Verizon 5G Home Internet: Plans, pricing and availability

By Luke Dormehl

Last updated 06 December 2023

In this Guide

What Is Verizon 5G Home Internet?
Verizon 5G Home Internet Plans
Verizon 5G Home Internet Availability
Verizon vs. Other 5G Home Internet Providers
Verdict: Is Verizon 5G Home Internet Worth It?

Verizon is one of the first providers to offer 5G internet for your home in the United States. Big Red's 5G Home Internet service promises typical download speeds of 300 Mbps, but if you're in an area with strong coverage, you could get up to 1 Gbps. What's more, it doesn't tie you into a lengthy contract.

Should you consider Verizon 5G internet for your home? And what's the difference between 5G internet and traditional fiber broadband, like Verizon Fios? Here's everything you need to know.

What Is Verizon 5G Home Internet?

Verizon 5G Home Internet service is, in some ways, a lot like any other broadband internet—and in other ways, it's very different. It brings the internet into your home through a router that allows any device with Wi-Fi connectivity to access the web. But rather than connecting to a fiber or DSL network via a cable routed to your home, Verizon Home Internet connects directly to Verizon's 5G cellular network via radio waves that send and receive data. Hence the emerging term "mobile broadband."

If you're in the right area, this can mean a significant boost in internet speeds. Verizon says 5G Home Internet subscribers can expect typical download rates of 300 Mbps, but they can go up to 1 Gbps. That's on par with the average fiber internet speeds, which until now have been the fastest on the market.

Verizon can deliver these speeds because it uses mmWave 5G, marketed as “Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband,” which is the fastest 5G standard currently available in the U.S. Other providers, like T-Mobile, have leaned toward sub-6GHz 5G because it's more readily available. However, it’s not quite as quick—although it does have a greater ability to travel through obstacles, such as buildings, for a wider reach.

Verizon has an added trick up its sleeve, too: In addition to mmWave technology, it uses dynamic spectrum sharing, which allows it to combine 4G LTE and 5G bands for more demanding tasks like downloading content and video streaming. And if its 5G network goes down, it can fall back on 4G LTE connectivity.

Verizon 5G Home Internet vs. Verizon FiOS

Service	Connection	Speed	Data	Price	Perks
Verizon 5G Home Internet	5G	300 Mbps typical; up to 1 Gbps	Unlimited	From $60/mo. $35/mo. w/ phone plan	5-year price guarantee No data limits or annual contracts
Verizon FiOS	Fiber	Up to 940 Mbps	Unlimited	From $49.99/mo. $24.99/mo. w/ phone plan	No annual contracts 5-Year price guarantee

Both Verizon FiOS and 5G Home Internet are excellent choices for customers looking for a super-speedy connection without worrying about going over your monthly data allowance. Each services offers “truly” unlimited data, meaning you’ll have 24/7 access without Verizon throttling your speed when you reach a certain threshold. Both also provide speeds up to around 1 Gbps, though your average experience will likely be slower for each connection. In addition, 5G Home Internet works just like FiOS inside your home in that the connection is distributed over Wi-Fi, so any Wi-Fi device can connect to it. A 5G signal is used only between the router and your closest Verizon 5G cell tower.

FiOS and 5G Home Internet also each depend on relatively limited infrastructure, meaning neither service is widely available as of yet. FiOS currently covers mostly metro and suburban areas of the northeast of the U.S., whereas Verizon's 5G coverage is limited to specific cities within a handful of states that have Verizon’s mmWave towers (as opposed to their nationwide mid-band 5G network).

The biggest difference between Verizon's 5G Home Internet and FiOS internet is how each brings the internet to your home. FiOS is a fiber internet connection, using underground fiber-optic cables that connect to your home and transfer data. As mentioned above, Verizon 5G Home Internet uses its burgeoning Ultra Wideband cellular network to connect to your home via radio signals. A traditional fiber connection is still considered to be more reliable than a completely wireless solution like 4G LTE or 5G. It is less susceptible to coverage issues, and in most cases, offers much lower latency. That means if FiOS is available in your area, it may be more suitable for you if you need the least possible lag for things like online gaming.

FiOS is also likely to be a better fit for those on a budget, as they offer a variety of plans to meet your needs. Fiber plans start at $49.99/month with FiOS Internet 300/300, which drops to just $35/month if you also have a Verizon Unlimited phone plan. FiOS' fastest Gigabit Internet plan tops out at $89.99/month (or $64.99/month for cell subscribers).

Provider	Verizon Fios
Speed	Up to 300 Mbps
Data	No Data Cap
Connection	Fiber
Type	No Term Contract
Total Price	$49.99 per month with AutoPay. 2-year price guarantee.
	View Plan

Provider	Verizon Fios
Speed	Up to 940 Mbps
Data	No Data Cap
Connection	Fiber
Type	No Term Contract
Total Price	$89.99 per month with AutoPay. 4-year price guarantee.
	View Plan

One slight advantage to 5G Home Internet is that, because it doesn't require a fiber connection, there's no need for a technician to visit your home to get you up and running. You can set it all up yourself, simply by turning on the router, and it's ready to go. However, an optional pro setup is available if you wish.

