Fiber vs 5G Home Internet: Which Is Better?

The launch of AT&T Internet Air has caused a stir in the broadband market. Industry experts and users are confused as to why the nation’s best fiber internet provider is diverting its focus to 5G home internet. Could it be that 5G home internet is here to take the crown away from fiber? Is wireless 5G the future of home internet? 

We will answer all these questions and more in this fiber vs 5G home internet review. By comparing the two connection types based on cost, speed, performance, and availability, we will help you select the best service for your home. 

Fiber vs 5G Home Internet – Overview

5G Home Internet vs Fiber – At A Glance
Features	5G Home Internet	Fiber-Optic Internet
Speed Range	40 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps	100 Mbps to 50,000 Mbps
Price Range	$55.00/mo. to $80.00/mo.	$19.99/mo. to $900.00/mo.
Latency Range	18 ms to 30 ms	10 ms to 12 ms
Availability	62% of the USA	45.4% of the USA
Top-Rated Providers	AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile	AT&T, Ziply Fiber, Frontier
Customer Rating	3.9 out of 5 stars	4.2 out of 5 stars
Best For	Online gaming and 4K streaming	Smart homes and 8K streaming

How Does Fiber Internet Work? 

Fiber-optic cables are made of thin strands of glass, allowing them to refract light photons and causing a wavelike motion. These high-intensity light pulses transmit internet signals from the data centers to individual homes. 

Fiber-optic cables can be buried under the ground or hung over the electric poles in the form of aerial cabling. As a wired broadband connection, fiber-optic internet offers increased network reliability and faster upload and download speeds. 

Moreover, symmetrical speeds are a trait that is unique to fiber-optic internet. No other broadband source – Cable, DSL, satellite, fixed wireless, or 5G home internet, can offer mirrored speeds. 

Types of Fiber Internet 

• Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN) – Commonly known as hybrid connections, FTTN networks use fiber-optic cables in the first mile and coaxial or copper cables in the last mile. Internet signals leave the data centers as light pulses but arrive at users’ homes as analog signals.  
• Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) – Also known as fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), this type of connection distributes internet signals directly from the data centers to individual homes or residential units.  
• Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) – The fiber internet providers construct transmission lines from the data center to a neighborhood and install optical network terminal (ONT) boxes on the electric poles of the main streets.

Pros and Cons of Fiber Internet

Here are the pros and cons of choosing a fiber-optic internet connection:

Pros

• Ultrafast home internet speeds of up to 50 Gigs 
• Equal upload and download speeds
• Affordable plans.
• Several speed options.
• 99.99% network reliability.
• Enhanced security. 
• Ultra-low latency. 
• Outages due to weather interference are rare.

Cons

• Expensive to build and maintain.
• Limited availability across the country.
• Prone to physical damage. 

Best Fiber Internet Plans 

Over 1,500 fiber internet providers are offering high-speed broadband connectivity in the USA. But only a handful provide the perfect balance of speed, affordability, and customer satisfaction.  

We have listed the top 10 regional and national fiber internet providers in the United States, offering hyper fast speeds for monthly rates as low as $39.99.

The 10 Best Fiber Internet Providers and Plans in the USA
Provider	Plan	Speed	Price
AT&T Fiber	Internet 300	300 Mbps	$55.00/mo.
Verizon Fios	1 Gig	940 Mbps	$89.99/mo.
Frontier Fiber	Fiber 1 Gig	1,000 Mbps	$64.99/mo.
Google Fiber	2 Gig	2,000 Mbps	$100.00/mo.
Optimum Fiber	1 Gig	940 Mbps	$80.00/mo.
Centurylink	Fiber Gigabit	940 Mbps	$75.00/mo.
Kinetic	1 Gig	1,000 Mbps	$39.99/mo. For 3 months
Metronet	1 Gig	1,000 Mbps	$59.95/mo. For 6 months
Ziply Fiber	Fiber Gig	1,000 Mbps	Call for Price
EarthLink Fiber	Fiber 300	300 Mbps	$69.95/mo.

How Does 5G Home Internet Work? 

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology is the latest addition to the home internet market. High-frequency radio waves transmit ultra-wideband internet signals to subscribers’ homes. 

