Unbelievable 5G Breakthrough: Say Goodbye to Cable Internet Forever!

Discover the game-changing potential of 5G FWA as a cable internet alternative. Is it time to ditch your old connection? Explore the future of high-speed home broadband!

Remember when there was all that excitement about the arrival of 5G wireless networks? Well, it might be time to revisit that enthusiasm.

The buzz surrounding 5G wasn’t merely hype. This technology efficiently handles more data and voice traffic on the same radio frequencies. Additionally, 5G boasts significantly faster data download speeds compared to its predecessors, which makes it a potent tool for various commercial applications. However, for the average consumer, the difference in performance between 4G and 5G phones seemed negligible at first.

Now, 5G is stepping into its own, not primarily as a mobile technology, but as a viable alternative to cable broadband services for homes and businesses.

It goes by the name of 5G FWA, or Fixed Wireless Access. Essentially, it’s a customized version of 5G designed not for mobile phones but for specialized wireless receivers that can be placed on a windowsill or mantelpiece. Presently, around 6 million homes and businesses in the United States are utilizing 5G FWA. Companies like T-Mobile and Verizon are aggressively rolling out this service in Greater Boston and across the country. Even AT&T, who was initially sceptical, has introduced its version called Internet Air in a dozen U.S. cities, excluding Boston for now.

In terms of sheer speed, 5G FWA may not match a robust cable or fibre connection, but it offers dependable service at a reasonable price point.

“They’re not aiming to outperform fibre or cable,” says Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst of Leichtman Research Group, which tracks the wireless broadband industry. “They are now succeeding in providing a decent enough service for a value-conscious group.”

Comcast, for instance, charges $35 per month for a service promising approximately 400 megabits-per-minute download speeds. Conversely, T-Mobile’s service costs $50 monthly, but when bundled with a T-Mobile wireless phone account, the price drops to $30. Verizon offers a similar deal: $60 a month for FWA, or $35 if you’re also a phone customer.

While these prices are competitive, they aren’t a massive discount compared to traditional broadband. So, the primary competitive advantage for 5G FWA lies in its plug-and-play simplicity.

I had the opportunity to use T-Mobile’s 5G FWA system for a week. The router arrived in the mail, resembling a five-pound sack of flour in size and shape. Along with it, there was a power cord and a brief pamphlet featuring a QR code. Scanning it with your phone allows you to download the T-Mobile app, which includes a nifty feature that utilizes your phone’s camera. Stand in the middle of the room, slowly spin, and point the camera at the walls and windows. You’ll see an on-screen pointer guiding you in positioning the router towards the nearest T-Mobile 5G antenna.

After that, simply plug in the router and turn it on. There are two Ethernet ports for connecting a computer, or you can log in via Wi-Fi using the username and password conveniently written on the router’s back.

My initial experience with Ookla Speedtest was promising, with download speeds of 223 megabits per second and upload speeds of 62 megabits per second. However, within hours, during a thunderstorm with heavy rain, the speed dropped to 134 megabits down and 15 up. The frequencies used by T-Mobile 5G are not supposed to be affected by rainstorms, but something seemed to have interfered.

A few days later, under ideal weather conditions, the broadband performance was abysmal, measuring 29 megabits down and 24 up. The cause of these fluctuations remains unclear, but it’s worth noting that several trees obstructed the line of sight between my location and the cell tower, which can hinder a cellular signal. Additionally, network traffic fluctuations could have played a role. When many users tap into 5G capacity simultaneously, performance is likely to suffer.

T-Mobile spokesperson Paisley Madison stated that the network is designed to deliver speeds ranging from 72 to 245 megabits per second, which she considers more than adequate for gaming or video streaming.

Madison also pointed out that internet providers often attempt to convince customers that they need download speeds of hundreds of megabits or even a gigabit per second for basic home broadband. However, in reality, most households require much less.

What happened to the initial promises that 5G would deliver gigabit download speeds? Well, it wasn’t entirely misleading, but it wasn’t the whole story.

There’s a super-fast variant of 5G that employs “millimeter-wave” radio frequencies. I’ve tested this version, and it indeed lives up to its speed claims. However, it requires a direct line of sight between your device and the cell tower. These extremely high frequencies are easily obstructed by almost anything in their path, even a windowpane.

On the other hand, 5G FWA utilizes “mid-band” radio frequencies that are quite fast but not in the gigabit range. The signal easily penetrates windows, walls, and tree limbs, making it a suitable compromise for millions of users.

Speaking of numbers, T-Mobile anticipates having up to 8 million subscribers by 2025, nearly doubling its current user base. Even if Verizon and AT&T achieve similar success, they will still only represent a fraction of the U.S. consumer broadband market, which is estimated at around 113 million subscribers according to the Leichtman Research Group.

In conclusion, while 5G FWA may not revolutionize the entire broadband industry, it does offer a convenient and reasonably priced alternative for certain users. So, perhaps it’s time to appreciate what all the 5G excitement was truly about.