AT&T Internet Air Has Arrived Nationwide—Here’s How To Get It

AT&T Internet Air is a 5G home internet service launched in 2023. It aims to transition customers off DSL as it slowly rolls out nationwide for anyone who can’t get AT&T’s superfast fiber internet.

It arrived over two years after the launch of T-Mobile’s rival 5G home internet service, which offers faster speeds for around the same price. We’ll always suggest T-Mobile Home Internet over other 5G home internet providers for its reliability, customer service, and proven track record.

Still, we’ll go over the basics so you can decide if AT&T Internet Air is the best solution for you.

Why AT&T Internet Air?

Unlike T-Mobile and Verizon, AT&T has been vocally resistant to the idea of launching a 5G home internet service. The provider instead has spent the past few years bulking up its fiber network and has recently confirmed it’s on track to reach 30 million customers by 2025.

However, part of AT&T’s fiber initiative has included swapping out its aging copper telephone lines with fiber ones to deliver faster speeds and better reliability. But for existing and potential new customers who live in areas where fiber-to-the-home service still isn’t available (and may never be), AT&T has finally turned to 5G fixed wireless to reach them.

AT&T introduced its 4G-based fixed wireless service years ago, but the speeds max out around 25Mbps—far slower than DSL’s max of 140Mbps. The new Internet Air service aims to deliver DSL-like download speeds without the copper wires, although 5G has the potential to reach 10,000Mbps (10Gbps).

Take a look at the pros and cons of AT&T Internet Air:

Compare AT&T Internet Air to the competition

When we compare plans, AT&T Internet Air has the slowest top speeds of the group. In fact, it costs $5 more per month than Verizon, while you only get half of Verizon’s top speed. We say go with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet if you want the best speed, reliability, and customer service.

Still, to be fair, all four providers listed above share a few common perks:

• Flat monthly fees
• No install fees
• No equipment fees

Does AT&T offer a discount for current mobile customers?

Yes, customers currently enrolled in a postpaid AT&T mobile plan receive a discount on their Internet Air bill. Here’s how the discount compares to the competition:

Currently, you can get T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet service for $50 per month if you bundle it with any voice line. Customers who already have the Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta MAX plan can get 5G Home Internet for $40 per month.

Overall, T-Mobile is our top pick for the best 5G home internet service you can get. It has faster speeds, better reliability, and great customer service based on feedback from our customer satisfaction survey. You simply can’t go wrong with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.

Does AT&T Internet Air have unlimited data?

As with rivals Starry, T-Mobile, and Verizon, AT&T Internet Air has no data caps or overage fees. But it does have an advantage over T-Mobile’s rival 5G service in terms of data use, as we explain in the next section.

Does AT&T throttle speeds?

According to a disclaimer on its website, AT&T will throttle your speeds or even suspend your service for the following reasons:

• Network congestion
• Service misuse
• Abnormal service misuse
• Interfering with AT&T’s network

However, there’s no mention of throttling your speed after reaching a set download threshold.

By comparison, T-Mobile clearly calls out the following in its full terms disclaimer:

• Possible slower speeds during network congestion
• Even slower speeds if using more than 1.2TB of data each month

Verizon also acknowledges a possible speed slowdown during heavy traffic but doesn’t mention throttled speeds due to surpassing an unspecified monthly allotment.

Can current Fixed Wireless customers switch to Internet Air?

AT&T is automatically migrating Fixed Wireless customers to Internet Air. Current Fixed Wireless customers will receive a notification from AT&T when Internet Air becomes available in their area.

What equipment comes with AT&T Internet Air?

Currently, AT&T supplies you with what appears to be a modified version of the Wistron NeWeb ATTCGW450 gateway. However, AT&T’s version (All-Fi Hub model CGW450-400) lacks the ONT port and the three 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports offered with the original design. Here are the specs if you’re into the gritty details:

Cellular bands (U.S.)

• 5G: n2, n5, n12, n30, n66, n77
• 4G LTE: B2, B4, B5, B12, B29, B30, B66

Wi-Fi

• Version: Wi-Fi 6
• Max throughput: 6,000Mbps
• Bands: 2
• Streams: 8
• Mesh support: Yes

Ports and buttons

• 1x USB 3.2 Type A
• 1x 1Gbps Ethernet
• 1x 10Gbps Ethernet
• 1x WPS
• 1x Reset
• 1x Nano SIM Slot (4FF)

Is AT&T Internet Air easy to set up?

AT&T Internet Air is easy to set up and takes around 20 minutes to get your home network up and running. All you need is the AT&T Smart Home Manager app and the All-Fi Hub. Take a look:

Step 1: Install the Smart Home Manager app (App Store, Google Play) on your mobile device. A QR code is also printed on the box.

Step 2: Sign in to your account—AT&T already has the All-Fi Hub info it needs. Alternatively, tap Set Up Equipment to create an account and then scan the QR code on the All-Fi Hub to add it to your account.

Step 3: Tap Get Started.

Step 4: Place the All-Fi Hub on the top floor (if possible) and near a window. However, be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight so it doesn’t overheat. Also, keep it away from things that can block the signals, like microwaves, appliances, brick and stone walls, bookcases, and so on.

Note: If AT&T’s tower location feature is available to you, tap on the Help Me Find link to find the best signal strength to the local tower using the integrated compass tool.

Step 5: Connect the All-Fi Hub to power and wait for the signal quality check to finish. Relocate the unit as needed.

Step 6: Set your Wi-Fi SSID and password or use the default.

Where can I get AT&T Internet Air?

Although the service was initially available only to AT&T DSL customers, it’s now available publicly to any customer living in select markets. Here’s a full list of where you can find AT&T Internet Air as of December 2023:

• Los Angeles, Calif.
• Philadelphia, Pa.
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon, Pa.
• Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Las Vegas, Nev.
• Phoenix (Prescott), Ariz.
• Chicago, Ill.
• Detroit, Mich.
• Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.
• Hartford-New Haven, Conn.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
• Portland, Ore.
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Seattle-Tacoma, Wash.
• Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), Fla.
• Milwaukee, Wis.

FAQ about AT&T Internet Air