The radio waves are emitted by 5G cell towers erected across the country. Subscribers receive a wireless 5G gateway that intercepts the signals and converts them to digital data for home internet usage. 

Unlike fiber internet, the upload and download speeds on 5G home internet are asymmetric, and only those living within a 3-mile radius of the cell tower can receive the service. Moreover, physical barriers like trees and buildings will block the 5G signals.  

Pros and Cons of 5G Home Internet

Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of 5G home internet service.

Pros 

• Wireless home internet service. 
• Most advanced broadband technology.
• Download speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. 
• Standard and straightforward monthly fees. 
• Free from add-on charges. 
• Low latency and jitter.

Cons

• Limited options in terms of providers and plans
• Asymmetric speeds.  
• Service and speeds are affected by physical obstructions. 
• Less reliable than fiber.
• Limited availability around the country.
• Most areas get speeds slower than 300 Mbps. 
• Speed prioritization for 5G mobile users. 

Best 5G Home Internet Plans

Verizon was the first telecommunications company to roll out a 5G home internet service in the USA in 2018. T-Mobile and Starry Internet followed suit. AT&T is the latest 5G wireless network provider to join the tribe with its Internet Air service. 

In the table below, we have only listed the USA’s Big Three wireless network operators and mentioned their 5G home internet plans, available nationwide. Starry Internet’s 5G home internet service is limited to Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. Hence, we have excluded it from our list.

3 Best 5G Home Internet Providers and Plans in the USA
Provider	Plan	Download Speed	Price
AT&T	AT&T Internet Air	Up to 140 Mbps	$55.00/mo. With AutoPay
Verizon	5G Home	Up to 300 Mbps	$60.00/mo. Without discounts
	5G Home Plus	Up to 1,000 Mbps	$80.00/mo. Without discounts
T-Mobile	5G Home Internet	Up to 245 Mbps	$60.00/mo. With AutoPay

Fiber Versus 5G – Speeds, Pricing, and Service Details

Let’s look at the details of fiber and 5G home internet plans to compare their prices, speeds, and overall service. 

Fiber vs 5G Home Internet – Cost

Fiber internet has been around for decades, leading to the rise of several fiber-exclusive broadband providers. The saturation of the fiber internet market has forced providers to lower the prices of their services to stay ahead of the competition. 

You can get up to 100 Mbps of upload and download speeds for just $20 per month (Ziply Fiber). However, multigigabit internet plans can be over $100, and you may have to pay extra for add-on services like professional installation and whole-home Wi-Fi equipment. 

In contrast, 5G home internet is new. Only three providers offer countrywide coverage. The lack of competition gives AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile an upper hand in deciding the price. Moreover, each 5G home internet provider offers just one or two tiers at fixed prices, further limiting the options for customers.

Comparing the Cost of Fiber vs 5G Home Internet
Provider	Type of Internet	Speed	Price
Ziply Fiber	Fiber-optic	300 Mbps	$40.00/mo.
AT&T Fiber	Fiber-optic	300 Mbps	$55.00/mo.
Verizon 5G	5G Home Internet	300 Mbps	$60.00/mo.
T-Mobile	5G Home Internet	245 Mbps	$60.00/mo.

Based on the table above, the average cost of fiber internet is $0.1583 per megabit (MB). Whereas, the average cost of 5G home internet is $0.2 per MB. 

So, if you have 5G home internet and fiber available in your zip code and price is your main concern, the latter is a budget-friendly option.

5G vs Fiber-Optic Internet – Speed Test

When we narrow down the competition to the speed of fiber vs 5G home internet, fiber takes the crown. Unlike 5G home internet, the upload speed of fiber internet matches the download speed.

And because the fiber internet transmits data at the speed of light, home internet users can expect speeds as fast as 50,000Mbps! In comparison, the download speed capabilities of a 5G home internet max out at 1,000Mbps. 

Moreover, you can expect consistently fast broadband speeds on a fiber-optic network. But in the case of 5G home internet, speeds may be reduced during peak hours to give preference to 5G mobile data users. His speed reduction policy is known as data DE prioritization, and AT&T Internet Air, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, Verizon 5G Home, and Home Plus users experience it. 

