Fixed Wireless Internet: Using Your Cellular Service Provider for Home Internet

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If you’re looking for ways to save on your home internet service or if you live in a rural area, opting for a fixed wireless internet plan from a cellular service provider may be worth considering.

I’ve checked out the fixed wireless internet plans available from all the major carriers and have read the fine print to see who’s eligible and exactly what’s available for the price.

This article was updated in February 2024 and I review it every six months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

5 Things To Know About Fixed Wireless Internet

Many cell phone service providers are now offering home internet plans called “fixed wireless internet.” These plans are typically cheaper than traditional home internet options, and as money expert Clark Howard notes, they’re more likely to be available in rural areas.

“If you happen to live at an address that has no traditional high-speed internet from a cable monopoly or a phone monopoly, know that now one-third of American households have available what’s known as ‘fixed wireless service’ from Verizon or T-Mobile.”

Below, you’ll find more information on fixed wireless internet including how to get it, whether or not you should consider it and how it compares to standard internet service.

Table of Contents:

What Is Fixed Wireless Internet?

Fixed wireless internet is a cheaper alternative to standard internet plans available from phone and cable monopolies. It provides Wi-Fi to your home through an in-home receiver so that you can connect your devices and enjoy internet access.

“This is something where you have a wireless modem that sits near a window in your home and gives you a strong enough internet signal to do all the video and streaming you want to do,” says Clark.

However, he points out that speeds typically aren’t strong enough for gaming. If you’re a gamer, fixed wireless internet may not provide fast enough download speeds. 

This type of internet is available primarily in rural areas where other internet options aren’t available. Most fixed wireless internet providers provide Wi-Fi by converting nearby cellular service (4G LTE or 5G) through a modem in your home to provide internet access to connected devices. 

You can find fixed wireless internet plans available without annual contracts or monthly data limits. 

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Who Should Consider Fixed Wireless Internet?

If you don’t have access to standard internet plans at your home, fixed wireless internet may be available. Even if you do have access to a traditional internet service, fixed wireless internet may be cheaper.

Because it’s available only in select areas, the first thing you should do is determine which (if any) fixed wireless internet services are available at your address. 

In addition to availability, it’s important to consider the main differences between fixed wireless internet and standard internet. For example, fixed wireless service often includes much slower download speeds, and speeds may vary depending on how busy the network is. 

While fixed wireless internet typically provides fast enough speeds for basic surfing and video streaming, if you’re uploading a lot of data or playing online games, you’ll likely find that traditional internet service is much more reliable.

If you’re thinking about trying out a fixed wireless internet plan, here are a few questions to ask yourself: 

  • Are there fixed wireless internet plans available for your home? You can enter your address on any service provider’s website to see if it’s available in your area. You may be eligible for only one or two services, which will quickly narrow down your selection.
  • Can you get by with limited data speeds? Fixed wireless internet typically provides download speeds of 20-100 Mbps, which is significantly slower than traditional internet plans. Upload speeds are even slower.
  • Can you avoid early termination fees when you switch? Unless you’re switching to Verizon Home Internet (which provides up to $500 in credit for early termination fees), make sure you won’t be spending more on switching than you’ll save with fixed wireless internet. Otherwise, it may be worth waiting until your current contract expires.

If you can answer “yes” to each of these questions, I recommend trying out a fixed wireless service. It’s likely cheaper than traditional internet available in your area. And, if there isn’t traditional internet service available where you live, fixed wireless internet is definitely worth considering.

Which Cell Phone Service Providers Offer Fixed Wireless Internet?

If you’re thinking about switching to a fixed wireless internet plan, it’s important to know which providers offer service in your area. The best way to find out is by visiting each provider’s website and entering your address.

Here’s a list of companies that currently offer fixed wireless internet.

