Spectrum Internet and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet both provide unlimited data, but Spectrum provides faster speeds.
Spectrum Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: Which One Is Worth Your Money?
8 min readSpectrum Internet is a reliable internet service capable of delivering gigabit speeds over a cable connection. It's a solid option for households with multiple people who stream, game, and work from home at the same time. Here's what you can expect from Spectrum Internet:
- Discounted prices for the first year
- Use your own router or pay $10/mo. for a Spectrum router
- Unlimited data
- No contracts
- Bundle deals with mobile and TV
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a fixed wireless internet service that offers nationwide coverage and affordable rates. The 5G provider consistently gets stellar reviews for its simple, customer-friendly service. Here's what you can expect from T-Mobile 5G Home Internet:
- Five-year price guarantee
- Router included
- Unlimited data
- No contracts
- 15-day Test Drive
Spectrum Internet is the better pick for larger households or for power-users that rely on fast speeds. Its speeds are higher and the wired nature of cable internet provides a more stable connection. However, in terms of price, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet works out to be more affordable because prices don't increase after a year of service.
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Spectrum Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet—plans, pricing, and speed
Spectrum Internet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
| Internet Premier | $50/mo. 1 yr price guarantee* | Up to 500 Mbps | View Plans | |
| Internet GIG | $70/mo. for 12 mos.† | Up to 1000 Mbps | View Plans |
*
Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
†
Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit spectrum.net/modem. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
| Rely Internet |
$50/mo. w/ AutoPay
| Up to 318 Mbps | View Plans | |
| Amplified Internet |
$60/mo. w/ AutoPay
| Up to 415 Mbps | View Plans | |
| All-In Internet |
$70/mo. w/ AutoPay
| Up to 415 Mbps | View Plans |
Spectrum Internet offers internet plans with 500 to 1,000Mbps download speeds for $50 to $70 a month for the first year of service, with prices depending on your area. Plans include unlimited data and a modem, but customers will either need to supply their own router or rent one from Spectrum for $10 per month. Installation can cost up to $65 for a professional technician or $30 with self-activation. Know exactly what to expect on your Spectrum bill with this full breakdown of Spectrum's hidden fees.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers plans with 318 to 415Mbps download speeds for $50 to $70 per month. With the level of speed you get, T-Mobile is more expensive than Spectrum to start. However, there are no price hikes or equipment rental fees with T-Mobile. T-Mobile is super transparent with its pricing, but know what to expect with T-Mobile's hidden fees.
Spectrum Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: fees for modem and installation
Spectrum Internet offers great limited-time deals for new customers. Internet plans already include unlimited data, but you can also snag multi-year price lock guarantees when you bundle with mobile or TV. Spectrum also offers a free Spectrum Mobile Unlimited plan for 12 months when you sign up for an internet plan. Qualified households can also get Spectrum's $30 per month Internet Advance plan with 100Mbps download speed. To see if you qualify, check out this overview of Spectrum's subsidized internet plans.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet plans are known for their great internet perks and discounts. T-Mobile customers receive a $5 monthly discount for signing up for Autopay, plus a $15 monthly discount when you bundle with a voice line. And if you have children aged K-12, you may qualify for T-Mobile's Project 10Million or Lifeline discount—see if you qualify in this guide to income-based T-Mobile discounts.
Spectrum Internet add-ons and perks
Sign up for a Spectrum Internet plan and get one line of Unlimited Mobile included for a full year
Sign up for any Spectrum TV plan
Sign up for a Spectrum Internet plan and add Max and Xumo
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet add-ons and perks
Sign up for Amplified or All-In Home Internet plans
Sign up for any T-Mobile 5G Home Internet plan
Bundle with your postpaid T-Mobile voiceline
Included with the All-In Home Internet plan
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we looked at results from our speed test, pulled data from customer satisfaction surveys, and pored over the fine print to compare prices and speeds between the two providers. To flesh out our analysis, we also interviewed Spectrum and T-Mobile customers to get their first-hand insights. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also speak with ISP spokespeople and industry experts to get insights into connection types, speed capabilities, and other technical issues related to internet service.
The matchup—how we rate Spectrum Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Here, we compare those ratings face to face. We then offer some analysis and context for important factors to keep in mind.
Want to know more? Read our full-length Spectrum review and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet review.
How does Spectrum fare against other competitors? Read Spectrum vs. Earthlink or Kinetic
Speed and reliability
Spectrum Internet
4.0/5.0
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
4.0/5.0
For speed and reliability, Spectrum is a little better than T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.
Spectrum is a mostly-cable service provider, and cable internet is one of the best options for a fast and steady connection. The copper cable creates a physical bond between your home and Spectrum’s wider network. Spectrum averages over 200Mbps download speed in our speed test, placing it among the top five fastest providers in the US.
