Best 5G Home Internet

The term 5G refers to the fifth generation of wireless mobile tech. It was developed to complement and eventually replace older 3G and 4G LTE mobile networks. 5G technology utilizes different frequency waves than older networks, allowing it to deliver faster data speeds with lower latency. 5G internet can easily reach speeds of 200–300Mbps, making it ideal for both cell phone and home internet services.

In recent years, 5G home internet has been booming because 5G service is available in many places where other high-speed internet options are lacking. It’s also affordable and easy to set up. All you need is a wireless receiver/router in your home, and you can get connected in a matter of minutes.

In 2022, more than 80% of new broadband connections in the U.S. were powered by 5G. And it's just been going up from there.

According to Statista, the United States “ranked fourth in a 2023 global survey of 5G availability [. . .] 5G speeds, meanwhile, continue to climb steadily in both urban and rural areas.” The FCC is geared up to auction off more mid-band and wideband frequencies to 5G companies, which means we should see even more growth in the coming years.

With increasing competition in the 5G home internet marketplace, it’s important to choose your plan wisely. Here are a few tips:

Check coverage in your area

You can learn more about coverage from the Big Three cell phone providers—and see coverage maps—in our article on the subject. Choose an internet service provider (ISP) with a strong signal at your house. The closer you are to a 5G tower, the better your connection.

Go with your cell phone provider

If you have a plan from one of the Big Three—AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon—then we suggest going with that company’s service, if it’s available. All three providers offer major discounts for existing mobile customers.

Check other options

It’s worth noting that 5G internet isn’t always the best high-speed internet solution. Fiber internet services, like Verizon Fios, AT&T Fiber, and Google Fiber, can offer faster and more reliable internet at a similar price point.

That’s enough chit chat. Let’s dive into the details about the best 5G home internet providers.

T-Mobile is the company that put 5G home internet on the map. Literally. The company’s service reaches over 50 million households all across the United States. This includes many rural areas where wired internet service is sorely lacking.

Availability is great. But once you’ve signed up, it’s the internet performance and price that really matter. So, how does T-Mobile do?

In terms of pricing, it’s right in the middle of the road. T-Mobile has just two standard 5G internet plans. They give you unlimited data, download speeds of 72—245 Mbps, and they cost $50 and $70 a month (for those who don’t have a T-Mobile phone plan). 

T-Mobile recently introduced an additional plan, Home Internet Plus. This $70 plan offers the same download speeds and data caps as the $50 plan, but comes with “expanded home Wi-Fi coverage and 24/7 support for smart devices''. T-Mobile has also announced its new Away plan that allows you to stay connected to T-Mobile internet service when you travel away from home. Check back here in the future to see updates about Away.

T-Mobile’s standard plan normally costs $50–$70 a month. However, T-Mobile customers on specific wireless plans can get $10–20 off their bill every month. Here’s a breakdown of the discounts you can get with each T-Mobile plan.

If you’re on a T-Mobile unlimited data plan, then T-Mobile 5G home internet is a no-brainer. And it’s not just the price. The service offers surprisingly high performance for a completely wireless technology.

According to Statista, “As of late 2023, T-Mobile US had by far the fastest average 5G download speed among major United States (U.S.) network operators at 204.9 Mbps.” Those trends have continued into 2024, as you can see from Opensignal’s latest Mobile Network Experience Report.

T-Mobile’s big and powerful 5G network means users won’t have any issues with basic activities, like streaming HD video, Zooming into a work meeting, or playing a few matches of Warzone at the end of the day.

One T-Mobile 5G Home Internet customer, Steve Abbott, told Reviews.org that before switching from DSL, “We could barely stream Lakers and Dodger games, let alone shows on Netflix.” But Abbott said, “[The switch] took us from low-quality streaming on a single TV to being able to stream two different shows in two different rooms with high definition.”

We talked about how great T-Mobile’s availability is in rural areas. But don’t take our word for it. Check out this interactive map that shows T-Mobile network coverage across the entire United States.

The areas that have strong 5G coverage are the neighborhoods where you’re likely to find the best performance from T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.

One of the biggest benefits of 5G home internet service is its simple setup and installation. You can either sign up online, or go into a T-Mobile store to get started (yes, T-Mobile still has brick-and-mortar locations.).

Once you sign up, you get a 5G receiver/modem and Wi-Fi device. This futuristic looking contraption is all you need to create a fast Wi-Fi network in your home.

You don’t need to make an appointment with a technician to install cables or set up your device. Just follow the instructions from T-Mobile and you can be up and running in as little as 15 minutes!

If you do have issues with setting up or maintaining your service, T-Mobile should be able to help. The company has performed highly in multiple customer satisfaction surveys. It made it to the top of HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey and the 2022–2023 ACSI Telecommunications Study.

