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Not all products, pricing, and services are available in all areas. Pricing and actual speeds may vary. Internet speeds based on wired connection. Restrictions apply.
Is “5G” home Internet good? It’s an important question when we rely on a stable home Internet connection for streaming, gaming, work and more. Wirelessly broadcasting broadband Internet service into homes is great in theory, but the reality is 5G home Internet is rebranding existing technology – it's just cell phone Internet with speeds that can be slow and unstable.
In fact, there are a lot of things to consider with cell phone Internet – things you should know about before deciding if Verizon or T-Mobile cell phone Internet is good enough for your household.
Get reliable, Gig-speed Internet with Spectrum.
Cell phone Internet providers like Verizon and T-Mobile can reach certain speeds, but those speeds may not be consistent during peak hours of 7-10 pm. Spectrum’s analysis of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence data showed that cell phone Internet may not consistently maintain broadband speeds over 25 Mbps during peak times.[1]
When looking at T-Mobile's or Verizon's cell phone Internet vs Spectrum, remember that coverage doesn’t always equate to performance.
T-Mobile and Verizon can boast about their expansive, nationwide 5G networks, but the reality is that network size becomes irrelevant when so many people connect to the same cell tower or node at the same time. Because of this, data de-prioritization can occur, where cell phone Internet providers may limit their customers’ speeds and/or bandwidth during periods of high congestion.
In the fine print, T-Mobile admits cell phone Internet customers who exceed 1.2TB of data usage for the current billing cycle are prioritized last on their network, alongside heavy data users.[4] Likewise, Verizon’s cell phone Internet network users are de-prioritized, behind other traffic[3]. If you are considering cell phone Internet, Spectrum Internet® has more reliable speeds than T-Mobile and Verizon cell phone Internet at peak times[5].
If you like to stream without concern for reduced speed, cell phone Internet may not be for you. T-Mobile notes video speeds may be reduced during periods of congestion, which may impact high-bandwidth activities like video streaming and file downloading [4].
On the other hand, all Spectrum Internet customers have equal priority on the network and Spectrum does not limit Internet speeds, bandwidth or video quality.
For the same reason, cell phone Internet may not be the best choice for online gaming. When some cell phone Internet customers are not prioritized on the network, high-bandwidth activities like gaming can lag at peak times. Serious gamers may want to look elsewhere.
Cell phone Internet networks are still in the early stages of being built, whereas Spectrum provides Internet service in parts of 41 states, delivering access to reliable connections across the nation. Spectrum has also invested over $40 billion [2] in cable Internet infrastructure to bring high-speed Internet to rural areas.
If all the above reasons aren’t enough, T-Mobile does not currently offer security software with cell phone Internet plans.
All Spectrum Internet plans include FREE Security Suite for laptops and desktop computers. And with Spectrum Advanced WiFi, Security Shield provides enhanced network security for every device on your home WiFi network, blocking online threats before they reach you[6].
When looking at Verizon or T-Mobile cell phone Internet vs Spectrum, the case is clear. Spectrum Internet delivers speeds you can rely on, even at peak times when you need it most. For a consistent connection while working, streaming and gaming – choose Spectrum for speeds up to 1 Gbps with NO contracts or data caps.
Footnotes:
[1] Based on Spectrum’s analysis of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data during Q4 2022-Q2 2023 in Spectrum’s footprint. Reliable speeds based on Consistency Score™ comparisons. Faster speeds based on the median speeds delivered. Peak hours defined as 7-10 PM Mon-Fri. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.
[2] “Investing In Innovation & Infrastructure,” Charter Communications, https://policy.charter.com/resource-hub/network-investment-access
[3]“Important Information About Verizon Wireless Broadband Internet Access Services,” https://www.verizon.com/support/broadband-services/
[4] “Important information about T-Mobile's Broadband Internet Access Services and T-Mobile's Open Internet Disclosures”, https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/consumer-info/policies/internet-service
[5] Based on Spectrum’s analysis of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data during Q4 2023 in Spectrum’s footprint. Reliable speeds based on Consistency ScoreTM comparisons. Peak hours defined as 7-11pm Mon-Fri. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.
[6] Advanced WiFi does not prevent all forms of identity or data theft.permission.