The challenge for your internet connection

The internet has become such an intricate part of our lives that we have come to rely on it some more than others. Whether you use the internet to keep in touch with friends and families or for telecommuting, it's importance is undeniable. The options before used to be limited in terms who your service provider would be based on where you lived especially so for the residential internet. Chances are that you internet services are being rendered from your local cable service such as Spectrum Charter. Cellular service providers such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T are looking to change all of that by offering residential internet services that were not available before.

5G Internet has Arrived

Due to the emergence and the next iteration of the mobile internet, we are now on the cusp of transitioning from 4G internet to 5G internet. As of Monday Verizon wireless has officially launched a new service known as Verizon 5G HOME in four different cities that will allow users to connect a laptop, smartphones, and television to the internet via a wireless network which would be broadcast from a single device.

5G Initial Service Offerings

Having options is great for consumers since competition usually benefits them. For those that still utilize home telephone services and cable services will have to, unfortunately, stick with their current service provider since the 5G home internet solution doesn’t include cable TV services. The 5G network is still new, therefore those that are spoiled with Gigabyte internet speeds should take this into consideration as well since the network on the norm will be able to offer data speeds of 300 Mbps while limited areas will see gigabyte internet speeds.

Verizon Vs AT&T

Verizon at the moment has already spent billions of dollars for the right to unused radio wave frequencies at the high end. Due to the limitation of the high-end frequencies in terms of their range, they broadcast range for a cell would be adequate for city blocks and apartment buildings. AT&T, on the other hand, has opted to secure the radio waves on the lower end of the frequency band and is planning to offer an on the go solution using traditional cellular towers and networks. Most, if not all, of rural, America has no or limited access to the internet which is where AT&T will truly capitalize due to the cost. The costs associated with erecting a cellular tower in close proximity to service a handful of residential customers is not feasible for Verizon.

The Competition Between Cellular Services

Interesting enough is the fact that Spectrum Charter also happened to launch as of recently their own iteration of cellular services for both voice and data service which also happens to be powered via Verizon’s 4G cellular network. Charter also plans to offer 5G internet using a cell which would be attached to their existing wireless network in the future to render the services. The most interesting concept is that current residential internet customer can avail a discount when subscribing for cellular services provided via Charter. When compared to the service offering for Verizon 5G HOME Internet and the discount provided to its existing cellular customer for bundling services together it’s essentially the same thing. The main difference between the two providers is the fact that Spectrum Charter has greater penetration and is able to cater to a large area for residential services whereas Verizon has a greater consumer base of cellular customer and limited residential internet services when compared to Verizon 5G HOME, which is further balanced with its existing Verizon FIOS consumer base.

The Internet and Downtime

The thing about cable-based broadband services is that they are rendered over a wired network, which means more reliability as compared to a cell-based network solution, which at the end of the day results in a reliable connection. A downside to this is that if a cable wire is damaged then the residence is left without service resulting in a domino-like effect. However, when cellular services go down its more like a high way car pileup compared to the domino effect. It’s not only a few that are left without service but everyone in the affected area. The best example of this would be trying to use your cellular services during a concert where the network has become so congested that it is impossible to make a phone call or use the internet.

The Things That Really Matter

Cable-based internet is also more cost-effective when compared to the cellular services since cable companies are able to offer a variety of internet speeds that cater to different use cases.

At the end of the day, all anyone wants is a stable high-speed internet connection that is cost effective and reliable. As mentioned earlier, competition is welcomed since at the end of the day, the consumer benefits from the presence of multiple providers. All internet service providers need to realize that customer services is in fact what builds brand loyalty. No one would mind paying a slight premium in they had to spend less time and energy on the phone contacting their service provider when the internet no longer works.