CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2023) – UScellular has officially surpassed 100,000 Home Internet customers and is planning for additional growth over the coming years. The UScellular store in West Plains – located at 1725 Gibson Ave, West Plains, MO 65775 – was among the top-three performing stores for Home Internet sales in Q1 of 2023.
The advancement of fixed wireless technology has helped enable the growth of UScellular’s Home Internet product and its ability to provide the speed and reliability that a typical household needs. With fixed wireless, a home or business connects wirelessly to a nearby cell tower, providing a high-speed broadband connection via a wireless signal, as opposed to the wired connection provided by fiber or cable. In 2022, fixed wireless services accounted for 90% of home broadband net additions, according to Leichtman Research Group.
“Three or four years ago, few people predicted the popularity of fixed wireless for in-building internet, but we knew rural areas in particular would see great benefit from having this type of connectivity solution,” said Eric Jagher, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at UScellular. “We continue to enhance our Home Internet experience for customers, and the growth and positive response we’ve received to this service has us excited for the future. As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to further updating the service so we can soon surpass hundreds of thousands of Home Internet customers.”
As UScellular continues to build out its 5G mid-band network, more customers will be able to realize the fast, dependable connectivity that Home Internet provides. Earlier this year, UScellular launched its 5G mid-band network in parts of 10 states and expects to cover 1 million households by the end of the year and 3 million households by the end of 2024. This network can deliver speeds up to 10x faster than its 4G LTE network and low-band 5G.
UScellular initially offered Home Internet on its 4G LTE network and has upgraded the service with low-band, mid-band and mmWave 5G in select markets across the country. Most customers today can access 5G speeds on the service, which has led to a doubling of the customer base over the last 18 months. The company currently offers self-install, plug-and-play internal antennas and routers and a professionally installed external antenna in certain areas. Later this year, the company expects to have additional self-install options available to help meet the evolving needs of customers.
Additionally, UScellular offers a free Internet Setup Coach for all new customers. Experts from Asurion are available via phone to help customers with router placement for the best speeds and getting all essential devices – like computers, TVs and doorbells – connected to their home’s Wi-Fi network.
Beth Roach, store manager for UScellular in West Plains added, “Customers tell us that previously their only option was satellite, which can be expensive, and they are happy to have more choice.”
As UScellular looks to further enhance and expand its Home Internet service especially in rural areas, funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program will be important. Fixed wireless technology will likely be the best and most affordable option in many under- and un-served areas to help bridge the digital divide in the United States. For more information about UScellular’s efforts, go to https://newsroom.uscellular.com/connecting-us/.
