T-Mobile is targeting home internet users who experience frequent service interruptions with a new $30-a-month “Home Internet Backup” plan. This service, announced today, is designed to provide a backup 5G connection to ensure that households remain online when their primary internet service fails.
The plan includes 130GB of 5G data each month, which T-Mobile claims is sufficient to maintain connectivity for a typical household for up to seven days a month during outages. However, if subscribers exceed this data limit, download speeds will drop to “up to” 600kbps.
The backup plan operates similarly to T-Mobile’s main 5G home internet service, utilizing a 5G gateway device to create a Wi-Fi network. Although there is no annual contract, the service lacks flexibility: canceling and resubscribing on a month-by-month basis incurs a $35 device connection fee each time. The $30 monthly fee applies only if users opt for autopay; otherwise, it rises to $35. Customers with an eligible T-Mobile voice line can take advantage of a limited-time offer reducing the cost to $20 per month.
T-Mobile’s announcement acknowledges that internet outages can severely disrupt productivity, pitching the backup plan as a solution for uninterrupted service. Nevertheless, users should be aware that during network congestion, the backup plan is subject to lower prioritization, potentially leading to slower speeds compared to other T-Mobile plans. Although primarily intended as a backup, it is technically possible to use the service as a primary internet connection if data usage stays below 130GB, after which speeds are throttled.
The company assures that the necessary 5G gateway is included without additional charges, but installing the service requires a one-time $35 fee. T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet service boasts availability for over 50 million homes throughout the United States, with 131 million households nationwide.
For those interested, the T-Mobile Home Internet Backup service will be available starting June 6, with orders being accepted via this link.