As a wireless provider with lower-than-typical speeds, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet isn’t entirely on Spectrum’s level in terms of speed and reliability. (Unlike T-Mobile's new fiber service, which is now available in eight states.) Its maximum speed is just a quarter of Spectrum’s and the wireless-only connection makes things a bit more shaky (especially in areas with weak cell service). T-Mobile gets the job done but may fall short in certain online activities, like gaming.
Dollar value
Spectrum Internet
3.8/5.0
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
4.8/5.0
These providers both give you a good bang for your buck—even though Spectrum initially looks like a better deal than T-Mobile.
After the first 12 to 24 months, Spectrum’s prices automatically jump, while T-Mobile has a Price Lock guarantee. And each Spectrum bill includes additional rental fees, something T-Mobile 5G Home Internet doesn’t have.
However, even though you ultimately pay more with Spectrum, you’re also getting a faster and more stable internet experience than with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. So in the end, with either service, you pay for what you get.
Check out our guide for handy tips to lower your Spectrum internet bill as much as possible.
Customer experience
Spectrum Internet
4.0/5.0
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
5.0/5.0
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet’s highly rated customer service beats out Spectrum Internet’s by a long shot.
Spectrum customer service isn’t bad by any means. “They seem to respond quickly and take care of problems pretty fast,” says Conrad Burnham of Los Angeles.
However, there seem to be more issues with Spectrum personnel: A customer in New York City, Sakia Anwar, told us that she had a bizarre encounter when she contacted Spectrum to get her internet back up before a work call. The support person barely listened to her and instead tried to sell her a cable TV package.
“I think he was reading off a script or something,” says Anwar. “He was like, ‘Oh, okay, thank you for your feedback,’ and he would keep going on. I wanted to punch him in the throat.”
In contrast, Steve Abbott has had a near-perfect experience with T-Mobile support.
“It’s always been easy to get to a real person on the phone when I call T-Mobile,” says Abbott. “I had some questions when I first set up my home internet connection, and the agent I talked to had no problem answering them.”
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
Spectrum Internet
3.9/5.0
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
4.6/5.0
When we put Spectrum and T-Mobile toe-to-toe, it's quickly apparent that they’re options of similar value, just with different strengths.
As a cable internet provider, Spectrum is faster and less likely to experience outages. But as a disruptor on the ISP scene, T-Mobile costs less money overall and has a more customer-friendly approach.
Spectrum Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: What do customers think?
Many customers are satisfied with Spectrum
With minimal fees and speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, Spectrum is one of the best cable internet options. Customers aren’t exactly parading in the streets for Spectrum, but they’re content. “It’s totally fine. It’s fast, and we’ve never had an outage,” Anna Harsanyi told Reviews.org when we interviewed her for our review of the service. Meanwhile, Sakia Anwar in Queens described it to us as “standard and reliable.”
“They’re very affordable, and if I’m having an issue, they’re very good about troubleshooting.” -Sakia Anwar, Spectrum customer in Queens, New York
Still, Spectrum has a fraught relationship with some customers. Not everyone wants cable internet, and some customers wish they could switch to other providers but live in a Spectrum-only area.
“It’s been competent—and compulsory,” jokes customer Sean Huntley. When Huntley and his girlfriend looked at internet options for their Glendale, California apartment, Spectrum was the only provider that offered speeds faster than 100Mbps, making it their pick by default. “What, are you going to go to a different water company? It’s a water company.”
Robyn Straw of St. Cloud, Minnesota, has been frustrated with repeat outages and a slow response from technical support—to the point that she’s considering switching to Starlink. “Just hope you don’t need help from customer service,” she sighed.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is known for its customer-friendly approach
Nearly everything about T-Mobile 5G Home Internet—from the straightforward pricing to the wide availability to its disruption of traditional internet monopolies—benefits customers.
“We launched T-Mobile 5G Home Internet to bring a reliable, affordable alternative to traditional broadband—and largely, to give people choice,” says T-Mobile spokesperson Katie Brinton. That approach seems to work well: T-Mobile 5G provides a faster and more solid connection than satellite or DSL providers.
California customer Steve Abbott had DSL internet before moving to T-Mobile, and the difference is night and day. “We could barely stream Lakers and Dodger games, let alone shows on Netflix,” says Abbott. “[T-Mobile 5G Home Internet] 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.”
“It’s worked pretty well for me. The speeds feel a little up and down sometimes, but it generally does everything I need it to,” -Rick Francis, T-Mobile 5G customer in Charlottesville, North Carolina
However, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet isn’t as fast as a fiber or cable provider, and because of its wireless nature, T-Mobile connectivity can be so-so at times. According to T-Mobile customer Jordan Rivera in Las Vegas, that's especially true when customers are gaming.
“I honestly gave up trying to game on this internet,” states Rivera. Rivera’s 5G internet connection is so slow that “I would die before knowing anything hit me.”
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