Fixed Wireless Access

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a way to deliver home internet over the same 5G cellular networks used for phones. Instead of running fiber or coax to a house, the carrier installs a stationary indoor router (sometimes called a CPE — Customer Premises Equipment) that pulls bandwidth from the nearest 5G tower and serves it as Wi-Fi to devices inside the home.

The major US offerings

• T-Mobile Home Internet: ~$50-65/month. Uses T-Mobile's 5G network (n41 mid-band primarily). Available where T-Mobile has spare 5G capacity. The largest FWA service in the US by subscriber count.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: ~$50-80/month depending on plan. Uses Verizon's C-band and mmWave. mmWave variant gets faster speeds (1+ Gbps) but is only available in dense urban areas.
• AT&T Internet Air: ~$55/month. Uses AT&T's 5G. Targeted at addresses where AT&T fiber isn't available.
• Starry Internet: a smaller player using fixed 5G in select metros (Boston, NYC, LA).

Where FWA wins

• Cable-monopoly markets. If your neighborhood only has one cable provider charging $80+/mo for internet, FWA is often dramatically cheaper at $50/mo with no contract.
• Apartment/short-stay setups. No professional install, no long-term contract, no equipment-return requirement when moving. Plug the router in, scan the QR, you're online.
• Rural areas where only DSL is available. 5G FWA can deliver 100-300 Mbps where DSL caps at 25 Mbps.

Where FWA loses

• Cellular congestion. When the local tower is busy (rush hour, sports event), FWA traffic gets deprioritized. Cable/fiber doesn't share spectrum with anyone else.
• Latency. 30-50ms typical on FWA vs 5-15ms on fiber. Doesn't matter for video streaming; matters for cloud gaming and fast-twitch online games.
• Inconsistent uplink. Cellular uplinks vary more than fiber. Video calls and large uploads can be choppier.
• Tower coverage required. If you're too far from a 5G tower, FWA isn't offered at your address. Check the carrier's availability tool with your full address.