live_tv
Livestream Starting Soon
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
Up next in 10
T-MOBILE HOME INTERNET 2024 REVIEW: I’ve been testing T-Mobile 5G Home Internet since 2022, sharing my review of the service all along the way. Recently, I was very close to canceling. Instead, I called T-Mobile’s customer support, they sent me a new Wi-Fi gateway and I’ve got a lot more to share. I’ve put together everything I’ve learned about T-Mobile Home Internet into this one video. See my written review here: https://michaelsaves.com/reviews/t-mobile-home-internet-review/
NEW AND UPDATED CONTENT:
Pricing Changes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpkIeso6wYI
Data Policy Changes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akz76tRi1IY
LINKS:
Check eligibility for T-Mobile Home Internet: https://fave.co/41s997D
T-Mobile Home Internet Setup Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-DmRbQFuo0
Get DEAL ALERTS from Michael Saves: https://michaelsaves.com/deals/deal-alerts/
COMPARE THE LATEST DEALS:
AT&T Fiber: https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-8534498-13489411
Xfinity: https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8534498-15254175
Verizon 5G Home: https://www.jdoqocy.com/click-8534498-15324361
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
I've been testing T-Mobile 5G Home Internet for a year and a half, sharing my review of
0:05
the service all along the way. But recently, I was this close to canceling
0:10
Instead, I called T-Mobile's customer support, they sent me a new Wi-Fi gateway, and now
0:15
I've got a lot more to share. I've put together everything I've learned about T-Mobile Home Internet into this one video
0:22
Let's get started. Number one, competitive monthly pricing. Price is the number one reason why I considered T-Mobile Home Internet in the first place
0:31
And maybe that's why you're here too. The price, $50 a month with auto pay at recording time
0:36
And recently, I read this article. It says a price increase for new customers may be on the horizon
0:43
But even if that does happen, I would expect T-Mobile's pricing to remain competitive
0:47
The current rate, well, it's cheaper than fiber and it's cheaper than cable in most areas
0:53
Number two, T-Mobile phone customers get the best deal. You do not need a T-Mobile phone plan to sign up for the internet service
1:01
I don't have one, but customers who do bundle wireless phone and internet get a discount
1:07
It's a pretty good one too. Some people are paying only $30 a month for the internet plan
1:12
Number three, price lock guarantee. T-Mobile Home Internet includes a price lock guarantee
1:17
Well, what's that? Unlike many of its competitors, your rate will not go up after the first year with T-Mobile
1:24
I paid $50 a month in 2022, the same price in all of 2023, and now in 2024
1:32
That's the price lock. Number four, auto pay discount limitations. T-Mobile's auto pay discount for home internet service is $5 a month
1:40
But to get that savings, you cannot pay with a credit card anymore
1:44
This is a change and it happened in 2023. Your payment method must now be either a bank account or a debit card to get those
1:52
auto pay savings. There's no annual contract with T-Mobile Home Internet. You pay for one month at a time and you can cancel at any time
2:01
That's number five today. And number six is T-Mobile's 15-day test drive
2:05
I really like this because it allows you to try out T-Mobile Home Internet alongside your
2:10
current internet provider. If T-Mobile does not work out, just cancel the service within 15 days and you'll get
2:17
a full refund. My tip, save the box the equipment came in
2:21
That'll make the return process easier. More now about that equipment. Number seven, equipment is included
2:27
Once you sign up for T-Mobile Home Internet, you'll get a Wi-Fi gateway in the mail and
2:31
it arrives pretty quickly. A Wi-Fi gateway is simply a router and modem in a single unit
2:37
Don't worry though, this is not an add-on. You pay for the equipment as part of the regular plan price
2:44
So this, if you ever decide to cancel service, you will need to return the equipment
2:48
Otherwise, T-Mobile is going to charge you and it could be up to $370
2:54
Number eight, easy self-installation. No technician required here. Setting up service, it's as easy as plugging in the gateway and following a few steps from
3:03
the T-Mobile Home Internet app. I will say based on my personal testing, the location of the gateway, it makes a huge difference
3:11
The T-Mobile Home Internet app is going to recommend placing the Wi-Fi gateway by a window
3:16
or on an upper floor. Take a look here by a window. I'm getting a very good connection
3:22
You see it from the screen on the gateway. But when I move the gateway to a different room of my house and away from a window, the
3:28
connection drops to good. The app will guide you through the setup. I've also created my own step-by-step guide, link to that down below
3:36
We're up to number nine and besides the pricing, another main benefit of T-Mobile Home Internet
3:42
is that you don't have a data cap. This plan, it includes unlimited data
3:47
But data speeds can be inconsistent. That's number 10 and I want to share my experience with you in more detail
3:54
I'll start with this list of problems I've had with T-Mobile Home Internet
3:57
Slower speeds at night, occasional lag with gaming, slower upload speeds, and temporarily
