When you think of home internet options, we typically only have a few choices. Cable, DSL or fiber. Verizon wants to change that. The wireless company just recently launched Verizon 5G Home in the Denver metro that uses their new small cell ultra wide band towers to bring fiber-speed connections wireless into your home, apartment of business. Verizon sent an installer to Fox31 and we tested out the service for a couple of weeks.
Install
We had an installer drop by the office to setup the hardware but Verizon will allow you to do a self-install. I talked with the installer while he went through the process and there’s no question I could have done it myself. For us, it was easy because we had a window that gave us a clear view of a UWB tower. It was almost a perfect situation.
Testing the speeds
Once installed, it was time to check the speeds. Considering our proximity to a small cell tower I expected speeds to be pretty good… and they were. In my tests we got about 700 Mbps download speed, 160 Mbps upload speed and a ping time for 11 ms. That last stat is one of the most important. Sure, speed is super important but slower ping times has always hampered wireless connections. Without a good ping time there’s no way you’re going to use a connection for gaming or video calls. 10 ms is definitely good enough for both of those. In fact, it’s a ping time that we would normally see with a fiber or cable internet connection.
What’s the catch?
Well, there isn’t really a catch IF you can get the service. That’s going to be the thing that will hold some people back. In our case, we had a tower directly out the window. Not everyone will be that lucky. Even if you do have a tower close by you may not have a window that faces in the right direction. Verizon says you can do an exterior mount but for renters that may be limited.
Look ma, no caps
Surprisingly there are no speed throttles or data caps. Verizon assures me that this is a truly unlimited connection. This would be a big push in a different direction from broadband heavyweight, Comcast, who does have a data cap on their home internet connections. This won’t impact most people but for power users, this could be a game changer.
Cost
Another surprise, is the price. For existing Verizon wireless customers it’s $50/mo and $70/mo for non-Verizon customers. That $50 price tag (all in, taxes and fees already baked into the price) is pretty impressive.
Conclusion
If you can get Verizon’s 5G Home internet service, you’re in luck and it’s a great option for home internet. Speeds are downright impressive and will likely only be beat by a fiber connection. I was impressed with the speed, ping times, easy install and price of the Verizon 5G Home. Again, your proximity to a small cell tower will be the key component to making this work for your home.
You can find out if your address is available for 5G Home coverage on Verizon’s website.