Verizon’s new LTE home internet plan delivers affordable home wireless internet to customers in small towns, rural areas, and other places where cable doesn’t reach.
*Price is with paperless billing and auto pay discount applied. Data effective 11/20/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
What is Verizon LTE Home Internet?
Verizon LTE Home Internet is a new wireless internet service that uses Verizon cellular towers to deliver unlimited internet service to homes in rural areas. Launched in summer 2020 in just a handful of areas, Verizon LTE Home Internet expanded in October 2020 to include rural areas in 48 states. It’s affordably priced at $40 to $60 per month, plus a $10 per month equipment rental charge. Often, LTE home internet will give you faster speeds and more data for your dollar than other rural internet options.
Verizon LTE Home Internet doesn’t try to compete with thrilling internet speeds you can find in the city—like 1,000 Mbps fiber internet. But what it does do, it does well. Verizon LTE Home Internet plans have unlimited data and download speeds of around 25 Mbps or more, which is fast enough for remote work, online school, streaming, online shopping and banking, and video conferencing. In fact, it’s fast enough for almost everything except perhaps Fortnite championships. (Sorry, gamers.) Also, due to bandwidth limitations, speeds will get slower with multiple devices.
Verizon LTE Home Internet plan
| Plan | Verizon LTE Home Internet | Verizon 5G Home Internet |
|---|---|---|
| Download speed | 25 Mbps or more | 300 Mbps or more |
| Availability† | Parts of 48 states† | Limited to 4 metro areas‡ |
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Price for Verizon customers§ | $40/mo.* | $50/mo.* |
| Price for non-Verizon customers | $60/mo.* | $70/mo.* |
| How to sign up | Visit site | Visit site |
*Price is with paperless billing and auto pay discount applied. Data effective 11/20/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. †Verizon LTE has limited availability in rural parts of 48 states and is not available at all in Alaska or Vermont. ‡ Verizon 5G is available only in parts of Atlanta, San Jose, Dallas, and Denver. § Verizon customers who have a current wireless plan of at least $30/mo. are qualified to receive the discounted rate.
Verizon’s 4G LTE Home Internet (usually called Verizon LTE) has typical speeds of about 25 Mbps, with peak speeds reaching 50 Mbps in some areas. It offers unlimited data, so you will have no slowing and no overage fees. There are two pricing tiers: $40 per month for current Verizon customers who have a mobile plan, or $60 for non-Verizon customers.
Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is currently available only in parts of four metro areas: Denver, San Jose, Dallas, and Atlanta. Costing $60 per month (or $70 without autopay and paperless billing), Verizon’s 5G plan delivers typical download speeds of about 300 Mbps, with peak speeds reaching 1,000 Mbps. Although this plan isn’t available in any rural areas, it’s an early indication of what 5G could be like for rural areas in the future.
Remember that with either of these plans, you’ll also have to pay for your equipment costs. Verizon equipment (which includes a modem/router combo) costs $240 up front, or $10 per month over a 24-month period. There aren’t any contracts, other than the equipment payment plan. Verizon LTE Home Internet service is not portable, so you can’t unplug your router and take it with you to a vacation home.
How about 5G?
In a few places, Verizon’s uber fast 5G is available as an installed home internet service. Gamers can play competitively on Verizon 5G LTE Home Internet, which has launched in a few cities like San Jose, Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta. This service works similarly to other LTE Verizon Internet plans but it’s much faster. Although 5G will continue to expand, we don’t recommend holding your breath for it if you live in a rural area. Yes, 5G will eventually roll out to rural areas, but it’ll take five or more years at least. So, in the meantime, check out Verizon 4G LTE Home Internet service.
Verizon LTE Home Internet vs. competitors
Verizon isn’t the only mobile provider repackaging extra LTE bandwidth into a home internet plan for rural customers. T-Mobile, UbiFi, Wahoo Internet, Ladybug Wireless, and others are also helping bridge the digital divide with 4G LTE home internet services.
By piggybacking off existing cellular networks, LTE providers avoid the investment in cable, fiber, or satellite systems. This allows them to offer unlimited data to customers in hard-to-reach areas at competitive rates. You can compare Verizon LTE Home Internet with other LTE internet providers in the chart below.