ProviderStarting Monthly Price5G AccessDownload SpeedsMonthly Data Limit
Verizon Wireless$35 with an eligible cell phone plan
$50 without a cell phone plan
Yes25-50 Mbps (LTE)
High-speed 5G
None
T-Mobile$40 with an eligible cell phone plan
$60 without a cell phone plan
Yes70 – 320 MbpsNone
AT&T$35 with a cell phone plan
$55 without a cell phone plan
Yes40-140 MbpsNone
UScellular$50 with autopay & paperless discountsYes (Unlimited Even Better)Varies300GB-1.5TB
Straight Talk$45Yes20-50 Mbps (4G/LTE)
20-100 Mbps (5G)
None

Below, you’ll find more information on each provider’s fixed wireless internet plans including a breakdown of pricing and features, how the service works and how to check availability in your area.

Verizon LTE/5G Home

Verizon offers four different fixed wireless internet plans including LTE Home Internet, LTE Home Plus, 5G Home Internet and 5G Home Plus.

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Here are the available Verizon Home Internet plans and prices as of November 2023. 

PlanPrice w/ Autopay & Select Wireless Plans*Price w/ AutopayPrice w/o AutopayDownload SpeedsAdditional Perks***
LTE Home Internet$35$50$60Up to 50 Mbps- Wireless router included
- 2-year price guarantee
LTE Home Plus$45$70$80Up to 50 Mbps- Router and Whole-Home Wi-Fi included
- 3-year price guarantee
- Verizon Cloud Unlimited
- One premium extra: Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), $200 Amazon.com Gift Card or Xbox Series S
5G Home Internet$35$50$60High-speed**- Wireless router included
- 2-year price guarantee
5G Home Plus$45$70$80Higher-speed**- Router and Whole-Home Wi-Fi included
- 3-year price guarantee
- Verizon Cloud Unlimited
- One premium extra: Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), $200 Amazon.com Gift Card or Xbox Series S

*Eligible plans include Verizon’s Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Ultimate.
**Specific speeds aren’t available for Verizon 5G Home Internet online, but based on a recent study at RootMetrics, Verizon offers the best everyday 5G reliability.
***Additional “premium extra” perks for Plus plans change regularly 

As you can see, having a Verizon Wireless phone plan makes home internet cheaper, but it isn’t required for service. 

None of Verizon’s fixed wireless internet plans have monthly data limits nor do they require annual contracts. You can cancel any month with no early termination fees or penalties. Additionally, the router is included with no setup fees (self-setup). 

Verizon LTE and 5G Home Internet plans typically include a two-year price guarantee, while LTE and 5G Home Plus plans include a three-year price guarantee. However, according to Verizon’s website, “Now, new and existing Verizon Wireless customers adding a new Verizon Home Internet plan, get a 5-year price guarantee on their internet service.”

You can also get up to $500 credit toward early termination fees when you switch. If you cancel your current internet service and get Verizon LTE Home Internet within four months, you’ll have 90 days to provide documentation of the early termination fee to receive up to a $500 credit. Note that you will have to keep Verizon LTE Home Internet for at least 90 days after installation/setup to avoid being charged the credit amount. 

You can find more information on Verizon LTE Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet and check availability in your area on Verizon’s website.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers an internet-only plan as well as a bundle for T-Mobile wireless customers. Without a phone plan from T-Mobile, home internet costs $60 monthly with autopay or $65 monthly without autopay.

If you have a Go5G Next, Go5G Plus or Magenta MAX phone plan, you can get home internet for $40 monthly with autopay or $45 monthly without autopay. Additionally, existing T-Mobile customers with any voice line can get T-Mobile Home Internet for $50 monthly with autopay ($55 monthly without autopay).

Like Verizon, T-Mobile 5G home internet doesn’t require annual service contracts and there are no hidden fees, according to the website. You’ll pay for Home Internet month-to-month and can cancel at any time. Also like Verizon, T-Mobile’s 5G network has been rapidly growing to offer service in more areas.

