In this article, I’ll take a close look at T-Mobile’s home internet plan to help you decide whether or not it’s right for you.
I’ve checked out the details of the plan to see how much it costs, what speeds you can expect, where it’s likely available, additional fees and how it compares to similar home internet plans.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: Plan, Pricing and How It Compares
Many cell phone service providers now offer home internet options. However, unlike a lot of the competition, T-Mobile offers just one plan.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a fixed wireless service that provides access to high-speed 4G LTE or 5G service in your area through a router that converts the signal to Wi-Fi. Fixed wireless internet is most often marketed toward rural areas, which means that, even if you don't have access to standard internet options, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet may be available in your area.
| Plan | Price | Download Speeds | Contracts | Additional Fees | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5G Home Internet | $50 with autopay | 35-115 Mbps | None | None | Check availability |
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Below, you’ll find more information on T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet plan including what you can expect for the cost, how to check availability in your area and how it compares to similar plans from other wireless service providers.
Table of Contents:
Plan and Pricing
Currently, T-Mobile offers only one home internet plan: T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. The fixed wireless service provides access to the same 4G LTE or 5G network on which T-Mobile smartphones operate. So if you’ve got 5G T-Mobile cell service at your house, the same speed should be available through the home internet plan.
The plan costs $50 per month with autopay ($55 without). There is no discount available for bundling the home internet plan with a wireless plan, but you don't have to be a T-Mobile wireless customer to get its home internet service. Taxes are included for most T-Mobile customers, according to the company's website.
For $50 per month (with autopay) you can expect typical download speeds between 35-115 Mbps. However, speeds can vary based on location, signal strength and availability, time of day and other factors.
The plan does not require an annual service contract and includes 24/7 support from T-Mobile’s Customer Care Team.
Download Speeds
According to T-Mobile's website, 5G Home Internet customers will see typical download speeds between 35-115 Mbps. T-Mobile's speed projections are based on an analysis of internal and third-party data; you can find more information here.
Of course, speeds can vary greatly from one house to the next, even in the same neighborhood. Factors that affect download speeds include weather, location, signal strength and availability, time of day and more.
At the moment, T-Mobile doesn't offer tiered pricing based on speeds, which means you can't purchase a higher-speed plan. Instead, customers automatically receive the fastest speeds available from the Home Internet service at their address. According to T-Mobile, as better speeds become available, customers will automatically get them at no additional cost.
Fortunately, this may happen sooner than later. Based on a recent study published by Ookla, T-Mobile's 5G network offered the highest download speeds and best availability compared to Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile also recently expanded its 5G Home Internet availability to 10 million more households. I expect that we'll see T-Mobile's 5G network continue to expand and improve throughout the year, both for wireless customers and home internet customers.
When the network is congested, T-Mobile Home Internet customers may notice slower speeds due to data prioritization.
Aside from slower data speeds, customers should be able to expect full internet access and capabilities. There are no data caps on the service, which means you’ll never have to worry about overage fees.
Availability
In April 2022, T-Mobile announced that 5G Home Internet is now available to more than 40 million households nationwide. However, that doesn't even begin to cover the majority of the United States.
Still, T-Mobile’s 5G network is relatively new, and the company says it’s working to expand it. Over time, T-Mobile says its 5G Home Internet will offer faster download speeds and availability in more areas.
Before you get too far into researching T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, be sure to make sure it's available in your area. The fastest way to do this is to enter your address on T-Mobile's website.
Based on the most recent list published by T-Mobile, 5G Home Internet is available in hundreds of cities and towns across 48 states. You can check out the full list here. However, even if your town is listed, you should still enter your specific address on T-Mobile's website to make sure service is available at your house.
Contracts and Additional Fees
T-Mobile advertises a flat rate of $50 per month with no annual contracts, data caps or hidden fees.
Based on the information provided on T-Mobile’s website, you can rest assured that an annual contract isn’t required. Instead, you’ll simply pay for your home internet service each month. You have the option to cancel at any time without early termination fees.
