As Verizon continues expanding its 5G coverage, more households now have access to this new home internet option. But how good is Verizon’s 5G home internet service? Let’s take a closer look.
What Speeds Can You Expect with Verizon 5G Home Internet?
Speed is one of the main selling points of 5G connectivity. Verizon advertises typical download speeds of 300 Mbps for its 5G home service, with max speeds up to 1 Gbps, depending on location and network capacity.
To put those speeds into perspective, the average fixed broadband download speed in the US is around 140 Mbps as of 2022. So Verizon’s 5G home internet is roughly 2-7 times faster than typical broadband, at least on paper.
Real-world speeds will depend on factors like network usage and signal strength. However early reviews of the service found that many users consistently received 400-700+ Mbps downloads. Upload speeds were solid too, ranging from 30-50 Mbps.
Read more about: Is 300 Mbps Fast: Unleashing the Power of High-Speed Internet
How Does the Price Compare to Cable Internet?
Verizon 5G Home Internet costs $50 per month for Verizon Wireless customers or $70 per month for non-Verizon customers. There are no annual contracts or data caps.
Compared to major cable internet providers that typically charge $50-100+ monthly for speeds in the 100-200 Mbps range, Verizon’s 5G pricing is competitive. You’re getting faster speeds for an equivalent or lower monthly fee.
What Are the Limitations of Verizon 5G Home Internet?
There are a few limitations to note with Verizon’s 5G home offering:
- Availability – Since it’s dependent on a 5G signal, the service is only available in certain parts of certain cities so far. Verizon claims it covers 30 million households currently. But there’s still a long way to go for nationwide coverage.
- Indoor Signal Strength – While 5G offers blazing-fast speeds outdoors, signals can degrade through walls and windows. Thicker walls in particular may weaken reception. Positioning the 5G receiver in a window can help boost speed
- Unlimited Data Option – Verizon 5G Home Internet caps monthly data usage at 1,000 GB. That allotment should satisfy even heavy streaming households. But it’s not unlimited like some cable plans.
How Does 5G Home Internet Handle Streaming, Gaming, and Multiple Devices?
With download speeds up to 1 Gbps and 30-50 Mbps uploads, Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is fast enough to handle many devices and simultaneous streaming.
Gaming, video conferencing, 4K/8K video streaming, smart home hubs, and dozens of connected devices should all operate smoothly. Multi-user households with lots of bandwidth demand shouldn’t have any issues fully utilizing Verizon’s 5G speeds.
Early user tests showed positive results for streaming, gaming, and video calls. Verizon claims its 5G receiver can handle up to 100 devices connected at once. So far the service delivers on those promises of fast whole-home coverage.
How Reliable is the 5G Home Internet Connection?
Reliability is almost as important as speed when it comes to home internet. Fast speeds don’t mean much if the connection keeps dropping.
Thus far Verizon 5G Home Internet reviews don’t indicate any major reliability problems. As long as the 5G receiver maintains a moderately strong signal, the service seems to operate very reliably.
Since it’s a newer offering though, reliability could be impacted as more users sign up in a given area. But Verizon’s 5G coverage map shows if a strong 5G signal reaches your home location before ordering service.
Read the full-depth review on Verizon 5G Home Internet Service
Does Verizon 5G Home Internet Require a Contract?
Verizon 5G Home Internet does not require any annual contracts or commitments. You can cancel anytime without early termination fees. That flexibility is a benefit over most cable operators, allowing you to test Verizon’s 5G speeds without locking into long-term agreements.
Is Self-Setup for 5G Home Internet Difficult?
Verizon ships its 5G receiver with all necessary cabling to connect to your home router. From there, you simply plug the router into your computer or directly wire devices into ethernet ports around your home.
The 5G receiver is compact, flexible, and can be placed in various locations to optimize 5G signal strength. Overall the setup process for tech-savvy users takes less than 30 minutes without professional installation.
If you do need assistance, Verizon offers expert 5G setup support over the phone. However, most customers report self-installation as quick and painless following the included setup instructions.
Does Verizon Limit 5G Home Internet to Specific Devices?
A major benefit of Verizon 5G Home Internet is device flexibility. Unlike satellite internet, for example, Verizon’s 5G has no restrictions on types of computers, gaming consoles, smart home devices, or any internet-connected electronics you want to use.
As long as your device has WiFi or ethernet connectivity, it will work seamlessly with Verizon’s 5G receiver and your home network. You also have full control to customize wireless settings, passwords, etc. without provider limitations.
Is Verizon 5G Home Internet Available Nationwide?
Verizon continues expanding 5G coverage, aiming to reach over 175 million people across over 1,700 cities by the end of 2025. But 5G home internet won’t be available everywhere right away.
As of early 2024, Verizon 5G Home Internet covers around 30 million households. Availability depends on proximity to 5G towers in your area.
Verizon’s website lets you enter your address to check for eligibility. Coverage should ramp up considerably over 2023-2025 as more 5G networking infrastructure comes online. But rural areas will lag behind major metropolitan zones.
Conclusion
With typical download speeds around 300 Mbps and max speeds up to 1 Gbps, Verizon 5G Home Internet is much faster than typical cable internet service. It handles bandwidth-intensive tasks like 4K streaming, gaming, video calls, and dozens of connected devices without issue.
While the $50-$70 monthly cost is very competitive, availability is still limited. Rural households may need to wait a few years for coverage. Reliability and device flexibility are two other big advantages of Verizon’s 5G offering for home internet access.
Overall Verizon 5G Home Internet makes good on its speed promises today while offering big reliability and flexibility advantages over traditional home internet services.
As 5G availability expands, it should give cable broadband some real competition on all fronts while bringing next-gen connectivity to more households across America.