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

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 actually kind of a mixed bag. This year, it hopes to tempt more people away from conventional Internet providers with some new offers, starting with a 15-day trial period for the service. Customers who cancel within 15 days of service start will get a refund if they return the internet gateway provided.

The company also offers to cover early termination fees if you leave your current internet provider for T-Mobile, up to $500 via a prepaid Mastercard. Home Internet subscribers are also included in the company's T-Mobile Tuesdays promotions. In addition, T-Mobile says it's locking in the current $50 per month cost for current home Internet plans as long as they keep the account. It also offers a better price, just $30 per month, if you have a Magenta Max family plan, similar to Verizon's Fios Double Play offer.

To take advantage of any of this, you'll need to verify if T-Mobile approves your address for home internet. The company says there are currently 40 million addresses and determines which households are good candidates based on sector-by-sector analysis of available capacity. In theory, this ensures more reliable service, but even so, one of its weak points in our tests last year was spotty performance.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert sidestepped a question about this in a post-announcement Q&A panel, saying the company is "approving services only in places where we know we can support the demands of customers" and reiterating that additional spectrum will be available shortly. In the meantime, at least there's an easy way out if your service isn't as good as expected.