5G vs Fiber – Latency

Latency, calculated in milliseconds (ms), is the delay in signal transmission. It can also be the time it takes for the data to travel from one point to another. The type of internet connection directly affects latency. 

The average latency of fiber internet is between 10 and 12 ms. On the other hand, the median latency of 5G home internet is between 18 and 30 ms. 

Since it takes longer for data to travel between two points on a 5G home internet network, we can say that the overall performance of 5G home internet is slower than fiber internet. Hence, lagging and buffering may be more common on 5G home internet compared to fiber internet. 

5G vs Fiber for Gaming

Online gamers look for three things while shopping for an internet plan – speed, ping rate, and jitter. They expect the highest download and upload speeds and the lowest ping rate (latency) and jitter for an optimal gaming experience. 

• Fast Upload and Download Speeds: The download speed should be at least 100 Mbps or more for an ideal gaming experience. The faster the download speed, the more readily players can download games and their additional content (DLC). Similarly, fast upload speeds increase the gamers’ response time and allow them to live stream their gameplay on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. 

• Low Ping Rate and Jitter: Ping rate, also known as latency, is the time it takes for data packets to travel from the device to the data centers and back. Whereas, jitter is the fluctuation in ping time. For top gaming performance, the ping time should be lower than 20 ms, and the jitter should be under 30 ms. Ultra-low ping and jitter ensure lag-free gameplay.

In a Fiber vs 5G home internet battle, gamers should select a fiber-optic broadband plan. Fiber internet’s blistering-fast, symmetrical speeds and supremely low ping and jitter guarantee a smooth, pro-level, gaming session.

The quality of the internet is not affected by weather or distance, and you get the assurance of 99.99 percent network uptime.

5G Home Internet vs Fiber – Availability 

The availability of 5G home internet and fiber broadband is affected by construction and maintenance costs. Fiber-optic cables are expensive to manufacture, and their delicate nature makes them more susceptible to physical damage. 

The high infrastructural costs have limited the fiber footprint to 45.4 percent of the country. Around 60.5 million households within the country’s most populous metros can access fiber-optic internet. 

The top 10 cities for fiber-internet access are as follows: 

Top 10 Cities for Fiber Internet in the USA
City	State	Availability	Population Covered
Atlanta	Georgia	68.37%	350,087 people
Austin	Texas	57.11%	561,307 people
Charlotte	North Carolina	76.75%	679,746 people
Kansas City	Missouri	73.95%	379,843 people
Las Vegas	Nevada	75.12%	501,262 people
Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania	92.81%	281,406 people
Tulsa	Oklahoma	51.75%	212,207 people
Salt Lake City	Utah	61.05%	129,207 people
San Antonio	Texas	60.09%	907,772 people
Seattle	Washington	57.17%	2,011,812 people

Top 10 Cities for 5G Home Internet 

Together, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon offer nationwide coverage of 5G home internet through their wireless cellular towers. However, 5G home internet service is relatively new, and its adoption across the country is a work in progress. 

At the moment, 5G home internet service is limited to high-capacity urban areas, making up 62 percent of the nation’s land area. T-Mobile alone can offer 5G home internet to over 40 million households. 

The top 10 cities below can enjoy 5G home internet access from all three providers.

• Austin, Texas 
• Baltimore, Maryland 
• Chicago, Illinois
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Denver, Colorado
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Los Angeles, California 
• Orlando, Florida 
• Syracuse, New York 

Best Overall – Fiber or 5G Home Internet? 

Fiber and 5G home internet are becoming the future of broadband connectivity. While the former dominates the market due to its ultrafast speeds and network reliability, the latter promises flexibility through its cordless connection. 

So, even though 5G home internet is yet to match the price and performance of fiber internet, it is a convenient option for instant and affordable broadband access for frequent movers and cord-cutters.

With its singular and fixed-priced plans, 5G home internet’s all-inclusive service streamlines the decision-making process, helping customers live a worry-free digital life. 

We hope our 5G home internet vs fiber review will help you select the best connection type for your home.

FAQ’S