AT&T doesn’t get much attention when it comes to 5G. T-Mobile was the first to roll out a nationwide network, and Verizon drew lots of attention for its focus on mmWave. But, to be fair, AT&T also focused on mmWave early on, and now has a nationwide network of its own.
Something AT&T doesn’t yet have, however, is a home internet service based on its 5G network coverage. The company does offer a fixed wireless service in rural areas, but the gateways and routers used to support those services don’t seem to support 5G just yet.
But AT&T will almost certainly eventually offer a 5G home internet service. Here’s everything you need to know.
AT&T 5G home internet plans
As mentioned, AT&T doesn’t yet offer a home internet plan based on its 5G network, and it’s a bit difficult to talk about a plan that doesn’t exist. But we can discuss what one might look like, based on what other carriers offer.
Both Verizon and T-Mobile offer home internet services that can take advantage of 5G. They both cost $50 under ideal conditions (already having a phone plan with that carrier, autopay being set up, etc.), and use LTE as a backup in case 5G isn’t available in a particular area. Verizon touts 300Mbps as an average speed, and while T-Mobile says users should get at least 25Mbps, that estimate seems to be from the days of LTE being the standard, so those with 5G should experience better speeds.
Given the fact that AT&T offers both Sub-6 and mmWave, some AT&T users may eventually get much faster speeds, however only time will tell.
AT&T 5G internet plans
AT&T 5G home internet coverage
AT&T’s 5G home internet coverage is nonexistent, but its actual 5G coverage is now nationwide — and it’s growing. AT&T has a nationwide network that’s built on the Sub-6 spectrum, which basically means that it’s pretty far-reaching and able to penetrate obstacles, but is not the superfast coverage that some were hoping for. AT&T also offers some pockets of mmWave coverage, which is where you’ll get excellent speeds — but you probably won’t connect to those networks for long.
Check out a more in-depth map of AT&T’s 5G coverage straight from the AT&T website.
AT&T 5G home internet service and speeds
When AT&T’s 5G home internet service is live, it should offer speeds of at least a few hundred megabits per second on average, and far more in areas of good coverage. Verizon touts its service as offering average speeds of 300Mb/s, and AT&T should about match that. But we’ll have to wait and see what AT&T’s 5G home internet service does offer when it launches.