What To Know Before Switching To T-Mobile Home Internet Service
Many people aren't particularly happy with their internet service provider. They may think they get charged too much, speeds aren't fast enough, or they live in an area where certain internet service opportunities are extremely limited and want to maximize their opportunity. There are many options out there, like Spectrum or Google Fiber, but by and large, all of these ISPs require some kind of wired connection, be it through cable or fiber. However, there are other ways to get internet into your home, and one of the companies providing that option may be a company you didn't even realize had an Internet option, T-Mobile.
Instead of using cable or fiber to provide internet, T-Mobile's 5G Home Internet service utilizes 5G cellular signals, just as your smartphone would. While you would normally connect a modem to a cable line, T-Mobile provides a gateway device that can turn that 5G signal into Wi-Fi for you to connect your devices to. The only cord necessary is the one to plug the gateway into an electrical outlet.
The idea of stepping away from a traditional cable internet service provider may seem like a great idea, but there are a number of things you need to keep in mind before you make the switch over to T-Mobile home internet that may not have crossed your mind while beaming at the thought of no wires.
Availability and quality is dependent on location
As mentioned previously, T-Mobile's 5G Home Internet service is powered by cell towers. First off, this service may not even be available where you live, so you would need to make sure that you are eligible to sign up by checking availability on T-Mobile's website. Now, if you are eligible to get this internet service, that doesn't mean you are going to be getting it at its maximum strength.
If you are already a T-Mobile user for normal cell service, think about how well that service works inside your home. Do a lot of calls get dropped? Do you have to stand in certain rooms of your home to get a good signal? Because T-Mobile's internet runs on 5G cell service, these are the kinds of problems you might endure with this device.
One of the recommendations for the 5G gateway device that comes with the service that T-Mobile makes is to place it in or near a window or high up to minimize the possible barriers between it and the cell tower. So, if you were hoping to hide this thing away in a cabinet, you may be hurting the quality of your internet service, though the same could be said for a wireless router as well.
If you are in a rural, remote area that struggles to get cable or fiber internet but does get pretty good cell service, then having a service like this could prove to be worth it despite some of the logistical home issues that you may face.
No service tiers
When you sign up for most internet service providers, they typically will give you several options for what level of service you so desire. This amounts to download and upload speeds, where the higher the speed is the more money you will have to pay for it. T-Mobile internet does not work this way. Some will see this as a great thing, but others will find it irritating that there is only one option available when it comes to speeds.
T-Mobile internet download and upload speeds are entirely dependent on location, strength of signal, tower capacity, the number of devices connected to the gateway, and so much more. The company estimates that your download speed could be anywhere from 33 to 182 Mbps. While those top speeds aren't terrible, not being able to reach those top-tier cable and fiber speeds that other companies provide could be a major imposition to some.
You can also never guarantee that those are the speeds you will consistently be getting. During particularly congested times for these cell towers, T-Mobile may actually throttle certain users' internet speeds, and if you use over 1.2TB per month, you are even likelier to have your speeds capped.
The price tiering from T-Mobile instead comes from whether or not you also use T-Mobile for your phone. It's $40 per month if you have a Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta MAX phone plan with the company. That goes up to $50 with other phone plans, and if you just want the internet without a T-Mobile phone line, it's $60.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet perks
One thing you cannot deny about T-Mobile's home internet option is that the company also knows how to throw in some pretty good perks to try and entice you to switch over to the service. This is most evident in the option for those who sign up and also have a Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta MAX phone plan. For as long as you keep those plans active, you will also be given free subscriptions to Netflix and Apple TV+.
In the case of Netflix, it is the standard version with ads, but Apple TV+ is just the normal service. Paying $40 per month for internet, Netflix, and Apple TV+ is a pretty good deal. Those deals are also available to those with at least two Go5G or Magenta lines and is in good standing with the company. The $50 tier still gets you a free Apple TV+, though only for six months, so once those six months are up, you will have to go on paying for it yourself.
New customers at every level are eligible to receive up to $750 in service of paying off early termination fees from their current cable-based internet service provider, which is done through a virtual prepaid Mastercard. That said, if you really want to maximize what you can get out of T-Mobile, your best bet is to go with those upper-tier phone plans to go along with your internet, though switching your phone plan to T-Mobile takes a lot of consideration as well.