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T-Mobile doesn’t typically offer help with early termination fees when switching from an existing provider. However, in the past, I’ve seen limited-time deals for up to $750 to help with early termination fees. At the time of writing (November 2023), T-Mobile was instead offering a free Blink smart security package ($179.98 value) when you switch to T-Mobile Home Internet.

When it comes to the actual internet service, there are no monthly data limits. You’ll have unlimited access to T-Mobile’s 4G LTE and/or 5G network depending on where you live, and you can expect download speeds between 70 Mbps and 320 Mbps. However, speeds vary based on location, signal strength and availability, time of day and other factors, according to T-Mobile. 

It’s also worth noting that T-Mobile’s 5G network is currently performing better than both Verizon’s or AT&T’s according to a recent study published by Ookla. In the third quarter of 2023, T-Mobile had a median download speed of 221.57 Mbps on its 5G network.

T-Mobile Home Internet works through a high-speed internet Gateway device that’s included with your plan. 

You can see if T-Mobile home internet is available in your area by visiting the website and clicking “Check availability” to get started.

AT&T Internet Air

AT&T recently launched its newest fixed wireless internet plan: AT&T Internet Air.

Previously, AT&T’s fixed wireless home internet provided traditional internet service to rural areas through a mounted outdoor wireless antenna. However, the new AT&T Internet Air works similarly to Verizon and T-Mobile. Internet Air provides access to AT&T’s LTE and 5G networks through an All-Fi Hub that’s included in the price of the plan. 

If you have an unlimited AT&T Wireless plan (including Unlimited Starter, Unlimited Extra or Unlimited Premium), you can get AT&T Internet Air for $35 monthly (autopay and paperless billing required). Without an unlimited wireless plan, you can still get AT&T Internet Air for $55 monthly with autopay and paperless billing.

You can expect typical download speeds of 40-140 Mbps, but speeds will vary depending on where you live. Like Verizon and T-Mobile, AT&T Internet Air does not have a monthly data limit. However, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy.

You can learn more about AT&T Internet Air and check availability in your area online.

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UScellular

If you’ve searched for fixed wireless internet or cellular home internet, you’ve probably also come across plans from UScellular

Everyone in UScellular’s 4G LTE coverage area is eligible for service. The company has started to roll out 5G home internet with speeds of up to 300 Mbps, but it’s available only in select locations and prices vary.

UScellular’s Home Internet is available for as low as $50 per month with no data overage fees. While there are monthly high-speed data limits, you’ll just be reduced to 3G speeds (1.5 Mbps) once you’ve reached your limit. 

According to UScellular, speeds “vary due to area, coverage, foliage, compression or the network management requirements.” For these reasons, the company doesn’t guarantee coverage or specify expected speeds. You can find more information on UScellular’s speeds and network practices here.

Unlike Verizon and T-Mobile, you will need to sign a 36-month contract if you plan to use a UScellular high-speed router. It adds $5.50 monthly to your total cost, or you can buy the router outright for $198. 

To learn more about UScellular’s home internet and to check availability in your area, visit the company’s website for USCellular Home Internet and enter your address.

Straight Talk Wireless

Straight Talk Wireless is one of the latest options on the market for fixed wireless home internet. Last year, Straight Talk partnered with Walmart to offer a new prepaid home internet option that provides access to Verizon Wireless’ network.

Straight Talk Home Internet costs $45 per month plus a one-time cost of $99.99 for the router. The router picks up nearby signals from Verizon Wireless’ network (5G or 4G/LTE) and converts the signal to Wi-Fi that you can use to connect your devices at home. 

With this plan, you’ll have access to unlimited monthly data. That means there’s no data cap to worry about, and you’ll never have to pay overage fees. Instead, this plan is completely prepaid on a month-to-month basis with no contracts required.

According to the websiteStraight Talk Home Internet can deliver download speeds of 20-100 Mbps and upload speeds of 3-10 Mbps. The availability, coverage and actual speeds vary depending on location, signal strength and network connection. Customers in 4G/LTE coverage zones can expect download speeds of 20-50 Mbps and upload speeds of 3-6 Mbps. 

