Verizon moved to capitalise on a rise in remote working, rolling out a fixed wireless access (FWA) home broadband product which uses its 4G network to reach more customers.
The operator began offering 5G home broadband in October 2018 [1] but while the mmWave spectrum used allowed it to offer extremely fast speeds, it also severely limited coverage and availability.
Frank Boulben, SVP of consumer marketing and products, stated use of its LTE network allows the operator to “provide internet connectivity for customers in more rural parts of America who may not have access” to a traditional fixed option. He added the move fills a “critical need” as more Americans work and learn from home during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Service costs $40 per month for existing Verizon customers and $60 per month for non-Verizon customers, plus $240 for the required hardware. This buys unlimited data with peak speeds of 50Mb/s.
It is available in parts of Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky.
AT&T and US Cellular have long offered 4G FWA broadband products, with tariffs starting at $50 per month.
T-Mobile US is also expected to deploy a service: earlier this month it expanded a trial of its home broadband service, opening what was initially an invitation-only pilot [2] to residents of Grand Rapids, a city in Michigan.
[1] https://www.mobileworldlive.com/featured-content/home-banner/us-players-set-5g-battle-lines-for-mwca-showdown
[2] https://www.mobileworldlive.com/featured-content/top-three/t-mobile-commences-home-broadband-trial
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