Verizon has made a name for itself by offering high performance telecommunications services. As a cell phone company, Verizon has the best coverage and some of the best data speeds. Its fiber internet service is unbeatable in much of the Northeast. Now, the company’s 5G Home Internet is making a splash.

The biggest selling point for Verizon’s version of 5G home internet service is the speed. Verizon’s 5G network uses ultra wideband radio frequencies, which translate to faster data speeds.

In fact, Verizon’s highest 5G speeds are more than three times the highest speeds from T-Mobile and AT&T. Verizon 5G Home Internet customers often see speeds near 1Gbps. That’s more than enough speed to stream HD video on several devices, Facetime your mom, play a few matches of Apex Legends, and doom scroll on social media, all at the same time.

All this, and Verizon’s prices are comparable to the other services. Take a look at the options here.

Of course, with anything this good, there has to be a catch. The problem with Verizon’s Ultra Wideband technology is that the towers have a limited range. I remember seeing the Verizon 5G towers going up in Salt Lake City back in 2020. They had to place a tower every couple of blocks to provide good coverage.

The limited range of Verizon’s 5G network means that it’s available only in select areas.

Unlike T-Mobile, which is a great internet option for those living in rural areas with few alternatives, Verizon is only available in major metro areas where there tend to be other ISPs to compete.

Just take a look at this coverage map. The big red dots indicate where Verizon 5G Home Internet is currently available.

So, if you’re in a city like Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, or St. Louis, MO, then Verizon probably has the best 5G home internet around. But, if you’re anywhere else, you’re totally out of luck.

Verizon’s 5G service is easy to order online. The company sends you a 5G receiver/modem that also works as a Wi-Fi router. There are a few different versions, but all of them look sleek and modern.

Once you receive your modem and Wi-Fi router, you can self install in a matter of minutes. In certain areas, Verizon does offer professional installation, but it costs $99 (and most people don’t need it).

AT&T is the newest 5G internet service provider on the scene. Its service is called AT&T Internet Air. In many ways, it’s similar to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.

When you sign up for AT&T Internet Air, you get unlimited wireless data with download speeds from 75—225Mbps. You can get a steep discount if you’re an existing wireless customer with AT&T. It’s all easy to set up and operate.

However, AT&T’s 5G service has had a strange rollout. Rather than calling it AT&T 5G Internet, the company uses the Air brand. It’s sometimes hard to see exactly what you’re getting when you sign up for AT&T internet. In some areas, AT&T’s service is actually not run by a powerful 5G network, but by a dinky old DSL network. So be sure to double check the exact kind of service you’re getting before you sign up.

As you can see, AT&T’s prices are significantly better if you’re a wireless subscriber. Even with the company’s drawbacks, it’s hard to beat $35 a month for high-speed internet.

Another issue with AT&T’s 5G internet service is the availability. Unlike T-Mobile, which is available all over the country, AT&T is only available in certain metro areas. It’s like Verizon 5G, but not nearly as fast.

Just where is AT&T Internet Air available? Currently, there are 59 locations. We won’t list them all here, but they include San Diego, San Antonio, West Palm Beach, Tulsa, Syracuse, Laredo, and Tallahassee.

Signing up for AT&T Internet Air is easy. You can do it online or go into one of the company’s brick-and-mortar stores. In either case, you receive a gateway device that acts as a 5G modem and a WI-Fi router.

You don’t have to schedule an appointment or pay for professional installation. Just follow the simple steps on AT&T’s website to install the device and set up your network. It should only take 10–15 minutes!

That wraps up this in-depth review of the top 5G home internet providers. But before we bid you adieu, here’s a quick recap.

• Best overall: T-Mobile’s fast download speeds, good prices, and expansive nationwide availability make it the best all-around 5G provider. If you live in a rural area where there aren’t good wired internet options, definitely consider signing up for T-Mobile.
• Best speeds: Verizon’s wideband 5G technology allows it to give users unprecedented wireless speeds. This makes it great for gamers, remote workers, and households with a ton of devices. It’s a great choice, if it’s available where you live.
• Best for AT&T Wireless customers: AT&T doesn’t have the fastest speeds or the best availability. However, if you’re already on an AT&T unlimited data plan, you could get a price that’s hard to ignore ($35/mo.) on 5G internet.

We can back up everything we write with data, customer reviews, and serious research. For this review of the best 5G home internet providers, we started by looking at all of the major options on the market. We made our final lineup based on the following criteria.

1. Performance: Does the provider offer sufficient Wi-Fi speeds for streaming, gaming, scrolling, and doing other important tasks? Are speeds consistent?
2. Availability: Is service available where people need it—like in rural areas where there aren’t other internet options?
3. Price: Does the service have a fair price? Are there discounts? Are there multiple plan options?

Ultimately, we tried to find picks for many different kinds of customers who live in many different locations. Please let us know if we’ve overlooked anything by clicking on that Contact Us button below!