How fast is 5G home internet?

What is 5G home internet

5G home internet is a type of internet technology that relies on cellular networks to deliver your internet connection. 5G stands for the fifth generation of wireless cellular technology, and you’re probably familiar with it if you have a cell phone. While 5G allows you to call, text and more, it can also be used as a fixed wireless internet service, referred to as 5G home internet.

5G terminology can be a bit confusing, especially when discussing 5G mobile networks vs. 5G home internet, but remember that the former connects your phone while the latter provides an internet connection to your home – they just do it by connecting to the same cellular tower near you. This is where 5G internet differs from fiber or cable. Instead of being hardwired directly to your home, 5G home internet is a fixed wireless connection that uses the nearest cellular tower to your home to provide internet service.

5G internet technology

5G internet relies on 5G cellular networks that use radio waves to send and receive data. Your gateway receives the nearest 5G signal and converts it to Wi-Fi. This is why the quality of your 5G internet connection depends on your proximity to a cell site or tower. The greater the distance between you and that tower, the less effective your internet connection will be.

How fast is 5G internet?

Wondering how fast 5G internet is? Compare 5G upload and download speeds from 5G internet providers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

5G internet download speeds

5G internet upload speeds

5G internet speeds vs. competing internet tech

How fast is 5G internet? Compare 5G internet speeds below to other internet technology types such as cable, fiber and satellite internet. Fiber is the fastest and most reliable type of internet available due to its symmetrical upload and download speeds and multi-gig speed capacity, but cable is a close second. Satellite internet delivers the slowest speeds of the tech types, but is often the only choice for those living in rural areas. 5G internet, however, may be a solution that can help close the digital divide in underserved areas.

Connection type	Download speed range	Upload speed range	Availability
5G	20 – 1,000 Mbps	10 – 50 Mbps	Varies
Fiber	30 – 8,000 Mbps	30 – 8,000 Mbps	40%
Cable	25 – 3,000 Mbps	10 – 50 Mbps	83%
Satellite	15 – 350 Mbps	At least 3 Mbps	100%

5G home internet providers and pricing

5G home internet won’t give you the speeds that a high-speed fiber or even cable plan might, but 5G providers offer affordable, no-contract internet with no data caps or price hikes either. If you don’t need a multi-gig internet plan to support extremely bandwidth-heavy activities, 5G home internet can be a great choice. Compare top 5G internet providers, prices and speeds below.

Provider	Starting price*	Speed	Data caps
Verizon 5G Home	$35.00/mo.**	Up to 300 Mbps	Unlimited
Verizon 5G Home Plus	$45.00/mo.**	Up to 1,000 Mbps	Unlimited
Starry 300	$45.00/mo.***	Up to 300 Mbps	Unlimited
Starry 500	$55.00/mo.***	Up to 500 Mbps	Unlimited
Starry Gigabit	$75.00/mo.***	Up to 1,000 Mbps	Unlimited
T-Mobile	$40.00/mo.	Up to 245 Mbps	Unlimited
AT&T Internet Air	$35.00/mo.	Up to 140 Mbps	Unlimited

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/10/24.

**For existing customers with a Verizon mobile plan of $30/mo. or greater.

Pros and cons of 5G internet

Price – 5G home internet is affordable, and since most people spend over $70/mo. on internet, 5G’s low price tag is a definite plus.
No hidden fees – 5G home internet doesn’t have any hidden fees included on your monthly bill, unlike many cable, fiber or satellite providers. 5G also has no contracts or data caps.
Promotional and bundling perks – 5G internet providers like T-Mobile and Verizon often offer its plans at discounted rates when bundled with a mobile plan. You can also usually count on some promotional perks like free subscriptions or devices when you purchase a 5G plan.

Reliability – The quality of your 5G home internet connection relies on your proximity to a cell tower and works over a wireless connection rather than hardwired cables, so your connection could be sometimes unreliable or inconsistent.
Speeds – 5G home internet isn’t going to give you the same speeds or quality internet connection as fiber internet.
Plan variety – 5G home internet plans are straightforward – you won’t get much choice when choosing 5G plans, as T-Mobile only has one and Verizon two.

5G home internet expansion and availability

Fixed wireless internet technology is among the fastest-growing internet technologies right now, evident through the subscriber growth we’ve seen from providers like T-Mobile and Verizon in the past couple of years. According to Leichtman Research Group, fixed wireless internet service accounted for 104% of the total net broadband subscriber additions in 2023, compared to 90% in 2022 and only 20% in 2021.

T-Mobile and Verizon had a combined growth of over 3.5 million subscribers in 2023 alone and currently lead the charge when it comes to 5G home internet growth and expansion. This reflects a growing tendency of internet customers to switch to 5G internet as an alternative to cable and fiber.

Starry and AT&T also offer 5G internet service, but T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet dominate the market.

Learn more about 5G home internet expansion

5G home internet availability

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is the most widely available 5G provider in the country, covering 60% of the U.S. and is still expanding.

Verizon 5G Home Intenet is less widely available but provides faster maximum speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps compared to T-Mobile’s maximum speed of 245 Mbps. Verizon’s 5G plans are also some of the cheapest available starting at $35/mo. when bundled with a Verizon mobile plan.

AT&T’s Internet Air 5G internet service is the newest player in the game but still has very limited availability and slower speed capacity than its competitors with max speeds of 140 Mbps.

Thinking of purchasing a 5G home internet plan? Enter your address or explore 5G home internet plans and pricing.

5G internet FAQs

How fast is 5G?

5G home internet speeds can range anywhere from 20 – 1,000 Mbps, but your speed will depend on your provider and proximity to a cell tower.

Is fiber better than 5G internet?

Yes, fiber internet is the fastest and most reliable type of internet available, but 5G provides a low-cost and suitable option for those who don’t need extremely high-speed internet.

Which are the best 5G internet providers?

T-Mobile is the most widely available 5G internet provider, but Verizon offers faster speeds. Starry offers fast speeds as well, but has very limited availability. AT&T providers slower speeds than the providers mentioned above, and has limited availability.

Written by:

Camryn Smith

Cammy is a writer with Allconnect, growing her broadband industry knowledge for over a year on the internet marketplace. Her expertise lies in home internet and broadband service with a focus on providers, plans… Read more

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

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