Competition in the world of home Internet has been a dream of many cord cutters. Now, thanks to T-Mobile and others, there is finally real competition for home Internet, which has also launched cord cutting 2.0. No longer are you limited to DSL, cable, and maybe a fiber Internet option. There are now a growing number of other options, including T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet.
Cord cutting is the idea of canceling expensive TV service for new, less expensive options. Now cord cutting 2.0 is the idea of canceling expensive cable Internet service for cheaper options like T-Mobile Home Internet.
The question now is should you spend your money on T-Mobile 5G Home Internet? Is it worth the cost? Can you stream what you want with it?
Disclaimer: T-Mobile provided Cord Cutters News with a review unit for this review. T-Mobile did not get to see our review before we posted it live and had no requests or limitations on our ability to test out their home Internet service. We tested it in my personal home over several months, not at a T-Mobile test site.
Here is our quick review of the T-Mobile 5G Home Internet:
Pricing
T-Mobile’s 5G Internet service skips equipment rentals and is available for $60 per month with no contracts.
If you have a phone plan from T-Mobile, you may qualify to get T-Mobile Home Internet for just $50 a month.
*Note both prices include a discount for autopay.
Speeds
T-Mobile advertised the service as a 100 Mbps down speed. In our testing, we regularly got over 300 Mbps down, but sometimes it would fall into the 200 Mbps range.
Note: We did move the modem around to different windows and found that putting the modem on the south side of our house gave us the best speed.
Also, moving the modem by a window helped improve the Internet speed rather than having it in the middle of our house.
Speeds for T-Mobile Home Internet will vary depending on where you live. So, I may get 300 Mbps down, but your speed may be different. (Note: This is a jump from when we first started to test the service and only averaged 200 Mbps down.)
Is T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Fast Enough for Streaming?
Yes, we were able to stream Amazon, Paramount+, YouTube TV, and more without issues using T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet.
There are a few services that lock you into a home IP location. Because T-Mobile’s Home Internet changes your IP address often, it makes using Hulu with Live TV, for example, difficult.
Most streaming services need 15 Mbps to 20 Mbps for a 4K stream. Even at 100 Mbps, you should easily be able to stream the movies and TV shows you want, even at 4K.
Setup
Setting up my modem was easy. I plugged it in and downloaded the T-Mobile app. It only took a few minutes to follow the steps in the app.
Test T-Mobile Home Internet Before You Pay
T-Mobile now offers a 15-day free trial of T-Mobile Home Internet, letting you test it out before you get locked into it.
Here are the legal details of the 15-day test drive:
Cancel within 15 days of Home Internet service activation. Limited-time offer; subject to change. Qualifying new Home Internet line and timely gateway return required. Refund via one-time bill credit. Max 1/account. May not be combinable with some offers or discounts.
Final Thoughts
For the average American who wants to watch videos, check email, and surf the web, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet should easily be what you want. Dedicated gamers who really want that crazy fast Internet may want to consider other options.
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Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
