T-Mobile will now let you test drive its home internet for free

Photo by Mitchell Clark / The Verge

T-Mobile launched its 5G home internet service around this time last year with the promise of a low $50 monthly rate, easy setup, and data speeds at least as good as traditional broadband internet. It's kind of a mixed bag. It is hoping to lure more people away from traditional internet providers with some new offers, starting with a 15-day trial. If a customer cancels within 15 days of starting the service, they will get a refund.

If you leave your current internet provider for T-Mobile, the company will cover early termination fees up to $500. Home internet subscribers are now included in the company's T-Mobile promotions, as well as being locked in for the current $50-per-month cost, if they maintain their account. It's also offering a better price, just $30 per month, if you're on a Magenta Max family plan.

To take advantage of this, you need to check your address is approved by T-Mobile for home internet. 40 million addresses are currently listed by the company, and it determines which homes are good candidates based on sector-by-sector analysis of available capacity. One of the weak points of our testing last year was spotty performance, but in theory, this ensures more reliable service.

T-Mobile's CEO Mike Sievert sidestepped a question about this on a panel Q&A after the announcement, saying that the company is only approving services in places where they know they can support the demands of customers. If your service isn't all it was cracked up to be, it's an easy out.