If you’re looking for a faster Internet connection in a rural area, you’ve probably wondered about 5G home internet. You might also be wondering about the competition with ComLink and Elon Musk’s Starlink. These are all great options, but the question remains: will the new technology bring the same benefits to rural communities? Some important factors need to be taken into account. In addition to the cost, rural residents may also have limited options for service.
4G LTE
When looking for 4G LTE home internet in rural areas, you’ll probably want to look for a provider that offers unlimited data. You’ll want to choose a service that doesn’t limit your data usage but won’t charge you an arm and a leg. These services typically offer download speeds of 25Mbps with peak speeds of 50Mbps. You’ll also want to consider the service’s price, as most come with data usage caps.
While 4G LTE home internet speed depends on the signal strength, the speeds are much faster than a regular home WiFi connection. If you don’t live in a rural area, you can opt for a cell phone hotspot or a home WiFi router. The speed of 4G LTE home internet is much faster than a phone hotspot, and everyone in the household can use it.
Another critical factor in finding a good 4G LTE home internet provider is choosing one that has a wide coverage area. You can find coverage with T-Mobile in 47 states and Hawaii. Their service is moderate, but if you’re looking to download Netflix, you’ll need a download speed of at least 5Mbps. While T-Mobile doesn’t have service in every rural area, they are expanding their coverage area, so you might be able to get 4G LTE home internet even if you’re in a small town.
While you’ll need a wireless device to enjoy Verizon’s LTE Home Internet, you can also opt for a plan that lets you stream movies, download music, and even play games. Verizon’s LTE Home Internet plans offer unlimited data for $40 a month but keep in mind that you can experience signal interruptions. As with any other wireless service, you need to ensure your cellular service is good enough for the LTE service.
5G
Though there are many advantages to 5G home internet, it hasn’t yet been adopted widely for home use. Rural areas are among those most likely to benefit from it. Experts look at the challenges and possibilities of this technology. Here’s a look at the most critical factors for its adoption in rural areas. First is the technology itself. If 5G home internet is developed, rural areas could expect it to be more reliable than the current service.
The technology is not yet ready for wide distribution, but T-Mobile’s 5G home internet launch earlier this month is a significant step forward. Within six years, the company has pledged to cover half of the US population with 5G internet. The announcement is especially noteworthy because the company’s merger with Sprint in 2018 was a key selling point for 5G home internet. In rural areas, T-Mobile’s service is only available in a small percentage of households, and the company has said that its initial rollout will be limited.
Although the US government is pushing for a nationwide rollout of broadband services, rural residents often have limited options. As a result, internet providers are less financially motivated to expand in these areas. However, if there’s a need for internet service, satellite providers can help bring it to remote areas. Next-generation satellite provider Starlink will benefit rural communities with faster speeds and less latency. This technology will help reduce the digital divide.
Another benefit of 5G is that it can help fill the gaps left by traditional broadband providers. According to a report from Broadband Now, 42 million US residents do not have access to high-speed internet. In addition to using existing towers and coverage areas, 5G can help improve rural internet availability. However, the overall capacity of 5G networks is not yet enough to handle the average home usage of 151GB per month. Only government subsidies can help the technology be a viable solution for rural internet issues.
ComLink
If you live in a rural area with no other options, Comlink high-speed internet is an excellent option. Depending on your zip code and the nearest cell tower location, you can choose from three plans. Whether you’re looking for a fast connection or unlimited data, the Comlink home internet plans will fit your needs. You can get your service installed in just a few minutes, and your connection is ready to use right away. With upload speeds of 40 Mbps, you can enjoy streaming videos and playing games. There are no data caps, so you’ll never have to worry about overusing your internet.
Comlink is launching a high-speed service in rural areas in April 2021 in 634 metros nationwide. Although this service will be more expensive than competing services, it’s still affordable for most households. The company offers three different plans with different speeds and no contracts or hidden fees. Once you purchase a package, a technician will install a modem/router combo and receiver in your home for you. The technician will also show you how to use your new internet service.
Consider the Comlink 5G home internet service if you live in a rural area. It will give you super-fast speeds and improve the security of current administrations. High-speed internet is complex in rural areas, where fibre optic wires are scarce. The remote web will become an important resource for rural residents. With Comlink’s strong remote web association, you can enjoy the speed and reliability of this service, even in the most rural of locations.
Elon Musk’s Starlink
While Elon Musk’s Starlink 5G home internet in rural areas will be aimed at consumers, it will also serve business customers. The service is still in beta, but SpaceX is expanding its availability as quickly as possible. The company is accepting preorders so that customers can sign up when it goes live. Once the service becomes available, it will likely undergo some upgrades. Musk recently tweeted that the system would receive upgrades so that customers could expect faster download speeds.
The current satellite internet uses large spacecraft in orbit, which results in significant delays. Starlink’s satellites are closer to the Earth and network together to transmit large amounts of information. This technology will allow access to every location on Earth, allowing even the most remote areas to receive internet service. Fibre-optic cables are expensive to lay and require a large budget, and they cannot reach many rural areas.
While SpaceX’s Starlink 5G service costs $99 per month, it will also cost you $499 to buy a mountable satellite dish and a router. The company had initially promised that the costs would come down but later raised prices to $110 per month. Still, the service is not as fast as fibre, even at that price. In rural areas, the company has emphasized its commitment to improving the internet experience for the public.
As of now, Starlink is only available in 10 countries. Musk had stated in June that it would be available worldwide by August. The satellites are still undergoing regulatory approval and could not be released in every country. Musk is also working on expanding the network beyond its current beta phase, but a backlog of prospective customers is a major hurdle for this new technology. So far, it remains to be seen whether this new service will help improve the quality of rural internet service in rural areas.
T-Mobile
The rollout of T-Mobile 5G home internet in rural areas follows a successful pilot program launched two years ago. The pilot program, which was only available in select areas, involved 100,000 users across the US. It was an effort to test network capacity and the speeds of various connections. Results showed that roughly 20% of pilot users used more than 500 GB of data each month without the need for data caps.
T-Mobile Home Internet has a simple setup process, and the whole experience feels too good to be true. The company’s marketing materials tout the ease of installation, one cord, and a flat monthly price. During the Super Bowl in 2022, T-Mobile aired its first 5G home internet commercial, touting the freedom to switch between connections and devices. If the commercial is any indication, the service could be a huge game-changer for those in rural areas, where other providers are much slower.
The company’s 5G network covers more than 300 million people, including millions of people in rural areas. Speeds vary depending on network and location, but T-Mobile’s home internet is typically 100 Mbps. Unlike other service providers, T-Mobile home internet plans are not subject to contracts, extra fees, or price hikes. Its coverage is available in nearly every state except Iowa and Wyoming.
T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet service’s speed and reliability vary by location. Its coverage area depends on proximity to cell towers and any obstructions in its path. T-Mobile may not offer 5G service in rural areas because of its limited network capacity. The company is working on opening “a couple hundred” more stores in rural areas this year and plans to open hundreds more over the next five years.
