5G Home Broadband

[Louise_W_515]

Hi

I'm trying to find out more about 5G Home Broadband options but the EE page doesn't seem to work properly? Not sure if this should be in the Mobile Broadband or Broadband forum. Anyway, am I right in thinking that all that is required is a Smart 5G Hub/Router and a 5G SIM card? When I try to check coverage the checker expects me to have a 5G phone, which I don't! At least, not one that is set up for 5G. So I can't be certain of the coverage but selecting a Samsung Galaxy S21 says 5G covers the road of interest. It's also not clear how much it costs for high or unlimited usage. Also what are the pros and cons - specifically the cons!
Is the setup even actually available?

Thanks for any help/advice

Louise

[Louise_W_515]

I'm just looking into EE 5G home broadband as an option as I'm moving soon. Coverage appears to be good - here in Glasgow City.  I'm not sure how much I trust coverage maps though... Still, as I understand it, if there's a problem with the 5G, the hub should drop back to 4G but still give fairly decent speeds. But both may be sensitive to positioning of the 5G hub and what's going on outside eg buildings, network congestion. The latter is a concern as more and more use is made of 5G. Ongoing congestion  issues would defeat the purpose! Having antennae attached and positioning at a window may help to deal with signal problems. Of course, we don't have control over the sites we're accessing or what goes on in between. I like to stream Formula 1 from Austria - mostly it's ok but it can stutter and lose the connection - always happens when something exciting is going on! That's with 125 Mb fibre... I'm wondering if 5G is right way to go but I'm moving to sheltered housing which is awkward for having a fibre installation. 5G would be a simple alternative but only if it runs at a good speed and is reliable (especially for streaming).

Louise

[James_B]

Hi @Louise_W_515,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Yes, to connect your home with EE 5G, you'll just need a router and a SIM.

Please see 5G WiFi | Pay Monthly 5G Mobile Broadband | EE for more information.

Hope this helps.

James

[Louise_W_515]

Thanks for your reply. Sometimes the links to it work, sometimes they don't! What if I find the 5G doesn't work or doesn't work very well in, say, a month's time? There doesn't seem to be a payg option which would allow to try and see. Otherwise, it's a commitment to a >£1200 expenditure and I'm a pensioner moving into sheltered accommodation. Can the plans be easily upgraded (or downgraded)? They talk about 'compatible laptops' - I have desktop PCs - will they be ok? What other downsides are there? Can I connect an extra router to allow more ethernet connections? (Some of my devices don't have wi-fi)

Thanks

Louise

[James_B]

Hi @Louise_W_515,

If you order online, you'll have a 14 day cancellation period. This should be plenty of time to test if the service is right for your needs.

Desktop PC's will also be able to connect to your router.

You can't downgrade your plan during your contract, but you can move to a higher plan at any time.

You could use an ethernet hub to add more ethernet connections.

Hope this helps. 🙂

James

[Louise_W_515]

One question, does the EE 5g smart hub / broadband work ok with a VPN? If so, is it ok with a split per app setting i.e. different browsers connected to different countries simultaneously?
What happens if later on something interferes with the signal? Maybe a building or something. Am I right in thinking the hub will auto switch to 4G if there's a problem with the 5G signal? I read different versions of what speeds 4G will support - is there anything definite for EE 4G in Glasgow City?

Thanks

Louise

[James_B]

Hi @Louise_W_515,

Please check with your VPN provider regarding compatibility with a mobile broadband connection.

Yes, if 5G is unavailable, your router will automatically switch to 4G.

On 4G, our mobile broadband customers experience average speeds of 40Mbps. This will vary depending on the quality of the signal in your home.

James

[Louise_W_515]

Thanks for your reply.  I have asked ExpressVPN about compatibility - awaiting an answer. However, there must be some consensus?

How can I tell in advance what signal quality will be. The coverage map says 5G should be ok but...

Louise

[James_B]

Hi @Louise_W_515,

Most up to date VPN protocols will work fine over mobile data, but it's always best to check with your provider.

On the coverage checker, you can select 4G to see the predicted 4G coverage in your area.

Hope this helps. 🙂

James

[Louise_W_515]

You could have said that previously! For the benefit of others FWIW ExpressVPN say:
"you can use ExpressVPN on any internet connection whether it be home or office Wi-Fi, public Wi-Fi, or mobile data (4G or 5G network)"
Yeah, I said the coverage checker is fine but it doesn't specify whether it will be ok at a particular address. I can take my 4G LTE phone along to the new address and see the signal on that, but that doesn't translate to Mbps and also won't say anything about 5G at all.

Thanks

Louise