Straight Talk Home Internet Pros and Cons: Unlimited Data for $45 a Month

The days of wired connections are slowly becoming a thing of the past. With more and more tech products becoming wireless, it’s not a big surprise to know that your home internet products like your modem and router are coming together to form one simple wireless connection. 

The major three wireless companies have all dipped their toes in the 5G Home Internet waters and it’s only natural that MVNOs are starting to get in on the action. A MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is its own branch of phone company. Instead of having their own cell towers they will instead buy “packages” of data from wireless companies that do own their own towers and sell it to you at lower prices.

• Fun Fact: Most phone companies in the country besides ones like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are MVNOs!

In this case, the popular MVNO known as Straight Talk Wireless has suited up and is offering their own home internet services at costs that might have you considering the switch. But how does it all work? And what are some of the Straight Talk Internet pros and cons you need to know so you can make a firm decision? We’re going to discuss all of that and more so you can enjoy your home internet how you need to.

• How does Straight Talk Home Internet work?
• Straight Talk Wireless Coverage & Speeds
• The Straight Talk Home Internet Plan
• Straight Talk Internet Pros and Cons
• Frequently Asked Questions

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How does Straight Talk Home Internet work?

Typically when you’re looking to set up a wifi connection in your home most companies will offer a fixed-line internet service which is when you would get your internet connection from plugging a cable (DSL or FiOS) into the wall running through your house into your modem. The Wi-Fi is distributed from a wireless router connected to the Modem.

Nowadays with 5G and 4G LTE network connections getting stronger and stronger, phone companies have taken it upon themselves to make their own router and modem combined into one device- (normally called a Gateway Device, but in Straight Talk’s case it’s called their Home Internet Router) to provide your home with fast wifi connections.

• Straight Talk Home Internet “uses a router that both receives the cellular signal and provides wi-fi for your home devices.”

It’s using the 5G and/or 4G LTE signal that’s in your area and essentially “turning it into” your at home internet connection. 

For their phone services, Straight Talk Wireless uses Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile’s 4G LTE and 5G networks to provide phone coverage, but for their Home Internet Straight Talk uses Verizon’s widespread coverage only. In late 2022, Verizon and Straight Talk announced “Straight Talk Home Internet” would be available and exclusive to their website and Walmart stores.

• Important to Note: Before buying make sure you are eligible for Straight Talk Home Internet. Not every area is currently eligible so go to their Check Availability page and type in your address to see if your area is compatible.

Setup and activation is pretty easy as instead of having to hire someone to set up that wired connection through your house, the Straight Talk Home Internet Router can be set up and working within a few easy steps:

1. You’ll need to activate your Home Router by visiting straighttalk.com/activation or calling their number 1-877-430-2355. Follow the instructions on screen or via voice on the phone.
2. After activation you’ll need to place your Straight Talk Internet Router in a location up high, close to a window, and/or facing out to your main room.
3. Plug the router in and wait for the blinking white light to turn into a solid white light. (If your light is red you’re gonna have to move the router in a different spot and if it never stops blinking, call the number above or re-try activation).
4. And just like that you can start connecting to the internet! Look on the back on the Home Internet Router for the WiFi name and password or scan the QR code to connect your phone. 

Instead of having to hire someone or pay for an installation fee, you can set up wifi in your home in just four easy steps. That’s a big draw for many who don’t want to pay for extra fees or have a more complicated set-up.

Straight Talk Wireless Coverage & Speeds

Like we said earlier, regular Straight Talk Wireless mobile plans are covered under all three Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile services. You can look at the Straight Talk Wireless Coverage Map here for estimates on coverage in your area. But since we’re talking about Straight Talk Home Internet you’ll find that it works a bit differently.

As per their website, “Straight Talk Home Internet is currently offered in select areas across the country and the coverage is expanding rapidly.” 

In order to be eligible for Straight Talk Home Internet you’ll have to check your availability, if you are eligible you will get a little pop up “congrats” message and get sent to the next steps of buying your Home Internet Router and plan, but if you aren’t you’ll be put on an exclusive email list that will keep you updated on when Straight Talk Internet becomes available in your area.

But if you have Straight Talk Wireless services in your area, why aren’t you eligible for their Home Internet?

Straight Talk wants you to have the most optimal service possible and that means maintaining consistent speed strength giving you the full range of the product they are selling, and that can all be dependent on your specific area. Network strength and signal is vital to their Home Internet product, so they will only sell to those who they know will get the best of their product.

What speeds can you expect from Straight Talk Internet?

According to their website, Straight Talk Home Internet can deliver “download speeds of 20-100 Mbps and upload speeds of 3-10 Mbps” but again, since you’re getting your internet via cell towers your own individual signal strength may vary. For eligible users in 4G LTE areas you can “expect download speeds of 20-50 Mbps and upload speeds of 3-6 Mbps.”

SpeedTest, which is a website you can test your internet speeds on with reliability, breaks down what speeds of the internet are “good” and which ones leave much to be desired. 

Straight Talk Home Internet falls into the “better (but still meh),” “solid,” and “good” categories for download speeds, while their upload speeds are considered to be “slow” according to their metrics. 

It seems with Straight Talk Home Internet speeds you can expect some pretty solid video streaming and gaming, but with occasional potential hiccups depending on your signal strength. 

