Fiber optic cable broadband is still very popular. The vast majority of American homes use cable or DSL internet. However, more and more people are exploring new options in home wireless internet plans. While satellite internet has been in the news a lot lately, it still isn’t that widely used. Thanks to advancements in mobile broadband networks, 4G LTE home internet has become a great option for people who want to cut the cord of cable internet.
The same term could be used to describe people who have decided to switch from fiber optic cable broadband to satellite. Many people decide to cut the cord because fiber broadband or DSL connections are expensive. Others do it because of lack of service in their area. 4G LTE plans make the internet available to people who have struggled to maintain a steady connection.
Like many other utilities, providing rural areas with internet has always been a challenge. Thanks to 4G LTE, that challenge is being met more reliably, with more speed and less expense than ever. People living in rural areas often have a harder time with broadband and DSL. From unpredictable weather to rolling blackouts, the fact is reliability is an ongoing problem. Some have had success with running satellite internet through their satellite dishes, but nothing has been more of a boon for rural internet users than 4G LTE home internet.
People who live far from cities aren’t the only ones who benefit from this type of plan. Anyone who wants to redefine what their home is, as well as those who don’t want to commit to long-term service contracts love the 4G LTE option. Home wireless internet plans mean something different for people who live a nomadic life. For example, anyone who has taken to RV living is reliant on cut-cord internet options. Whether or not they are in an urban or a rural area, 4G wireless internet is the answer.
So how does 4G LTE internet service work? It’s basically an evolution of the mobile Wi-Fi on our smartphones. When your phone is using its data to provide you with internet, it is operating off of the various networks that are available at any given time. And while 4G is the industry standard, many places have now been connected to 5G networks. The network that connects all our phones has gotten so good that most places can run a constant internet connection from it.
4G LTE home internet works in a similar way to an internet hot spot. However, it is much faster and more reliable. A 4G LTE router speaks directly to the network as opposed to being run through your phone. The router converts the signal into Wi-Fi using essentially the same SIM technology that is in your smartphone. The difference is that the router decreases interference and allows for speeds that are comparable to fiber optic broadband.
The old arguments against this kind of connection to the internet are becoming outdated. Critics have often cited the costs and speed of these types of internet connections. Thanks to increased competition and vast improvements in networks, prices are going down and speeds are ever increasing. In fact, if you are in the right area, 4G LTE internet might be faster than broadband. Most companies have more than generous data caps on their plans, or are doing away with them entirely, as the networks grow and can handle more capacity.
While rural areas have benefited most from 4G LTE home wireless internet plans, everyone could have better service because of them. Some homes and businesses use a 4G or satellite internet option as a back-up if their broadband goes down. Could it be possible that in the very near future, that paradigm flips? Might it end up being most of the internet traffic is done wire lessly, and we are holding onto our broadband connections like a landline?
These kinds of plans can be a great equalizer between those who have access to the internet. It’s not only people who choose to live in rural areas or those who travel frequently for work. These plans are becoming affordable enough that anyone who has had trouble accessing the internet can now stay connected. A lot of these providers don’t have long term contracts either. Students and people living in undeserved communities are often priced out of standard broadband. These problems have nothing to do with connectivity, they have to do with affordability. Affordable 4G internet connections can improve this disparity and allow everyone to benefit from a reliable internet connection.
