We score internet providers for speed, value and customer care. Our data sources include the FCC, J.D. Power, The American Customer Satisfaction Index and extensive in-house research.
The technology behind 5G home internet service is still fairly new, but it has already shown promise as a long-overdue upgrade to broadband in rural areas and an amicable alternative to big internet service providers in the city. T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet have led the way from the start, but one major cellular provider was noticeably absent from the 5G home internet space: AT&T. While it has a sprawling mobile network and offers traditional fixed wireless internet, AT&T held back on its 5G home internet service. Moreover, AT&T Internet Air was first introduced only to existing DSL customers as a service upgrade. Locating local internet providers AT&T Internet Air is now available to new customers along with upgrade-eligible DSL customers in nearly 100 markets across 30 states. Whether it’s available to you as an upgrade or an entirely new service, you’re probably wondering what AT&T Internet Air is and whether it’s worth signing up for. Here’s everything you need to know. AT&T’s Internet Air aims to turn 5G into home broadband. AT&T Internet Air is a new home internet service delivered over AT&T’s 5G wireless network. The enhanced wireless network supports faster speeds than AT&T’s traditional fixed wireless service and eliminates the need for a mounted receiver with a direct line of sight to a nearby tower. That makes it a practical solution for internet in rural areas, but the speeds — advertised as 75 to 225 megabits per second — and other perks make Internet Air an option worth considering even in areas where multiple ISPs may be available. Compared to other 5G home internet providers, specifically T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, AT&T Internet Air has some catching up to do regarding coverage area and availability. Everything else (including pricing, speeds and service terms) is mostly right on par with the competition. Source: CNET analysis of provider data. Currently, AT&T Internet Air offers just one plan option. Service includes the fastest speeds available, typically between 75 and 225Mbps down and 10 to 30Mbps up, starting at $60 a month. A 20% discount is available to qualifying AT&T mobile customers. Actual speeds to the home will vary depending on proximity to a tower and network congestion. Some may see faster speeds, at least until more customers join the local network, while others may experience slower speeds. The FCC defines broadband as at least 100Mbps down and 20Mbps up, so if your AT&T Internet Air speeds fall on the lower end, it may technically not qualify as a broadband…
Again, AT&T Internet Air is a newer service, so there’s little to go by when gauging customer reception and satisfaction. It is worth noting, however, that AT&T consistently performs well according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. AT&T placed in the top 5, per the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index. AT&T Fiber recently claimed the ACSI’s top spot for customer satisfaction among fiber providers, scoring 80 out of 100. Among non-fiber providers, AT&T Internet gravitated toward the top with a 69/100, highlighting a 4% decrease from the previous year. Interestingly, the only ISPs with higher scores were 5G home internet providers T-Mobile and Verizon. I turned to Reddit for more insight into how well the service has been received thus far. Reddit was, as it often is, a mixed bag of positive and negative comments. Some praised the speeds and connection quality while others said they would rather keep their DSL service and referred to Internet Air’s cellular internet service as “a glorified hotspot for your home.” It’s still early, but given the…
What kind of internet is AT&T Internet Air?
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Can I take AT&T Internet Air on the go?