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.

So, what is 5G home internet? 

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.

How fast is 5G home internet?

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.

Is 5G home internet the same as 5GHz?

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.

How does 5G home internet stand out?

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.

What 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.

Price range $60 per monthSpeed range 75-225MbpsConnection Fixed WirelessKey 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 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 and you save money since no professional installation is required. AT&T offers mesh Wi-Fi extenders for an additional $10 monthly for improved connection. There are no overage fees, data caps or contracts. Read our picks for the best Wi-Fi extenders available in the market right now.

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.

Price range $30 – $80 per monthSpeed range 50 – 1,000MbpsConnection Fixed wirelessKey Info Unlimited data, no contracts, no equipment fees, simple setup

Starry Internet started in 2016 but does not technically join the 5G connection movement. It does not use 5G NR radio technology, which is a focus of mobile providers. Still, it does use millimeter-wave technology as a critical aspect of delivering fixed wireless home internet to customers. “We operate in 24GHz and 37GHz spectrum bands, and our network technology is the same across all our markets,” a Starry spokesperson said.

The monthly price includes unlimited data, free equipment and installation and no contracts. It’s also the only 5G home internet provider listed here that features symmetrical or near-symmetrical download and upload speeds similar to those found with fiber internet service.

Lastly, Starry also offers a “30-Day Happy Interneting Guarantee” with a full refund if you aren’t satisfied with the service and cancel within the first 30 days. 

Starry is focused on five markets: Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, DC.

Read our Starry Internet review.

Price range $60 per monthSpeed range 72 – 245MbpsConnection Fixed wirelessKey Info Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts

T-Mobile Home Internet used to offer only a single tier. Now, with its latest boost in speeds, customers can choose between two-speed tiers. The speeds ranges are 87 to 318Mbps and 133 to 415Mbps in downloads. T-Mobile “anticipates” that 25% of customers can see speeds below and 25% can see speeds above these ranges, per the company’s FAQ section. That said, having a 5G connection means that your speeds can ultimately vary due to different factors. CNET’s Amanda Kooser tried out T-Mobile’s service and found that her speeds were often inconsistent.

T-Mobile offers three home internet plans with the same speeds. The main difference between them is the two pricier plans (Amplified and All-In) feature an upgraded Wi-Fi Gateway and advanced cyber security.

T-Mobile’s service includes all setup fees and taxes and there’s no annual contract or data cap.

Read our T-Mobile Home Internet review.

Price range $50 – $70 per month (50% off for eligible 5G mobile customers)Speed range 85 – 1,000MbpsConnection Fixed wirelessKey Info Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment, 50% discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers

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, both plans come with a price lock of up to five years, a rare gem in the world of broadband. 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 have a free Netflix and Max subscription for a year. Lastly, customers with qualifying Verizon mobile plans will get a discount on the monthly cost of either plan, bringing them down to $35 or $45 monthly.

Read our Verizon 5G Home Internet review.

Where can I 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 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.

Final thoughts: 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. 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 FAQs