4:03
losing my service. T-Mobile Home Internet uses T-Mobile's 5G and 4G LTE networks and that's to provide
4:11
internet service to your entire home. But when T-Mobile's network is busy, home internet customers will experience slower
4:19
data speeds. And the reason, T-Mobile gives top priority to its postpaid wireless customers, not home internet
4:27
This is one drawback of T-Mobile Home Internet that cable internet providers like Xfinity
4:31
have pointed out repeatedly. But of course, Xfinity has its own agenda
4:36
Check out these speeds. This is what T-Mobile says you can expect with home internet
4:41
Download speeds between 72 and 245 megabits per second. Upload between 15 and 31
4:48
And latency or ping between 19 and 37 milliseconds. Now when I've conducted speed tests of T-Mobile Home Internet, I am usually within the advertised
4:57
ranges, not always. Here I'm showing you a speed test I ran today
5:01
More than 300 megabits per second download. When I'm getting these speeds, a handful of devices can be connected to the network
5:08
and in use at the same time. The performance is excellent. Working from home, gaming, streaming TV, using smart home devices, I've done it all
5:17
But when T-Mobile's network is congested, it is definitely noticeable. Speed tests will dip to the lower end of the advertised ranges, sometimes below
5:27
This is something T-Mobile acknowledges. On its website, it says 25% of customers see speeds below the ranges, another 25% above them
5:37
My biggest frustration with T-Mobile Home Internet has been losing my connection altogether
5:42
Now this does not happen a lot, but when it does, it's really inconvenient
5:47
When I called T-Mobile customer support recently, ready to cancel, they offered to send me a
5:51
new Wi-Fi gateway. I took them up on that offer. My old gateway and the new gateway look the same from the outside, but T-Mobile says there
6:00
are differences with the internal components, and that should help minimize my connectivity issues
6:06
Stay tuned, I'll keep you posted. Number 11 is compatibility issues, and I'm digging into the fine print for the next few
6:13
points that I want to make. Let's start with live TV streaming services
6:18
T-Mobile says live TV services that rely on IP address for specific location data just
6:24
aren't compatible. I've tested the major live TV services, and this appears to mostly be a problem with
6:30
Hulu Live TV and Sling TV. And I'd say Hulu Live more than Sling
6:35
YouTube TV, my favorite live TV service, is compatible with T-Mobile Home Internet, and
6:41
so are these other live TV services. They've all confirmed to me that they work with the service
6:46
To be clear, this is not a widespread issue. Having most live TV services as well as on-demand and free services should not be a problem
6:55
And overall, I've had a great experience streaming with T-Mobile Home Internet
7:00
Number 12, device connection charge. More fine print here. In late 2022, T-Mobile started charging a $35 device connection fee to new home internet customers
7:13
Now, this was not a thing when I signed up, but I have reported on it, and some people
7:17
have told me they got this fee waived. Still, I'd be prepared to pay it
7:22
Number 13, also be prepared for this, a credit check. When you sign up for T-Mobile Home Internet, you will have to undergo a credit check
7:30
And I assume this is because of the equipment they provide. If this is a problem for you, consider Metro by T-Mobile
7:37
It also sells T-Mobile Home Internet. With the Metro version, you don't have a credit check, but you will have to pay $50 upfront
7:44
for the gateway. Plus, only Metro phone plan customers are eligible. I've got good news and bad news
7:51
The good news is that T-Mobile Home Internet is expanding. The bad news, not everyone who wants it is able to get it
7:59
Number 14, check availability on T-Mobile's website. I'll drop a link below where you can enter your address and see if you are eligible
8:08
If not, you can get added to a waitlist. I was on that waitlist at one time
8:12
If you're not eligible, you may be offered T-Mobile Home Internet Lite
8:16
Now, this is a plan with data caps, and I don't recommend it
8:20
It's really nothing like the unlimited plan that I've been talking about today
8:24
In the meantime, you may also want to consider Verizon 5G Home Internet
8:28
It's a similar service that uses 5G towers. I've tested that one as well alongside the T-Mobile service, and it's been a very solid service
8:37
Number 15, don't skip out on the perks. T-Mobile Home Internet is known to offer one-time sign-up perks
8:44
I got a $50 prepaid card. At recording time, it's up to $150
8:49
There are also free streaming offers available. Fewer than in the past, T-Mobile Home Internet customers get access to T-Mobile Tuesdays
8:57
That's a popular rewards program currently being folded into a new T-Life app
9:02
For price-sensitive customers, T-Mobile Home Internet is definitely worth checking out. Now, fiber, it is usually best for speed and performance, but these 5G services are growing
9:14
because of the affordable pricing, and many households are finding that the performance
9:19
it lives up to their expectations. I update home internet deals on my website
9:25
That's michaelsagedeals.com. Thank you for watching today, and I hope to see you back here soon
#Service Providers
#ISPs
#Phone Service Providers