Make sure internet is available in your new home

---

Key takeaways

• Before committing to a new home, make sure internet service is available there 
• Research internet providers by entering your new home’s address to find the ISPs available at that exact location
• If cable or fiber isn’t available at your new address, satellite and 5G are viable alternatives
• Consider all the internet technology types available at your address before deciding on a provider

---

Terms you need to know

Before looking for service at your new home, explore some important terms to take note of while researching internet providers: 

• Serviceability – Internet serviceability refers to an internet provider’s ability to deliver internet service to a specific location. All ISPs have different serviceability footprints, which is why you must look for an ISP based on your address to determine what’s available exactly where you live
• Connection type – Internet connection types are the actual type of technology the provider uses to deliver internet service to a location. Fiber, cable, satellite, fixed wireless, 5G, DSL and even dial-up are all different internet connection types to consider when searching for an ISP. Each has its own pros and cons, but fiber and cable are considered the best and most reliable
• Download speed – This is the rate at which data is downloaded to your device. When comparing internet plans from ISPs, download speed will generally be the number differentiating each plan through megabits per second, or Mbps. The higher the number, the faster the internet speed
• Upload speed – The rate at which data is sent from your device. It is usually a smaller number than download speed, so it is not often advertised as clearly on provider sites (unless you are exploring plans with symmetrical upload and download speeds common with fiber connections)

Explore more internet-related terms.

Due diligence with property

When you move into a new place, you assume utilities like power and water are flowing into the building. With the world’s growing reliance on the internet, it is just as important as those two utilities, but you can’t assume it’s available in your new home.

Serviceability is a fickle thing in the internet world. Your neighbor can have service from one internet service provider (ISP) like Verizon, but it might not be available in your house across the street. A good tool to see if you are serviceable by a certain ISP is to use the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) broadband map.

ArsTechnica published a story of a Seattle couple who bought a home in an established neighborhood, assuming they would have the same ISP as their neighbors. Unfortunately, their property wasn’t connected, and it came with a nearly $30,000 price tag to do so.

Due diligence is necessary when moving into a new rental property or purchasing a home. Having a checklist is a good way to keep track of everything you need to know. 

Before committing to a property

• Verify with your real estate agent via the sellers that an ISP is available
• Talk to your prospective neighbors to see if they have service, with whom and if they’ve had any pain points
• To make sure, check your new address with Allconnect and see your internet provider choices
• Research the providers to see which plan would best suit your needs

Before signing up for internet services, make sure you ask your internet provider about data caps, contracts, early termination fees, equipment rental fees and other items that could inflate your monthly bill.

What if internet isn’t available?

• If cable and fiber aren’t available at your address, satellite is likely an option and 5G may also be serviceable at your home
• Mobile hotspots are an option, but can be pricey
• Starlink, Hughesnet and Visasat satellite internet is available across the country
• Budget-friendly options include 5G home internet, which generally offers plans at a discount when bundled with a mobile plan

If you’ve discovered your new home doesn’t have cable or fiber internet access, satellite, mobile hotspots and 5G home internet service may be viable options.

Mobile hotspots can get pricey, so ensure you find an unlimited data plan.

Some cellphone service providers offer a plan to use a MiFi, which is a portable router you take anywhere to keep connected. The catch here is the devices themselves can be hundreds of dollars.

Starlink is the most popular satellite internet service, available nearly everywhere, rural or metro. Other satellite internet services like Hughesnet and Viasat are home internet options, especially when there are no other ISP choices available at your address.

You have internet, but it’s not right for your needs

• If you aren’t happy with your internet service, you can look into other options available at your address
• You may be able to switch connection types if multiple technologies are available at your home

If you’ve moved, set up internet in your new home through a local provider and then realized it isn’t working as you’d hoped, you may have options — but solutions could be pricey. For example, equipment setup costs can run hundreds of dollars, like with Starlink, which is $349.

“My family and I have been very unhappy with our internet service provider,” shared Sarah D. of Charlotte, North Carolina. “The connection is absolutely terrible, and sometimes we experience random outages that are the most frustrating thing ever. Our internet service provider is the only one in our area and charges way too much for their awful internet. We wish we could switch so badly!”

Unfortunately for Sarah’s family, they are “stuck” with their provider for now. No 5G home internet services are available, and they feel satellite isn’t right for them. 

Making the switch

Michelle M. of New York knew she had to switch ISPs when her family of four heavy internet users realized there were “severe dead spots” in their home.

“Despite living in a big city, there are parts of my home that just have seriously weak signals and service, and thus we are limited in the rooms we can work from,” shared Michelle.

Her family members are avid consumers of cable, streaming and other subscription-based entertainment platforms and used cable internet as part of an internet and phone bundle.

“I work from home part of the week, my husband does a lot of prep and admin work as a teacher, and our kids are college commuters and gamers. They are both in the arts and use things like Creative Cloud and songwriting and music apps and platforms.”

The family switched from cable to a provider with 1 gig service with whole-home Wi-Fi. A speed test confirmed they receive the provider’s optimal speed and load times of up to 940/880 Mbps.

Getting the right internet access

Internet access is a must-have for us to work, learn and play from home. Before you move into a new space, never assume there is internet access. Confirm that through the landlord, realtor, local providers, former occupants and/or neighbors.

Explore cheap internet near you and consider bundling with other services to save. 5G home internet offers discounts with mobile plans through Verizon and T-Mobile, while fiber offers the best value due to its speed and reliability.

If you find your service isn’t cutting it, you can try adding other devices to your home network, such as a Wi-Fi extender or upgrading to a mesh router. Since mesh routers use multiple devices throughout the home to disperse Wi-Fi, they are ideal for homes that need the best coverage. As always, ensure your router is in a central location away from any barriers.

If the service isn’t quite right for your needs, start your search to switch today with Allconnect.

Internet in a new home FAQs

We value your feedback

Was this page helpful?

Yes No

We value your feedback

We’re glad! Tell us what helped most on this page.

Type your response here

Submit

We value your feedback

Was this page helpful?

The page didn’t have what I was looking for.

This page is incorrect or outdated.

This page didn’t help me choose a product or service.

Other (please specify):

Type your response here

Submit

Thanks for your feedback!

Your insight helps, and we’ll do our best to improve your experience.