How is 5G home internet different from fiber or cable internet? With a fixed wireless service like 5G, your home connects to the provider's network over the air. So 5GHz is one of the band options for your home's Wi-Fi system, but it's not the same thing as 5G, which is a cellular technology that uses higher-frequency waves.Ĭable, fiber and DSL home internet plans require wires that connect your home to the provider's grid. Wi-Fi routers also use short-range radio frequencies - typically either 2.4 or 5 gigahertz - to transmit your internet signal to connected devices within your home. One common mistake is to see the "5GHz" setting on your Wi-Fi router and assume you have access to 5G. Is 5GHz the same thing as 5G home internet? Finally, low-band 5G offers a range similar to 4G, but with a speed that tops out between 100 and 200Mbps. To combat that, midband technology, which offers speeds averaging between 300 and 400 megabits per second, increases the coverage area provided by millimeter-wave. But with those higher, gigabit speeds come a price - the data doesn't travel the same distance as 4G and has trouble with obstructions. Millimeter-wave technology uses much higher frequencies than previous generations and subsequently provides much faster speeds and connections. My CNET colleague Eli Blumenthal breaks down the basics of 5G here. 5G networks, which use different radio frequencies than previous generations, aim to provide faster data speeds with much less lag or delay than we had with 4G. You're probably most familiar with hearing 5G used to describe better mobile communications and speedier phones. Fifth generation of what, you ask? The fifth generation of wireless data networks. Simply put, 5G stands for fifth generation. Let's dig in and see how it works, how fast it gets, what it costs and where it's available right now. The earliest 5G home internet plans, available from names like Starry, T-Mobile and Verizon, offer respectable speeds at a straightforward price - but availability is limited to select cities and regions. All too often, though, we have few options or alternatives.Ĭould 5G be the answer? The technology powering our newest phones also wants to tackle our home broadband needs. It's no secret that many of us are tired of being tied to internet service providers with cumbersome contracts, low speeds, restrictive terms and rising fees.
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