When it comes to other hidden fees and taxes, I read through T-Mobile's Home Internet FAQ page for more information. Here's what I found:
"Most T-Mobile Home Internet customers are on tax-inclusive voice plans or have Home Internet as the only lines on their account. This means that regulatory fees are included in the price of Home Internet. Customers on a tax-exclusive voice plan will pay regulatory fees on top of the $50 after autopay rate."
In addition to including taxes and fees for qualified accounts, you won't have to worry about equipment rental fees with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. You'll get a 5G Gateway device that combines the capabilities of a router and modem to use at no extra cost; you'll just have to return it when you cancel your service.
You can install the Gateway device yourself for free, which means you won’t have to pay any setup fees or installation charges. According to T-Mobile’s website, the process is easy and takes as little as 15 minutes.
How It Compares
To see how T-Mobile 5G Home Internet compared to similar offers available from other phone companies, I compared a few of the most popular options.
In the table below, you’ll see fixed wireless internet plans including T-Mobile 5G Home, Verizon LTE Home, Verizon 5G Home, AT&T Fixed Wireless and UScellular as well as standard home internet plans including Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber.
| Plan | Starting Price | Download Speed | Data Limit | Equipment Rental Fees | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Fios | $39.99 | 300Mbps | None | $15 per month (or buy router upfront for $299.99) | Check availability |
| AT&T Fiber | $55 | 300Mbps | None | $10 per month (Wi-Fi extender) | Check availability |
| Verizon LTE Home | $25 | 25-50Mbps | None | None | Check availability |
| Verizon 5G Home | $25 | 85-300Mbps | None | None | Check availability |
| T-Mobile 5G Home | $50 | 35-115Mbps | None | None | Check availability |
| AT&T Fixed Wireless | $59.99 | 25Mbps | 350GB | None, but an installation fee of up to $99 may apply | Check availability |
| UScellular | $55 | Speeds vary by location | 25GB | $5.50 per month with a 36-month rental contract (or buy router upfront for $198) | Check availability |
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Each of the prices in the table above reflects autopay discounts and discounts for already having a cell phone plan with the company (if applicable).
As you can see, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet doesn't offer the fastest average download speeds. However, if standard internet isn't available in your area, 35-115 Mbps is certainly better than nothing. Plus, your speeds could be faster than expected. According to a recent study published by Ookla, T-Mobile's 5G network offered significantly higher download speeds than Verizon or AT&T throughout the first quarter of 2022.
Compared to other fixed wireless services, T-Mobile costs twice as much as Verizon LTE Home or Verizon 5G Home, but it’s cheaper (and potentially faster) than AT&T Fixed Wireless and UScellular. Plus, unlike the latter two of those plans, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet doesn’t have any data limits or equipment rental/setup fees.
Of course, the biggest factor in how these plans compare comes down to what’s available in your area. Since some service availability may vary from one house to the next, even in the same neighborhood, it’s important to enter your address on each company’s website before you get too far into comparing plans.
Once you know what’s available at your address, consider download speeds, data limits, and of course, the total price.
Final Thoughts: Should You Switch to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet?
Whether you live in a rural area without standard internet options or you’re looking to save on your monthly bill by switching to a fixed wireless service, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet may be a great fit for you.
To get started, see what's available at your address. Then, begin comparing prices and download speeds among those plans.
If you’re thinking about trying out T-Mobile 5G Home internet, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is T-Mobile 5G Home Internet available in your area?
- Can you get by with slower data speeds?
- Have you compared plan prices available in your area?
If you can answer “yes” to each of these questions, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet may be worth considering. Keep in mind that a fixed wireless service like this will offer slower data speeds on average than standard internet plans, but if it’s the best/only deal available at your address (or if you don’t need lightning-fast download speeds) it could be the perfect plan.
If you do have access to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet but you aren't quite sure about it yet, know that you can get a free month of service when you activate a new Home Internet line right now. After you sign up and register your account, you'll receive a $50 Virtual Prepaid MasterCard that's good for one month of service. You can check out the full details on T-Mobile's website.
Have you ever used T-Mobile 5G Home Internet? Tell us about your experience in the Clark.com Community!
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