5G Internet is Coming

I've talked before about my woeful internet service and how I'm trapped in an area with only one provider who won't upgrade the switch on I'm from 1.5Mbps speed. That's not a typo. We're stuck at 1.5Mbps. I've also blogged about how my ISP, Windstream, was forced into bankruptcy after treating another business the way it treats its customers. I've also mentioned that I'm less than a mile from a fiber line with speeds up to 1,000Mbps, but the provider for that doesn't service my road. Hold onto your hat. All that is about to change.

5G internet is available in limited areas as is 5G home internet. Verizon, a company I'm not a fan of but could work with, is providing 5G home internet now. It's $70/month for speeds up to 300Mbps(compared to a max of 100Mbps from Windstream) with no contract and no cell phone requirement. In comparison Windstream charges $98+/month for 1.5Mbps. Theoretically, I could go from 1.5Mbps to 300Mbps and save almost $25/month for switching. Needless to say, I'm not in a 5G area, but according to one of the articles I looked at, Verizon is supposed to be offering 5G nationwide by 2020 or 2021. I don't know whether they'll make that goal or not, but either way Windstream's days are numbered.

Here's what I'm thinking. At some point we're likely to see 4G home internet packages, too, and cheaper than 5G. Straighttalk Wireless already has a 60GB 4G data plan for $55/month for cell phones only. More and more people switching to 5G will free up the 4G network for other uses, assuming it's kept running. It's already built. Why not make money from it? If 4G internet becomes available as an alternative to 5G internet, it's all good. 4G internet would likely be here first. I'd jump on that in a heartbeat. That wold give me a minimum 3Mbps speed and maybe a bit higher. I could live with 4G speeds for a while.

AT&T also has a 5G internet plan, but it's $70 for 15GB of data. ROFL. Verizon's plan is supposed to be unlimited data. AT&T has announced they're going for a tiered approach and thus a limited number of customers. The more you get the higher the price. Verizon seems to be going for a lower price but available to everyone.

It won't happen overnight, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. All I have to do is keep an eye on 4G data plans and Verizon's 5G timeline.

Have a great weekend.