For most Americans, internet service providers are a constant source of stress and notoriously one of the country's lowest-rated industries. ISPs rank lower than social media, the US Postal Service and even airlines. It's not hard to see why. A recent CNET survey found 63% of Americans paid more for internet service last year than they had the year before. On top of that, wading through confusing details like hidden fees, yearly price hikes, contracts, service details and multiple speed tiers can make for a frustrating experience.
Folks in rural America know even more acutely how difficult it can be to find a good ISP. Depending on their location and address, some may feel there are hardly any options at all. It would be a real step forward if 5G could emerge as a viable broadband option for traditionally underserved parts of rural America. As CNET alum Rick Broida put it after he tested T-Mobile's service, "Imperfection is a lot more tolerable when you're paying less than half what you were before."
To that point, according to a recent J.D. Power report, 5G home internet can be a cheaper and more accessible internet connection type than cable or fiber. It may not produce the fastest speeds, but customers are willing to overlook that. CNET has reviewed all the primary 5G home internet services, and we have the details on how they work, what speeds you can expect, what it costs and where it's available.
Locating local internet providers
What is 5G home internet?
Simply put, 5G stands for the fifth generation. The fifth generation of what? It's the fifth generation of wireless data networks. You're probably most familiar with hearing 5G used to describe better mobile communications and speedier phones. You're not wrong: 5G networks, which use different radio frequencies than previous generations, aim to provide faster data speeds with much less lag or delay than we had with 4G. However, while 5G cellular service might be available on your phone, 5G home internet is not as widely available.
Is 5G home internet fast?
My former CNET colleague Eli Blumenthal does a great job of breaking down the basics of 5G. Millimeter-wave technology uses higher frequencies than previous generations, providing faster speeds and connections. Those higher gigabit speeds come with a price: the data doesn't travel the same distance as 4G and has more trouble with obstructions. To combat that, midband technology, which offers speeds averaging between 300 and 400 megabits per second, increases the coverage area provided by millimeter-wave. Finally, low-band 5G offers a range similar to 4G but speeds between 100 and 200Mbps.
Locating local internet providers
Are 5G home internet and 5GHz the same?
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