The Initial Hurdles with T-Mobile Home Internet

About two years ago, I embarked on an experiment to test out the performance of T-Mobile Home Internet. The initial stages were quite promising. My first experience with the service saw me achieving download speeds of 472 Mbps and upload speeds of an impressive 71.9 Mbps. These figures were quite comparable to my previous Spectrum 400/20 cable internet plan. More importantly, the T-Mobile Home Internet plan was cheaper, costing me just $50 per month compared to the $65 I was paying for Spectrum internet.

However, my smooth sail soon hit the rocks. Barely two weeks into the activation of my T-Mobile service, I started encountering connection errors culminating in total loss of internet connectivity. Following two long days with no internet and an unhelpful response from T-Mobile’s customer service, I decided to revert to my Spectrum internet service. This oversight revealed the inherent weaknesses with T-Mobile’s wireless service, especially in terms of capacity to handle connectivity issues and the less than honest service representatives who would rather lie than provide substantive assistance to the customers.

A Second Chance for T-Mobile Home Internet

The past two years have been a period of reflection and assessment for me. There have been some significant improvements in the T-Mobile Home Internet service, and I have decided to give it a try once more.

Before my re-engagement with T-Mobile, I had been using Spectrum’s 400/20 internet plan. The service was no doubt satisfactory, with minimal outages. However, the cost wasn’t too favorable. I was paying $65 a month for just 20 Mbps upload speeds, which was a bit of a bummer.

Back to T-Mobile Home Internet

Last month, I took the plunge back into T-Mobile Home Internet waters. Lured by a T-Mobile banner ad offering a $200 prepaid Mastercard promotion upon sign up for the service and the prospect of saving a few bucks, I decided it was high time for a second chance. The $50 per month price tag, aided by autopay, was too enticing to resist, especially compared to the $55 per month one had to part with using a credit card.

The Return Experience

Just like the first time, signing up for T-Mobile Home Internet was a breeze. I logged into my existing T-Mobile account, confirmed my eligibility for 5G coverage at home, filled in my social security number for the requisite credit check, and provided my payment details. Within two days, I had received a welcome package complete with a 5G gateway.

Setting up T-Mobile

The circular 5G gateway I had received back in July 2022 had been swapped out for a Sercomm TMO-G4AR modem/router that T-Mobile now provides for new customers. The rectangular tower, finished in flat white plastic, comes fitted with internal antennas to tap into T-Mobile’s 5G/LTE network.

T-Mobile Home Internet Performance

Fast-forward a month since my re-engagement with T-Mobile Home Internet, there is a notable difference in service delivery and performance.

Caveats in “Unlimited” Internet Offerings

While T-Mobile offers what it calls “unlimited” internet, there are a few restrictions to note. For instance, your service speeds may be throttled due to data prioritization protocols in place.

Final Thoughts

T-Mobile Home Internet has managed to redeem itself since my first encounter two years ago. The offer of 5G Home Internet service, tied with its consistent performance and dependability over the past month, is encouraging. The cost savings from the switch from Spectrum already project an extra $180 bump in my pocket at the end of the year, not to mention the $200 prepaid Mastercard soon to come from T-Mobile.