The Straight Talk Home Internet Plan

If you’re not a fan of choice then you’ll enjoy that there is only one Straight Talk Home Internet plan. Yep, you heard that right. Only one to choose from! So let’s break it down:

Straight Talk’s Home Internet Unlimited Data Plan

$45/mo

(with a $5 per month discount with Auto-Refill for existing customers with active lines)

Unlimited Data

(on the 5G/LTE network)

“No-Contract 30 days of service”

*Device must be activated within 30 days of purchase.

For $40 to $45 a month you’ll get a pretty good taste of what 5G Home Internet is like. There’s no data cap and no overage fees which is especially nice for the price. You may not get the fastest or most consistent speeds when it comes to home internet, but you’ll get an understanding of life outside the broadband connection and you’ll be able to decide whether you like that wireless connection or if you want to stay with the traditional wired set up.

One thing you’ll need to buy on top of signing up for the Straight Talk Home Internet plan is their Home Internet Router which is a one time purchase of $99.99. The router, power adapter, and ethernet cable all come in the box.

Straight Talk Internet Pros and Cons

With being a relatively new product, Straight Talk Home Internet is bound to run into the highs of pros and the lows of cons. Here’s a few pros and cons we discovered:

Pros:

• User-Friendly Installation
• Affordable Home Internet
• No Contracts and No Data Caps

User-Friendly Installation

It can’t get more simpler than opening a box, plugging in one cord into the wall, and connecting to the internet in a handful of minutes. With wired broadband connections costing both time and money, the Straight Talk Home Internet Router is built with a user-friendly experience in mind. What normally could take a few hours will only take around 15-20 minutes for your whole household to get connected to the internet. And with more and more people looking for easy alternatives to their current internet provider, Straight Talk Home Internet definitely draws in the crowd with their easy set up.

Affordable Home Internet

With most home internet plans costing more than what you’d like to spend a month, Straight Talk’s $45 a month plan is easily one of the best on the market. And if you sign up for their online “Auto-Refill” discount you’ll get $5 off each month bringing your total to only $40 which is a pretty nice steal!

No Contracts and No Data Caps

Just like their wireless phone services, Straight Talk Home Internet also doesn’t believe in contracts. You can sign up and buy with ease knowing you won’t be held to a written agreement. Along with that there aren't any data caps to worry about. You won’t have to fear a sudden increase of price because you went over your monthly allotment of data or worse- get your internet shut off. 

Cons:

• Inconsistent Speeds
• Data Deprioritization
• Limited Availability

Inconsistent Speeds

Any 5G/LTE Home Internet product will struggle with inconsistent data and internet speeds. Since it’s connected via cell tower(s) you won’t get the consistent strength of a broadband connection with a 5G/LTE internet product. It’s also area based, so you could have more issues connecting or loading a video while someone else you know doesn't have as many issues with speed even though you have the same plan and product.

Data Deprioritization

Data deprioritization is the temporary slowing of data speeds due to a number of factors like network congestion, high traffic areas, and in this case- prioritizing some customers over others. Since Straight Talk Wireless is a MVNO you might notice times of slower speeds when normally you wouldn’t. That’s due to the network, in this case it’s Verizon, prioritizing direct customers and subscribers over those signed through a MVNO. Now it’s not to say it’s going to happen regularly, it’s just something to be aware of in case you are in a home that requires having the fastest speeds consistently.

Limited Availability

Not everyone is eligible for Straight Talk Wireless Home Internet. Only “select areas” across the country currently have access to this product which limits those in more rural areas and even some suburban areas to not having the option to sign up at all.

Frequently Asked Questions - Wrap Up!

Let’s summarize what info we learned in a three FAQ wrap up.

Do you have to have a Straight Talk Wireless phone plan to get Straight Talk Home Internet?

According to our research there is nothing that says you have to sign up for a Straight Talk Wireless phone plan in order to buy the Straight Talk Home Internet Router. They are two completely separate things and you can continue to use whatever phone service you have along with the Straight Talk Home Internet service at no additional cost.

How fast is Straight Talk Home Internet?

Although speeds may vary depending on the location of both your place of residence and the actual location of the Home Internet Router, Straight Talk Home Internet has download speeds of 20-100 Mbps and upload speeds of 3-10 Mbps. Their speeds are considered mid-range to “good” so as long as you’re not a heavy gamer and don't have 20 different devices all streaming 4K HD videos at the same time you’ll be okay.

Do I have to hire someone to set up my Straight Talk Home Internet Router? And how long will it take?

No! You don’t have to hire someone to set up your Straight Talk Home Internet Router- (unless of course you’d like your family’s help, but we wouldn’t pay them for this, especially with how easy it is). Their free Setup & Activation Guide is available for everyone to look at with easy step-by-step instructions on how to get your new router working and connected to the 5G/LTE network. 

If you don’t run into any problems, set up and activation should take you just under 20 minutes, there is always a chance for some road bumps like having to change the location of your router for example, but mostly it should be a relatively pain-free process. If you do have any major problems you can call their number 1-877-430-2355 for additional assistance.

Straight Talk Home Internet is a pretty great “starter” into the world of 5G/LTE Home Internet services. If you want a low-risk look into the wireless options that are popping up more and more regularly then Straight Talk is a good way to get a glimpse into what people have been talking about. For heavy internet users, this might not be the product for you, you’ll want to find more consistent speeds and you can find those with a wired broadband option or through Verizon or T-Mobile’s home internet plans. But if you’re a light internet user, for $45 a month you’ll definitely get a deal that’s worth it.

If you want to compare and contrast Straight Talk Wireless to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.