T-Mobile Home Internet vs. competitors
| Provider | Price* | Highlights | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon LTE Home Internet (Installed) | $40.00–$60.00/mo.* | • Unlimited data • $240 equipment cost • No contract (unless enrolled in Device Payment Plan) • Fixed location only • Available in 48 states | Visit site |
| T-Mobile Home Internet* | $50.00/mo. | • Unlimited data • $0 equipment cost • No contract • Fixed location only • Available in 27 states | Visit site |
| UbiFi | $50/mo. | • Portable • Nationwide availability • AT&T network | Visit site |
| Ladybug Wireless | $94.99/mo. | • Portable • Nationwide availability • No contract • 400 GB data/mo. AT&T and T-Mobile network • Portable • Nationwide availability • No contract • 400 GB data/mo. AT&T and T-Mobile network | Visit site |
| Wahoo 4G Internet | $99.99/mo. | • Portable • T-Mobile network • Nationwide availability • 500 GB data/mo. | Visit site |
Data effective 11/20/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *w/Auto Pay for 1 yr. + taxes, equip. charges, & other fees
The digital divide in America
For millions of Americans, inadequate internet access is a pressing reality that they experience daily—suppressing economic opportunity as well as access to health care, education, and entertainment.
While 97% of urban Americans have access to broadband internet speeds of 25 Mbps, only 65% of Americans in rural areas have access to broadband internet, with that number falling to 60% in tribal areas.1
Verizon LTE Home Internet can help bring dependable internet service to rural homes where cable and fiber infrastructure hasn’t reached, bringing access to online school, remote work options, telemedicine, entertainment, and more.
Is Verizon Home Internet any good?
Yes, Verizon LTE Home Internet is a good option for thousands of folks in rural areas. If you have cellular service at your home but don’t have cable or fiber, Verizon LTE Home Internet might be the most cost-effective option. It isn’t a bargain-buster like dial-up, but Verizon LTE Home Internet is priced much lower than most other rural internet options.
Offering download speeds of around 25 Mbps, Verizon LTE Home Internet will deliver usable speeds for almost any online activity for one to three people, including online shopping, streaming, online learning, video conferencing, and social networking. You can also do limited online gaming with 25 Mbps, although fast-paced or shooter games may not perform as well with LTE home internet as they would with fiber or cable internet service.
Find out if Verizon LTE Home Internet is available in your area.
Pros and cons of Verizon LTE Home Internet
Pros
- Unlimited data
- Competitive price ($40–$60/mo.)
- No cable or fiber wiring required
- Quick and easy setup
- No contract
Cons
- $10/mo. equipment cost (or $240 up front)
- Can’t use your own router
- Unavailable in homes outside the Verizon service area
- Not portable (can’t use in an RV)
- Maximum speed less than cable or fiber providers
- Speeds vary based on proximity to towers and other variables
If you’re comparing Verizon LTE Home Internet with a satellite internet plan that gives you only 50 GB of data per month, Verizon is the clear winner. Verizon’s home internet service offers slightly faster speeds with lower latency and gives you oodles more data.
On the other hand, if you can’t get reliable Verizon cellular service at your place, this plan isn’t for you. Wi-Fi boosters and extenders can help a bit, but you will need to have a steady Verizon cellular signal for 4G LTE internet to work in your home. People who live in canyons, extremely remote areas, or outside a Verizon service area may need to stick with satellite or DSL internet service.
The final take: Truly unlimited data at last
For many rural Americans, Verizon LTE Home Internet is the best option, thanks to an affordable price and no data caps. Unlimited full-speed data is hard to find in the country—it’s like looking for a well-worn pair of Ropers in Manhattan.
For folks who already have phone service through Verizon, Verizon LTE Home Internet is a surefire win. At $40 per month, Verizon LTE Home Internet offers the fastest internet available at that price. And even the standard price of $60 per month will beat out typical rural internet plans that limit data and slow speeds regularly.
FAQ about Verizon LTE Home Internet
Does Verizon Wireless offer home internet?
Yes, Verizon Wireless offers home internet service in 48 states. Verizon LTE Home Internet (Installed) gives customers access to unlimited data through cellular networks. Verizon LTE Home Internet is kind of like an unlimited mobile hotspot—it takes a mobile phone signal and translates it into a Wi-Fi signal. The only difference is that you can’t take Verizon Home Internet with you when you travel or work on the road.
How much is Verizon LTE Home Internet?
Verizon LTE Home Internet is $40 per month for current Verizon customers (or new Verizon customers with a monthly phone plan of at least $30 per month) or $60 per month for non-Verizon customers. These prices reflect a $10 discount from paperless billing and autopay. Equipment (modem/router) will add an extra $10 per month to your bill.
How fast is Verizon LTE Home Internet?
Verizon LTE Home Internet (Installed) delivers typical download speeds of 25 to 50 Mbps. This is fast enough to support streaming, video conferencing, online shopping, social media, banking, and other activities for a small household (1–3 people). In a few metropolitan cities, faster speeds of up to 300 Mbps are available with Verizon 5G Home Internet.
Sources
- FCC, “Bridging the Digital Divide for All Americans,” [undated]. Accessed November 10, 2020.
- Lawson, Alex, “Verizon Expands LTE Home Internet to More Rural Areas,” October 2020. Accessed November 10, 2020.
