Verizon has announced that it’s deploying a new home internet service called LTE Home Internet, which will use its 4G LTE wireless network, in several rural communities.
Starting Thursday, the service will be available in Savannah, Georgia; Springfield, Missouri; and the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky -- areas that aren’t currently offered Verizon’s Fios or 5G Home options.
Consumers who use LTE Home Internet can get unlimited data and internet download speeds of up to 50 megabits per second. That’s slower than the top speeds available through Fios or 5G, but it’s faster than the average rural internet speed of just over 39Mbps.
The new service costs $60 per month or $40 if a customer is also a Verizon wireless phone subscriber. The carrier will also add an additional $10 per month charge for the required router.
Verizon said the coronavirus pandemic has only increased the “critical need” to provide internet connectivity to underserved areas of the U.S.
“With LTE Home Internet, our most awarded 4G LTE network will provide Internet connectivity for customers in more rural parts of America who may not have access to broadband Internet service - a critical need, especially now, when so many are counting on reliable connectivity for remote work and educational needs,” said Frank Boulben, senior vice president of consumer marketing and products at Verizon, in a statement.