A residential client cut the internet cord in favor of Wi-Fi from their cellular provider. They made the switch abruptly and didn’t get everything they thought they would. If you’re thinking about going cellular for your internet service, you need to have a plan. It’s not a matter of just pulling the plug on one system and plugging in another.

Yes, cellular internet can be cheaper – although the cable internet providers always seem to have a special offer going. You don’t need to bundle services like you used to. The key to cellular is to look at coverage. If you don’t always get a strong cellular signal on your phone at the place you want to put your cellar receiver, you won’t be able to install a good Wi-Fi network.

When you get right down to it, if you have a lot of devices running your Wi-Fi network – phones/tablets, TVs, computers, smart devices, etc. you need 5G ultrawide cellular service – or whatever your carrier calls it – to make it all work. 5G service essentially comes in three bandwidths:

• Low Band, which has a frequency rate below 1GHz and provides slower speeds (up to 50 Mbps). However, it’s good for building penetration.
• Mid Band, which has a frequency range of 1 to 6 GHz and balances coverage in urban areas with speeds from 100 to 900 Mbps. It’s commonly used in urban areas.
• High Band, which has a frequency range up to 24 GHz, provides very high speeds (up to 10 Gbps) but has limited coverage. It’s best for dense urban environments.

The service you get will depend on how your carrier’s network is configured for your location.

While the information above is for urban areas, we believe 5G service is probably better for rural areas, where it’s either impossible or prohibitively expense to run wires. Cable delivers faster, more stable internet service, and that can be important for businesses and homes that offices and lots of devices.

Aside from technical factors, you also need to look at the logistics of your email. If you leave your cable internet provider, you’ll need to migrate to a new email platform. That’s because email from a phone or cable company is essentially a loss-leader service, and the providers have found it’s a costly loss.

We strongly advise against simply cutting one service and starting with a new one. You should take whatever time you need to let people and organizations know your new address, and you should transfer all your messages to your new platform. Your old cable or phone email provider has no obligation to keep your old messages for an extended time once you disconnect from their service.

If you’re considering a move to a cellular internet provider, call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss it. Let’s look at your Wi-Fi needs and make sure your internet provider can handle everything on your network, and let’s look at your email platform options and plan an orderly migration process.