AT&T Internet Air Review
$35.00/mo
plus taxes, with eligible wireless service
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AT&T Internet Air, introduced in 2023, is a new iteration of AT&T’s fixed wireless service that uses a 5G network to deliver internet access. The provider plans to promote AT&T Internet Air as an alternative to its DSL service in the non-fiber service areas. However, you can currently access it in only certain locations.
So, what can you expect from AT&T Internet Air? And how does it compare with other 5g home internet providers? Read on to learn everything about this new wireless service, from its price to the offered Internet speeds. But first, let’s look at the pros and cons of AT&T Internet Air.
| Internet Air – At a Glance | |
| Price | $55/mo. |
| Price with Eligible Wireless Service | $35/mo. |
| Download Speed | 40 Mbps – 140 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 5 Mbps – 25 Mbps |
| Data | None |
| Contract | None |
| Installation | Self-setup (Free) |
| Equipment | All-Fi Hub (Included) |
| Availability | 59 Cities |
AT&T Internet Air offers only one plan for a starting price of $55 per month. This price is higher than other options, but you get a flat rate for the first 12 months. So, for $55, you get a respectable download speed ranging from 40 to 140 Mbps and unlimited data.
Internet Air is also contract-free like all the other AT&T services and includes free Wi-Fi equipment that provides excellent coverage and protects your devices. But the best quality about this service is its hassle-free installation which takes less than 15 minutes with an accompanying easy-to-use app.
Internet Air is comparatively much faster than the provider’s 4G LTE fixed wireless service. In fact, this 5G home internet service offers DSL-like download speeds of up to 140 Mbps and higher upload rates ranging from 5 to 25 Mbps, making it an ideal alternative for satellite and DSL internet services. However, you may experience throttled speeds due to network congestion during peak hours.
AT&T Internet is perfect for small households with casual internet usage. While it cannot compete with the current speeds of cable and fiber internet providers, you may see faster rates in the future since 5G has the potential to deliver up to 10,000 Mbps speed.
AT&T Internet Air is a self-setup service that only takes a few minutes to activate. This service comes with a free self-installation box containing an AT&T All-Fi Hub and a power supply. You just need to follow these steps to get started.
The first step is to download the Smart Home Manager app. You can easily find this app on your app store, or if you are in a hurry, scan the QR code printed on the box.
Click on ‘Sign In’ if you are already registered. Otherwise, select ‘Set up equipment’ to create a new account. The app will then ask you to scan the QR code available at the base of your AT&T All-Fi Hub.
Click on the ‘Get Started’ option on the ‘Let’s begin your AT&T Internet Air setup’ screen. Follow all the prompts to set up your equipment.
The placement of the All-Fi Hub is important for receiving strong signals. It is better to place it in the center of your home or close to a window if possible. Avoid placing it near obstructions like bookcases, stone walls, or other devices that may interfere with the signals, like microwaves or baby monitors. Use the ‘Help me find’ option on the ‘Place Your All-Fi Hub’ screen to align it with the nearest AT&T tower for maximum signal strength.
The next step is to plug in your All-Fi Hub and test the signal strength by following the prompts on the app. This step can also help you find the ideal placement for your equipment.
The Smart Home Manager app will give you the Wi-Fi name and password at the end. Use this to connect wireless devices or set your own Wi-Fi name or password.
Internet Air is delivered over AT&T’s reliable 5G network to connect people living in less densely populated areas. According to Erin Scarborough, the president of broadband and connectivity initiatives at AT&T, you can currently find this wireless service in 59 locations, including the following:
| Cities with Internet Air Availability | |||||
| San Diego, CA | Baltimore, MD | San Antonio, TX | |||
| Austin, TX | Charlotte, NC | Raleigh-Durham, NC | |||
| West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, FL | Oklahoma City, OK | Indianapolis, IN | |||
| Buffalo, NY | Jacksonville, FL | Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX | |||
| Tulsa, OK | Ft. Myers-Naples, FL | Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-SLO, CA | |||
| Panama City, FL | Syracuse, NY | Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR | |||
| Syracuse, NY | Sherman, TX | Syracuse, NY Thomasville, GA | |||
| Ada, OK | Corpus Christi, TX | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | |||
| Laredo, TX | Victoria, TX | ||||
While its availability is currently limited to select locations, the provider plans to expand this service to more areas within its wireless network. The good news for existing AT&T customers is that the provider will notify them once this service is available in their area. But if you are a new customer, call AT&T at (877) 675-5469 to confirm Internet Air availability at your address.