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Check out Team Clark’s review here. You can also visit Straight Talk Wireless’ website or Walmart’s website to check availability in your area.

How Does Fixed Wireless Internet Compare?

Fixed wireless internet is less widely available than traditional internet service, but these plans target areas with no other internet options. So they may be the only option for some people.

In addition to availability, other key differences to be aware of include download speeds, data limits, contract requirements, and of course, price.

“Using the fixed wireless from T-Mobile or Verizon often is cheaper than what you can get from the cable or phone monopolies.”

To see exactly how fixed wireless internet compares to traditional internet plans, I looked at a few of the best standard internet service providers.

According to a recent customer satisfaction study by the American Customer Service Index (ACSI), AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider to date in 2023 among fiber internet service providers based on customer satisfaction results. It’s followed by CenturyLink Fiber (Lumen Technologies) and Google Fiber. I took a closer look at these internet providers to see how much plans cost and what they include. 

After looking at these plans, here’s a quick breakdown of what I found.

TypePrice Range (without discounts)Download SpeedsData LimitsContract Requirements
Fixed Wireless Internet$30-$8020 Mbps to 320 MbpsNone (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Straight Talk)
300GB-1.5TB (UScellular)
None for service
Traditional Internet$55-$25025 Mbps to 5 GigNoneSome require none; others require a year.

Clearly, fixed wireless internet plans are cheaper, but you’ll experience slower download speeds. Another advantage to fixed wireless plans is that you’re more likely to avoid annual contracts.

Below, you’ll find more information on the specific standard internet service provider plans I used for the comparison. This information is accurate as of November 2023.

AT&T Internet

  • Cost: $55 to $250 plus taxes per month for the first year. After 12 months, “the prevailing rate applies,” but these rates aren’t listed online and likely vary by location.
  • Download Speeds: 300 Mbps to 5 Gig with AT&T Fiber; 25 Mbps to 100 Mbps with standard internet plans
  • Data Limit: Unlimited for most plans
  • Contract Requirements: None

CenturyLink Fiber

  • Cost: $55 to $75 per month. Unless you enroll during promotional pricing, there’s no price lock guarantee which means rates may rise over time
  • Download Speeds: Up to 100 Mbps or up to 948 Mbps depending on your plan 
  • Data Limit: Unlimited
  • Contract Requirements: None

Google Fiber

  • Cost: $70-$100 per month
  • Download Speeds: Up to 1 Gig or 2 Gigs depending on which plan you choose
  • Data Limit: Unlimited
  • Contract Requirements: None

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, fixed wireless internet is a great option to consider if you don’t have access to other internet service providers in your area. Even if you do, you may be able to save by switching to a fixed wireless internet plan. 

A quick Google search will reveal that a standard internet plan costs $60 to $70 per month on average, which makes Verizon LTE/5G Home Internet, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and AT&T Internet Air cheaper (especially if you already have a phone plan with Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T). You can also find lower prices with UScellular and Straight Talk Wireless’ Home Internet plans.

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While you will likely experience slower download speeds with a fixed wireless plan, the average 20-100 Mbps should be fast enough for basic browsing and standard streaming. If you have service in your area and are willing to give it a try, this could be a great way to save.

Do you use fixed wireless internet? Share your experience with us in the Clark.com Community!

Article Updates
  • February 26, 2024: T-Mobile Home Internet pricing has increased
  • November 21, 2023: Updated Verizon’s 5G Home Internet options and pricing (added LTE Home Plus)
  • November 21, 2023: Updated T-Mobile’s fixed wireless download speeds and added the new bundle pricing for existing wireless customers
  • November 21, 2023: Updated AT&T’s fixed wireless plan to the new AT&T Internet Air, which includes 5G access
  • November 21, 2023: Updated performance statistics based on the latest data from Ookla, RootMetrics and ACSI
  • November 21, 2023: Updated the pricing, data speeds, data limits and contract requirements for top-performing standard internet service providers
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