Verizon’s Home Internet fixed wireless access (FWA) service has been around for more than three years. And this week the carrier said it’s offering a new Verizon FWA gateway for customers to install in their homes.
The next generation gateway, which includes a modem and router, provides better coverage, better upload speeds and “the best signal strength yet,” according to the company.
A Verizon spokesperson said the gateway is made by the Taiwanese original equipment manufacturer WNC.
It is the first Verizon FWA device that offers Wi-Fi 6E Tri-Band. 6E devices use the 6 GHz spectrum, but tri-band means the device can also support other Wi-Fi bands. And the device also supports all Verizon LTE and C-Band spectrum holdings.
But it does not support mmWave spectrum, which is used in some urban areas where Verizon offers 5G Home Internet.
While mmWave devices require a window or wall mount, the new device as well as the previous-generation LTE and C-band device, can be set on a surface such as a table.
“Like all FWA devices, for the strongest signal it is recommended to place the device near a wall or window that is closest to the nearest cell tower,” said the spokesperson. “Our setup instructions will guide the user to the best location.”
She said the gateway can be shipped to a customer or picked up at most local Verizon retail locations. According to the company, the setup can be completed in less than five minutes. If customers don’t like self-installs, they can select professional setup for $99.
The equipment, itself, is included with the FWA service and there is no charge for it.
To entice more people to sign up for its Home Internet, Verizon is currently offering a promotion of this season’s NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV1, for free.
Verizon also said that its Verizon Receiver — the customer premise equipment which it launched last year for its 5G Home Internet that uses mmWave spectrum — is now available across the entire Verizon 5G Home Internet footprint.
AT&T
Yesterday, AT&T announced that its new FWA home internet service, dubbed Internet Air, is now available in more than a dozen markets across the U.S.
And AT&T put emphasis on its customer installation process, which it says can be done in five easy steps, with the customer up and running in less than 15 minutes. The operator is not disclosing the manufacturer of its customer premises hardware.