AT&T has a new Netgear 5G hotspot, and this time it is allowing anyone to buy it.
Called the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro, the device will be available on Sept. 18 for $510, or $17 per month on a 30-month installment plan. The new Nighthawk will be able to access AT&T’s full 5G portfolio including its nationwide low-band service as well as the faster millimeter-wave 5G network that is available in parts of 35 cities.
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Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 Mobile Platform, the puck-shaped device includes a touchscreen, 5,040-mAh battery and can broadcast to up to 32 different devices at once over the Wi-Fi 6 standard. Ports include USB-C and Ethernet if you want to directly connect the hotspot to a device.
Hotspot plans start at 15GB of data for $60 per month or 35GB of data $85 per month (you can save $10 per month if you sign up for automatic payments and paperless billing). There is, however, an overage fee of $10 for each additional 2GB of data if you go over your chosen allotment, making the hotspot a less compelling option as a home internet replacement.
AT&T previously offered a Netgear hotspot as its first 5G device in 2018, but that device’s 5G capabilities were limited to just the millimeter-wave 5G network (what the carrier calls “5G Plus”). AT&T also only made the hotspot available to “select” customers as opposed to offering it to everyone.
With its new 5G hotspot, AT&T joins Verizon in expanding its current 5G portfolio beyond phones and tablets. Last week, Verizon introduced its own 5G hotspot, the $400 Inseego MiFi M2100.