T-Mobile Launches Internet Service Widely

T-Mobile has widely launched its own home internet service, following a pilot program. The new service offers a flat rate of $60 per month for a modem rental and WiFi router that uses T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks.

According to CNET, T-Mobile aims to compete with Comcast, Charter, and other mobile home broadband providers like AT&T and Verizon. The flat rate is said to contain no taxes or equipment fees, and to end your monthly charge you can just return the router. It says it expects download speeds of roughly 100Mbps, with no throttling.

T-Mobile plans to make the service available to 30 million Americans in the 48 contiguous states and Hawaii, many of whom are located in rural regions. Interested customers can check if their address is eligible through the T-mobile ISP site.

T-Mobile has been expanding its scope from its mobile business in recent years, having launched a pilot ISP program with 4G LTE to later incorporate 5G and expand to new territories. The pilot included 100,000 subscribers as of a 2020 analyst day, and is aiming to increase that to 500,000 by the end of the year and 7-8 million by 2025.

The announcement is well-timed. As part of President Biden's infrastructure plan, he aims to expand broadband access to all Americans. The plan has gotten some high-profile backers, including a statement of support from Amazon's Jeff Bezos.