Why You Can Trust CNET T-Mobile Adds New Plans to Its Home Internet Menu – and Throws in Hulu and Paramount Plus
These are some of the most generous perks any internet provider is currently offering.
If you’re feeling frustrated with your internet service provider, this may be a really good time to switch to T-Mobile Home Internet. Starting on Dec. 11, you'll get free subscriptions to Hulu and Paramount Plus when you sign up for T-Mobile’s $70 All-In plan -- immediately one of the best internet deals out there -- and boosted speeds due to its new gateway devices.
On its its Amplified Internet ($60 monthly) and All-In Internet ($70) plans, T-Mobile's new gateway device typically delivers download speeds between 133 and 415 Mbps, while the device used on the $50 Rely Internet plan gets you between 87 and 318Mbps. Both of those are a step up from 72 - 245Mbps range that the older gateway gets you.
The Amplified and All-In Internet plans also come with Advanced Cyber Security, which provides features like anomaly detection and automatic blocking of malicious links.
Locating local internet providers
| Rely Internet | Amplified Internet | All-In Internet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $50 | $60 | $70 |
| Price (w/ eligible cellphone plan) | $35 | $45 | $55 |
| Download speeds | 87-318Mbps | 133-415Mbps | 133-415Mbps |
| Gateway included | Fast | Faster | Faster |
| Advanced Cyber Security | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Mesh Access Point | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Hulu (with ads) | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Paramount Plus Essential | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
The wireless internet provider currently offers two plans for $50 and $70 monthly, which have roughly the same features as the new Rely and All-In plans.
T-Mobile's upgraded speeds might still be on the low side for larger homes with lots of connected devices. CNET writer Amanda Kooser has used T-Mobile Home Internet for two years and found that download speeds were usually around 80Mbps but could get as low as 16.7Mbps at times.
Locating local internet providers
That’s to be expected with wireless internet, where speeds are heavily impacted by network congestion and your home’s position relative to the nearest cell tower. Still, the data says most people are fine with T-Mobile’s speeds. It got the second-highest score in J.D. Power’s most recent customer satisfaction survey and the highest score of any non-fiber provider from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
These new plans also come with a price-lock guarantee. Previously, the provider's "Price Lock" was a promise to pay your final bill if you ever cancelled due to a price increase, but these new plans have updated terms: T-Mobile won't ever raise your rates as long as you stay on your plan.
Are the new T-Mobile plans a good deal?
T-Mobile’s internet plans were a good deal before adding these streaming perks and they’re even better now. Its $70 plan still comes with all the same features as before -- a mesh access point, faster gateway device, advanced security -- but now it adds two streaming subscriptions. Hulu (with ads) costs $10 a month and Paramount Plus Essential costs $8, so you’re getting $18 in monthly value.
But if you don’t really need these services -- or if you already have them through other deals like the Disney Plus, Hulu and Max bundle -- the $70 All-In plan is a lot less enticing. True, the addition of a mesh access point would help boost your signal in a bigger home, but I’m skeptical that T-Mobile would provide enough speed for these kinds of homes in the first place.
More deals for new customers
T-Mobile is also offering some nice signup perks for new customers right now. These deals are available “for a limited time,” and you’ll have to stay a customer for two months in order to cash in. You can pick from these two options:
- Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series: This TV currently costs $150 on its own and is a bit of a throwback in that it’s a non-4K TV.
- $150 virtual prepaid Mastercard: If you’d prefer money in your pocket, you can also opt for this prepaid card.