Verizon 5G Home Internet Plans

Verizon offers a single 5G Home Internet Plan, which includes unlimited data and speeds averaging around 300 Mbps, though you could potentially see 1 Gbps. The difference in price depends on whether you’re a current Verizon cell phone subscriber or not.

Provider	Verizon
Speed	Up to 300 Mbps
Data	No Data Cap
Connection	Mobile Broadband
Type	No Term Contract
Total Price	$60 per month with AutoPay. 5-year price guarantee.
	View Plan

The standard price for Verizon 5G Home Internet is $80/month, with your first three months of service free. And since there’s no annual contract, you don’t have to worry about your price skyrocketing in a year or two once an introductory rate has expired—the price you see is the price you pay.

Provider	Verizon
Speed	Up to 1000 Mbps
Data	No Data Cap
Connection	Mobile Broadband
Type	No Term Contract
Total Price	$45 per month with AutoPay. 5-year price guarantee.
	View Plan

Verizon 5G Home Internet Availability

Because Verizon 5G Home Internet operates on the ISP’s Ultra Wideband 5G network, its availability is pretty limited. Why? As mentioned, Verizon uses mmWave 5G technology to power its Ultra Wideband 5G network. These types of waves can’t travel nearly as far as those on, say, the 4G LTE spectrum or even the low-band 5G spectrum of its nationwide 5G network. As such, you need to be very near one of Verizon’s mmWave 5G towers in order to have access to that kind of 5G in your home.

Currently, Verizon 5G Home Internet is available in select areas within specific U.S. cities, including:

Phoenix and Tucson, AZ
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Denver, CO
Miami, FL
Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
New Orleans, LA
Charlotte, NC
Las Vegas, NV
Cleveland, OH
San Antonio, TX
Salt Lake City, UT
Seattle, WA

You can check out Verizon’s full list of cities to see precisely where 5G Home Internet is available. You can also quickly find out if 5G is available where you live by using the company’s coverage checker tool.

If you can't get Verizon 5G in your location yet, don't be too disappointed. Verizon is expanding its network all the time, and it has promised that by the end of 2021, it expects to have 5G Ultra Wideband available in over 80 cities across the country.

Verizon 4G LTE home internet

If 5G isn't yet in your area, and other internet connection types aren't a great option, you may want to explore Verizon's 4G home internet options. Big Red's Connected Home plans use the carrier's LTE cellular network to provide internet access to your home, with monthly data ranging from 10GB to 40GB. Your speeds won't be as fast—especially if you'll need to support multiple devices on your LTE home internet connection—and plans are VERY pricey, but it's a viable option for those in rural or remote areas.

#1	Verizon	Verizon 5G Home (Existing Verizon Customers) Mobile Broadband 300/10 Mbps $35/mo Go	$35/mo	Go
#2	Verizon	Verizon LTE Home (Existing Verizon Customers) Mobile Broadband 50/4 Mbps $35/mo Go	$35/mo	Go
#3	Verizon	Verizon 5G Home Plus (Existing Verizon Customers) Mobile Broadband 1000/50 Mbps $45/mo Go	$45/mo	Go
#4	Verizon	Verizon LTE Home Plus (Existing Verizon Customers) Mobile Broadband 50/4 Mbps $45/mo Go	$45/mo	Go
#5	Verizon	Verizon 5G Home Mobile Broadband 300/10 Mbps $60/mo Go	$60/mo	Go

Verizon vs. Other 5G Home Internet Providers

Provider	Speed	Data	Monthly cost	Perks
Verizon 5G Home Internet	300 Mbps typical; up to 1 Gbps	Unlimited	$60/month $35/month Verizon phone plan	$100 Verizon gift card 2 months free SLING Blue or SLING Orange
Starry Unlimited	Up to 200 Mbps	Unlimited	$40/month	No annual contract
T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps typical	Unlimited	$50/month	$10 off YouTube TV

In the U.S. there are currently three providers of 5G-connected home internet: Verizon, T-Mobile, and Starry Internet. All offer unlimited data at just around the same price point with no contracts. All are relatively limited in their availability, depending on your 5G access, with Starry having the smallest footprint at only 6 U.S. cities as of 2021.

Verizon is definitely the most expensive option if you don’t already have a cell phone plan. However, it's significantly faster than both T-Mobile Home Internet and Starry Unlimited thanks to its Ultra Wideband (mmWave) technology. By contrast, Starry Unlimited offers just 200 Mbps, and T-Mobile only guarantees you at least 25 Mbps on their low-band 5G network, though 100 Mbps is average for most customers.

Verizon's service also offers more generous perks, like two free months of SLING live TV streaming and a $100 Verizon gift card. However, customers may find that Verizon isn't available where they live, in which case Starry or T-Mobile could be good alternatives.

Verdict: Is Verizon 5G Home Internet Worth It?

Verizon 5G Home Internet is an excellent, albeit expensive, high-speed internet option… if you happen to be in one of its extremely limited service areas. Since making its debut in late 2018, the service has received glowing reviews, particularly for its speed. Its biggest drawback is its minuscule coverage footprint, though access continues to expand.

It’s not the most budget-friendly internet option if you aren’t already a Verizon wireless customer… there are plenty of fiber and cable internet plans that offer similar average speeds for far less in price. But if you’re already a Verizon fan and you have Ultra Wideband 5G in your area, it’s absolutely worth trying out.