How Fast Is 5G Internet?

When it comes to your home internet connection, it’s all about the speed. Whether you’re gaming, streaming your favorite shows and movies, or video conferencing for work, the speed and reliability of your connection are vital to your success. With so many options available, how can you make sure you’re getting the speed you need? And how do you ensure that your connection is reliable?

Cable and fiber-powered internet provide reliable, multi-Gig speed with consistency. But, what about 5G internet? As with any new service option, there are plenty of questions:

What exactly is 5G home internet?

How does it work?

What factors impact 5G speeds?

Is it right for you?

What is 5G internet?

Also known as FWA, or Fixed Wireless Access, 5G is the latest generation of wireless technology for cellular networks, the fifth global wireless standard after 1G. 5G is a significant improvement from its predecessors, with faster speeds, increased capacity and network efficiency, and lower latency.

With these improvements, 5G has also become a buzzworthy option for home internet. As a new service, questions remain about its speed and reliability.

How does it work?

In the simplest terms, 5G cellular signals are transmitted wirelessly via radio waves from the tower to the gateway in your home, which then converts the 5G cellular signal into a WiFi signal flowing through your home.

5G home internet is delivered via specific 5G cell towers, using shorter radio waves than previous generations. This helps to make 5G faster, but also makes its range shorter. Therefore, more towers are required to reach optimal speeds.

The number of 5G towers varies from region to region. 5G home internet providers have been working to increase their number of towers to be able to provide quality service, but this is a process that takes time, and can actually create degradations in service in the interim.

What factors affect 5G home internet?

Speeds for 5G home internet plans generally range from 100 to 300 Mbps (with some providers offering up to 1000 Mbps), which represents a significant variation in performance. Whether you are on the low end or high end will depend on several factors:

Proximity to 5G towers: Reliability and speed are better the closer a home is to a 5G tower. Obstructions between the tower and your home--like trees or buildings, even inclement weather--may degrade the signal.

Strength of signal in your home: Dense building materials like concrete and metal can weaken 5G signals. Other electronics in your home may create interference. Outdated or incompatible network equipment (your modem or router) could limit speeds.

Network traffic: 5G users may experience slower speeds during peak hours when networks are congested. And depending on the provider and location, 5G home internet service may be deprioritized during peak hours in favor of their cellular network.

Unlike a wired connection, a wireless signal will vary not only from home to home, but often within your home and throughout the day. It’s always best to ask what the provider’s typical speeds are and to determinewhether your home can get those speeds consistently.

Is 5G home internet right for you?

Many consumers are attracted to 5G home internet for cost-conscious reasons. Wired cable- or fiber-powered internet connections are reliable, secure, and consistent, proven to be fast enough to meet the needs of households with heavy internet use. But not all households fit this profile. Smaller households that need internet service only for basic browsing, email, and occasional video streaming often end up paying for more internet than they will ever need.

Does Xfinity have 5G internet?

NOW by Xfinity is a low-cost and reliable alternative to 5G home internet. Unlike 5G home internet, NOW Internet provides consistent speeds with lower latency that don't vary based on capacity or time of day.

What you get with NOW Internet: