If you want fast and stable internet for your home, a wired connection such as broadband cable or optic fiber is the best option. Another wired connection type is DSL, which is comparatively slower and uses your landline. However wired internet connections are not easily available or accessible in many remote and rural areas; hence, residents in these regions can go for a wireless network instead.
If you have the option between wired and wireless, you should always pick the former as it excels in performance whilst costing less. For example, if you live in a major metro city within the United States, you are likely to be eligible for a high-speed internet plan by Xfinity. You may contact Xfinity customer support to check availability in your neighborhood.
Most cable internet plans come with free Wi-Fi equipment, so you can easily connect your mobile devices around the house. Then again, a fixed wireless connection is a good alternative when wired internet services are unavailable. By and large, it is not profitable for internet providers to establish a wired network in scarcely populated regions.
A fixed wireless internet connection normally utilizes radio waves to link two locations, such as your residential building and a 5G tower. A fixed wireless connection is convenient for rural and isolated zones; not to mention, much more reliable than satellite internet.
If you want to invest in a fixed wireless internet connection for your home, these are our top picks:
Best Fixed Wireless Internet Providers
1. Verizon 5G Home Internet
2. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
3. Rise Broadband
4. Starry Internet
5. AT&T Internet Air
- Verizon 5G Home Internet
Verizon 5G Home Internet takes the lead by providing the highest speed plans with no data caps. You don’t have to worry about entering a contract plan, and the service price is guaranteed for up to three years. Internet packages start at $35 per month (price is subject to change) and you can avail an attractive discount if you bundle it with a 5G mobile plan.
For the best speeds, we suggest signing up for the Verizon 5G Home Plus plan which delivers up to 1000Mbps in overall speed. The lowest recorded download speed is 300Mbps, which is still pretty decent compared to other wireless internet services. Upload speed goes up to 50Mbps which is impressive for a non-wired connection.
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a winner in terms of availability. It has been around for longer and provides better coverage in most rural areas across the United States. If you get uninterrupted cellular signals at home, a fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile should be easy to obtain and great to use.
This network is similar to Verizon 5G in several aspects; for instance, you can bundle it with a mobile data plan at a rebate. On the contrary, the maximum speed you can achieve from this wireless network is 245Mbps only. On the plus side, you don’t have to pay any installation and equipment charges.
- Rise Broadband
Rise Broadband offers fiber optic and fixed wireless connections across 16 states. The wireless network is suitable for rural settlements where wired internet cannot reach. The best thing about Rise Broadband is its extensive variety of internet plans.
Speeds within the wireless network range between 25Mbps to 100Mbps and price varies accordingly. Data limit depends upon the plan you choose; you can go for as low as 350GB a month or request unlimited data for a higher cost. Installation fees and monthly rental charges for equipment are applicable.
- Starry Internet
Starry Internet is yet another fixed wireless internet provider that delivers on speed. You can get up to 1000Mbps download speed for $80 per month (price is subject to change), and upload speed as high as 200Mbps; this is the highest you can get from a wireless connection yet, which is remarkable.
Internet plans start at $40 (price is subject to change) none of them have data caps. While Starry Internet does not charge equipment fees or impose contracts, prices do increase on a yearly basis. While the overall rating and performance of this wireless network are excellent, it is only accessible in select cities at the moment.
- AT&T Internet Air
AT&T is usually in the top three whenever cable and fiber internet providers are discussed, but can we say the same for fixed wireless? AT&T Internet Air is fine for rural and remote areas, but you cannot expect much in terms of speed.
AT&T Internet Air is the slowest on the list with a top speed of 140Mbps only. In addition, availability is limited, so we can expect improvement once the network expands to cover more mileage. On the bright side, there are no contracts and equipment fee; also, you can get a discount when you bundle with AT&T data plan.
Wrapping Up
If you decide to go with one of the mentioned fixed wireless internet options, we’d love to learn about your experience. In case you reside in a remote zone that doesn’t receive stable cellular network signals, we suggest you look into satellite internet providers instead.