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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Verizon has a new affordable home internet plan.
- Home Internet Lite is designed for use outside 5G or fiber areas.
- You can sign up for as low as $35 a month.
There’s a new option for affordable internet in areas where connectivity isn’t easy.
Verizon has announced a new service called Home Internet Lite. It targets customers outside the company’s current 5G and fiber footprint and those looking for a low-cost alternative to higher-priced plans. Historically, the company says, these households have only had access to older options like DSL or satellite.
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The new plan provides unlimited data and download speeds of up to 25 Mbps (the company says it’s usually 10-25 Mbps), which isn’t exactly fast but should be enough for most basic online tasks, including streaming. After the first 150 GB of data usage each month, though, Verizon warns, your speeds will slow to 10 Mbps.
Verizon says you’ll get a free router when you sign up for “simple, out-of-the-box self-setup.”
When I checked my own address, I was told that Fios or 5G home internet wasn’t available, but the new Home Internet Lite plan was. Without any sort of discounts, the normal price is $60 a month, but there are some ways to save. Â
If you enroll in auto pay and paper-free billing, you’ll save $10 a month. If you already have Verizon as your cell provider, you can lower that to $35 a month, but you can lock in the monthly price of $25 for three years if you agree to sign up for 36 months.
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In addition, if you participate in certain Federal Assistance programs like SNAP, you might be eligible for the Verizon Forward program, which offers you the service for as low as $20 a month.
Home Internet Lite is available across the country starting today.
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