhone SE, Apple TV 4K and MacBook Pro that I use to work from home. That's not much strain to put on a Wi-Fi network, and even so, AT&T Internet Air couldn't handle it. That's why I have a hard time recommending the service to anyone. AT&T's wireless internet connection consistently delivered download speeds below 10Mbps -- a far cry from the 90 to 300Mbps it advertises. That said, wireless internet speeds are more dependent on location than wired options like cable and fiber, so your experience may be much better than mine was. (Users on AT&T's sub-reddit reported speeds in the 150 to 300Mbps range.) There were things I liked about AT&T Internet Air -- namely, the easy setup and useful app -- but that's like saying I like everything about a car except the fact that it can't go above 25 miles an hour. Internet providers have one job -- to deliver a fast, reliable connection -- and on that front, AT&T Internet Air was an unequivocal bust. Read more: The best internet providers for 2025 All in all, it only took me 11 minutes to set up AT&T Internet Air. It truly couldn't have been simpler. The box only comes with two items: a gateway device and a power outlet. I followed the instructions in the box, downloaded AT&T's Smart Home Manager app and scanned the QR code on the device. The app suggested that I place the gateway device near a window and facing west if possible. I was able to find a spot that checked both boxes near my desk, where I'd need the strongest internet speeds possible. Once I'd landed on a location, the app ran a quick test and gave me the approval. I was now ready to test out the connection. There's no way around it: AT&T Internet Air's speeds were incredibly disappointing and basically unusable for most people. It boils down to the advertised speeds versus the actual speeds you get. After dozens of speed tests throughout the week, it averaged a download speed of 5.86Mbps and 9.87Mbps upload. The highest download speed I got at any point was 10.63Mbps, while upload speeds peaked at 14.38Mbps. At the same time, my $50 Connect More plan through Xfinity -- advertised as 300Mbps download -- returned average speeds of 321/109Mbps. AT&T Internet Air's latency was also very high, with an average ping rate of 298ms. That's bad news if you plan on doing any online gaming, where 40ms or lower is considered ideal. AT&T says that users typically experience download speeds between 90 and 300Mbps and upload speeds between 8 and 30Mbps. My upload speeds fell within that range, but I never came close to 90Mbps download. The highest I got was 14.38Mbps. (I used Ookla for all of my speed tests, which is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Wireless internet like AT&T Internet Air or T-Mobile Home Internet is inherently more erratic than a wired connection like cable or fiber. Because it transmits data wirelessly from a cellular tower, it's more vulnerable to network congestion and weather disruption. That's why router placement is particularly important -- if you don't have a clear line to the nearest tower, your internet connection will suffer. But I did have a clear line. I was able to find a spot for the router right against a window that faced west, just as I was instructed during setup. The problem didn't seem to be the location of my home, either: AT&T's coverage map shows the entire city of Seattle blanketed in 5G Plus speeds, which it describes as its fastest tier. I tried moving the router to a few different locations over the course of testing, but speeds never improved. In fact, it got even slower when I moved it to another room or away from the window. AT&T recommended calling customer support to help determine the best spot for the device based on where the closest cell tower is. Wireless internet providers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all include a caveat in the fine print that says they may temporarily slow your speeds if the network is congested. That might explain my test results if they were all happening at 'internet rush hour' -- the hours between 7 and 11 p.m. when traffic is highest. But I tested AT&T Internet Air at various times throughout the day and never saw much of a difference. If anyone can get by with slow internet speeds, it's me. I live alone, and I don't do any bandwidth-stressing activities like online gaming. I only have three devices connected to the internet: my phone, laptop and streaming device. But even with that minimal setup, AT&T Internet Air struggled to pull its weight. Zoom meetings at work were reliably unreliable, to the point where I had to switch back over to my Xfinity connection several times. Working in Google Docs, the connection would routinely drop out, causing me to wait a few seconds before I could continue writing this review. AT&T Internet Air's range was basically limited to the room with the router. When I ran speed tests in my bedroom -- one wall away from the router -- my connection slowed to around 1Mbps download and upload. It was a frustrating experience, and I found myself switching back over to Xfinity or cellular data on my phone every time I wanted to do something like watch a YouTube video from the group chat or take a FaceTime call. I don't need gig speeds -- I probably don't even really need 100Mbps speeds -- but I do need at least 15Mbps, which is what Netflix recommends for streaming in 4K. Unfortunately, AT&T Internet Air failed to clear even that low bar. 5G home internet has taken off over the past few years, and AT&T is later to the party than competitors like T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. In general, using 5G technology for home internet has been an unequivocal success. The latest survey from J.D. Power released over the summer found that customer satisfaction is higher for wireless customers than cable or fiber, even though it received lower performance scores. 