Verizon Wireless (VZ) looks to be making good on its promise of tapping its LTE deployment to offer home broadband services with the launch of its HomeFusion Broadband offering. The carrier said the service will target locations with a limited selection of home broadband needs, though with a service that itself is somewhat limited.
To use the service, consumers will need to purchase a $200 wireless antenna that resembles a metal cylinder mounted outside the home. That antenna will then transmit the LTE signal to an indoor router that will use Wi-Fi to connect up to 20 wireless devices or can be connected to up to four wired connections. Network speeds are marketed at 5 to 12 megabits per second on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.
Now for the limiting factor: Pricing will start at $60 per month for 10 gigabytes of data transmission. While the price is $20 cheaper than what the carrier charges for a similar amount of data for its traditional mobile devices, the 10 GB of data throughput could limit the offering to more mundane Internet needs, especially of multiple devices are connected to the service.
Another potential issue is that the antenna has to be professionally installed, though that price is included in the device with Asurion handling the installation.
Verizon Wireless noted that the offering will initially launch later this month in Birmingham, Ala.; Dallas; and Nashville, Tenn.
Verizon Wireless had initially noted that it would look at using its nationwide 700 MHz spectrum holdings to offer fixed broadband services in areas where its parent company did not offer a wired option or where consumers lacked a choice in services. The in-home offering is also expected to be part of the carrier’s LTE in Rural America program that sees Verizon Wireless offer its spectrum assets and back office systems to rural operators looking to offer mobile and fixed broadband services to customers.
Bored? Why not follow me on Twitter?
