5G Home Knocked Cable Prices Down 17% — Why That's Good News Whether You Switch or Not
A new CTIA-commissioned study finds 5G home internet competition pushed cable prices down 17% — roughly $11 a month. Here's what that means for your next internet bill.
# 5G Home Knocked Cable Prices Down 17% — Why That's Good News Whether You Switch or Not
Here's a number worth knowing the next time you shop for internet: when 5G home internet arrived in a market, cable prices in that market dropped 17%.
That comes from a study published yesterday (October 13, 2026), commissioned by the wireless industry group CTIA and conducted by Pepperdine economist James Prieger. His team compared cable prices before and after 5G Home entered local markets, against markets where it hadn't. The headline findings:
- Cable bills fell roughly **$11 a month** on the average standalone plan
- American households saved up to **$28.5 billion** between 2023 and 2025
- Nearly three-quarters of those savings — about $20.8 billion — went to households that **never switched** to 5G Home
- 5G Home now serves nearly 17 million households; in 2025 it added 3.9 million subscribers while cable lost 1.5 million
One honest caveat: this study was paid for by the wireless industry, so treat the exact percentages with the usual grain of salt. But the direction matches what we've all been watching happen — more competition in home internet, and cable companies discounting when they actually have to.
## What this means for you
The takeaway isn't "switch to 5G." It's that **comparison shopping is your leverage now**, in a way it wasn't five years ago. Here's how to use that:
**1. Check both sides at your address.** Most addresses today have a cable option plus at least one alternative — 5G home internet from providers like Verizon, fiber from AT&T or regional players, or fixed wireless. [Check what's available at your address](https://isp.betterconnect.ai/start) and compare the real numbers, not just the advertised ones.
**2. Happy with your cable? Quote the competition anyway.** That retention deal your cable company offered didn't appear out of kindness — it appeared because 5G showed up. A competing quote is the cheapest negotiating tool you own. [See what Xfinity is offering in your area](https://isp.betterconnect.ai/provider-plans/xfinity) and [compare Spectrum's current plans](https://isp.betterconnect.ai/provider-plans/spectrum) before you call to haggle.
**3. Ask what the bill becomes in month 13.** Competition pushes promo pricing down, but promo prices expire. Before signing anything, ask for the regular rate, the contract length, and any data caps or fees. The cheapest sticker price is rarely the cheapest year-two price.
**4. Don't pay for speed you won't use.** A household of two streaming and working from home doesn't need the same plan as a house of six with gamers. Paying for a gigabit you never touch is money competition can't save you.
The bottom line: the home internet market finally has real competition, and the winners are shoppers who compare. Run your address through the quote tool, look at every option — cable, 5G, fiber — and pick the best actual deal.
**Ready to see what you can save?** [Run your address through our free quote tool](https://isp.betterconnect.ai/start) and compare every provider available to you in about a minute.