While Internet Air is a good alternative to AT&T’s legacy internet service, it cannot compete with the speeds and reliability of AT&T Fiber. Moreover, it is only available in non-fiber locations. However, its hassle-free self-setup makes it worth a try.
On the other hand, AT&T Fiber provides an excellent in-home experience and caters to all types of business and residential customers, offering various speed tiers at reasonable prices.
The only downside is that its self-installation is available in certain circumstances. Most customers have to pay $99 for professional assistance (to extend a fiber line to their homes). Here is a brief overview of how AT&T Internet Air compares to AT&T Fiber.
AT&T Internet Air vs AT&T Fiber | ||
Features | Internet Air | Fiber Internet |
Number of Plans | 1 | 5 |
Starting Price | $55.00/mo. | $55.00/mo. |
Download Speed | 40 Mbps – 140 Mbps | 300 Mbps – 5,000 Mbps |
Upload Speed | 5 Mbps – 25 Mbps | 300 Mbps – 5,000 Mbps |
Internet Technology | 5G | Fiber-optic |
Data | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Contract | None | None |
Equipment | Included | Included |
Self Installation | Free | Free |
Professional Installation | – | $99.00 |
Availability | Extremely limited | 22 states |
AT&T has joined the 5G home internet race quite late compared to T-Mobile and Verizon. While the provider had introduced 4G LTE fixed wireless service back in 2017, it didn’t launch its 5G home internet till 2023. AT&T has been working to improve its fiber network for the past few years. It has only recently joined the wireless home internet market to swap out its aging copper-based network in non-fiber areas.
Comparatively, it is slightly more expensive than T-Mobile and Verizon’s 5G home internet services. Moreover, it is also slower and has limited availability. In short, AT&T Internet Air needs a lot of improvement to give T-Mobile and Verizon some competition.
Features | AT&T Internet Air | T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | Verizon 5G Home Internet |
Plans | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Price | $55.00/mo. | $50.00/mo. | $65.00 – $70.00/mo. |
Download Speed | 40 Mbps – 140 Mbps | 72 Mbps – 245 Mbps | 50 Mbps – 1,000 Mbps |
Upload Speed | 5 Mbps – 25 Mbps | 15 Mbps – 31 Mbps | 5 Mbps – 75 Mbps |
Price Guarantee | 12 months | Lifetime | 2 to 3 years |
Availability | Extremely limited | Nationwide | Select metro areas |
*All prices are mentioned with AutoPay discounts.
With a maximum download speed of up to 140 Mbps, AT&T Internet Air is a good option in less densely populated areas. This wireless 5G home internet service is a major part of AT&T’s plan to replace its copper-based network with a more reliable and faster service. Since the provider cannot extend its fiber service in every area, it has introduced Internet Air to connect those locations.
This service is an ideal choice for small households but has limited availability. Moreover, it faces tough competition from Verizon and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet in terms of pricing, internet speed, and other perks. However, AT&T is in the process of scaling up this service. Therefore, you might see better speed and coverage in the future.
AT&T Internet Air is a fixed wireless service that sends wireless signals via a 5G network. AT&T’s Wi-Fi gateway receives those signals and converts them into a home internet connection.
AT&T Internet Air offers decent upload and download speeds. Its download speeds can reach up to 140 Mbps, while its upload rates range from 5 to 25 Mbps, making it a good option for small households. This service is fast enough to connect more than two devices and provides enough bandwidth to support casual streaming, online gaming, and more.
AT&T Internet Air is good for playing light mobile games, but its high latency rate makes it a poor option for avid gamers.
While AT&T Internet Air offers various perks and reasonable speeds, it is not as reliable as a fiber or even cable internet service. The provider also throttles the speed of this service during network congestion.
No, Internet Air is a fixed wireless service that provides internet access over AT&T’s 5G network. Meanwhile, fiber internet is a wired broadband service that uses fiber-optic cables to deliver connection to your home, making it much faster than Internet Air.
Yes, Internet Air is better than DSL service for offering faster download and upload speeds.
Yes, Internet Air offers unlimited data.