T-Mobile achieved another milestone, but 5G device support is lagging.
T-Mobile Home Internet now supports WiFi 7 but things could have been better.
T-Mobile will permit those on the top-tier All-In Internet plan to upgrade their gateway every three years. For a limited time, T-Mobile is also offering up to a $300 virtual prepaid card to customers who switch to 5G Home Internet.
A new mesh extender has been available to All-In customers since November 4.
The G5AR gateway, which supports WiFi 7 and was initially leaked in July, has been unofficially available since October.
The new Gen 5 mesh node, seemingly manufactured by Sercomm with the model number G5SEM, is intended to work with the G5AR and provides enhanced specifications. While the official announcement of the updated plans doesn't mention it, it is listed on T-Mobile's website as "mesh Wi-Fi extender (V2)."
T-Mobile utilizes surplus capacity on its 5G network to deliver home internet. A 5G gateway, such as the G5AR, is the device T-Mobile employs to provide home internet, while a mesh Wi-Fi extender expands coverage throughout a home.
Unlike its predecessor, the new device is rectangular, mirroring the G5AR's design. It is also compatible with the older G4AR and G4SE gateways. The primary enhancement is Wi-Fi 7 compatibility. However, it retains 4x4 antennas for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Notably, the 6GHz band is not available for user devices and may be reserved for communication between the mesh device and the main router.
The back features two 2.5G ethernet ports, a USB-C port, and a reset button, which is notable given the G5AR lacks 2.5G ports.
It remains uncertain whether existing customers can request a replacement of their older mesh device with the new version, but this is unlikely due to potentially limited stock.
The device has reportedly been shipping to new All-In customers since November 4.
T-Mobile is replacing the QR setup option with manual setup via the T-Life app. The mesh gateways are now serialized and tracked to prevent customers from not returning equipment upon plan cancellation. Customers who fail to comply with the return procedure will be charged.
While the WiFi 7 gateway lacks external ports that enhance performance in areas with weak signals, the new mesh node's WiFi 7 support enables faster speeds. However, reserving the 6GHz band for connections between the mesh node and gateway prevents devices from directly accessing the faster band, though overall speed and reliability should improve.
The G5AR's gigabit Ethernet ports limit wired connection speeds to around 940mbps. The mesh's 2.5G ports address this by allowing wired devices to fully utilize 5G speeds.
T-Mobile's introduction of WiFi 7 to its customers before its competitors demonstrates its commitment to new technologies in the fixed wireless access market. Despite reserving the 6GHz band, the addition of the new standard and the mesh node's 2.5G ports should deliver significant performance improvements, resolving the wired speed bottleneck for most customers.