'A lot of the concerns I had heard about fixed wireless access were that it's just never going to be as fast as fiber,' Carl Lepper, senior director of the technology, media and telecommunications intelligence practice at J.D. Power, told me at the time. 'But for a lot of people, affordability trumps that. And it's not often that you need superfast speeds, depending on how you're using your internet.' 5G home internet often reaches rural households where cable and fiber aren't available, and it's a significant step up from the satellite or DSL service that those users are typically stuck with. And because 5G providers are cellphone carriers first and foremost, they offer significant savings when you bundle home internet with a cellphone plan. Those savings aren't quite as significant with AT&T as they are with T-Mobile and Verizon, but paying $47 a month for home internet is still a solid deal. If you're not bundling with a cellphone plan, AT&T Internet Air is on the expensive side, and there's no guarantee that it will make up for it with faster speeds -- as my week with AT&T showed. After those disappointing results, you might be surprised to learn that I still wouldn't swear off AT&T Internet Air completely. Other customers have clearly gotten faster speeds than I did -- Reddit users regularly report speeds north of 700Mbps -- and there's a chance my apartment is just in a particularly bad location for the service. Unlike T-Mobile Home Internet, there's no free trial with AT&T Internet Air, so you'll be out at least $60 if you sign up and find out the speeds aren't fast enough. I'd still recommend going with T-Mobile or Verizon first if you want to try out 5G home internet, but AT&T Internet is still worth a shot if you're stuck with limited options. AT&T Internet Air is a 5G fixed wireless connection that offers a singular plan. Pricing starts at $60 monthly or $47 if you bundle it with an eligible AT&T wireless plan. In areas where AT&T's faster fiber service is unavailable, this fixed wireless option could be an alternative for some. AT&T Internet Air advertises download speeds of 90 to 300Mbps and upload speeds of 8 to 30Mbps. However, after conducting a dozen speed tests at home, my actual speeds were significantly lower than what was advertised. The highest speed I was able to reach for upload was 14.38Mbps, which is on the lower end of that range. With AT&T Internet Air, I only averaged 5.86Mbps download and 9.87Mbps upload. Compared to other 5G providers, Verizon and T-Mobile advertise much faster speeds, topping out at 415 and 1,000Mbps, respectively. However, it's worth noting that even if you get faster speeds at your home with a 5G fixed wireless connection, your speeds can be temporarily slowed down during network congestion. In addition, AT&T's latency is very high, which can be pretty bad if you're a gamer. The average ping rate that I received at home was 298ms. For online gaming, your ping rate should be 50ms or lower. No. AT&T Internet Air allows home internet users to self-install their service. My experience setting up AT&T Internet Air at home was very simple, taking only 11 minutes to fully set up. The box came with only two items: a gateway device and a power outlet, along with instructions. I downloaded the AT&T Smart Home Manager app on my phone and scanned the QR code on the device. The app recommended that I place my gateway device near a west window to optimize the connection. After that, it was ready for use. To learn more, check out AT&T's Internet Air self-installation guide online.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AT&T Shares Surge Over 6% on Strong Q4 Earnings Report
January 27, 2025 Shares of AT&T (NYSE:T) spikes more than 6% to $24.09, marking a solid earnings report of its fourth quarter 2024 results. AT&T reports operating revenues gain slightly 0.9% over the past year to $32.30 billion beating consensus expectation of $32.40 billion only. Adjusted earnings of $0.54 per share also surpasses the expectation EPS of $0.50. AT&T is adding new customers across different services. In Q4 2024 AT&T gained 482,000 new postpaid phone customers, while in Q4 2023 they had 526,000 additional postpaid customers. This type of customers is tiedwith contracts making them more reliable to generate revenue for AT&T. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with T. Even though the number of customers registered for postpaid phone is lower, but the ARPU (average revenue per user) for this type of customer rose to $56.72, slightly higher than the ARPU in the same quarter previous year of $56.20. It also added 307,000 new fiber customers, they are the type of customers that demand high-speed internet service and belong to consumer wireline segment. As many as 158,000 new customers also agreed to subscribe for AT&T's Internet Air offering during the quarter. Adjusted EBITDA has increased to $10.8 billion, $200 million higher than Q4 2023. In the end, AT&T made $4.4 billion in net income, significantly higher than $2.6 billion in the same quarter in previous year. You can make more informed investment decisions by visiting GuruFocus now and deep dive into AT&T's performance with charts, breakdowns, 30-year financial information, insiders, political positions and more! This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
