Tech Talk: Verizon’s Wi-Fi Backup

Narration provided by Wondervox

By Mark McNease

Living where we do in rural New Jersey, power outages are fairly common. Any significant storm will cause them, or they sometimes just happen for no discernable reason. We have an all-house generator that takes care of that instantaneously, switching to an outside power source with just a moment of crossover. But sometimes we lose the internet, with or without the power, and that can be a major headache. Most of what I do, besides writing in Word documents, require an internet connect.

This happened a week ago, and the storms were so severe over a large area of the state that we were told to expect an outage lasting several days. While we were lucky to have lost the power for just a few hours, our internet connect stayed lost because the line is connected to one that serves other houses on the road. After living with it for 24 hours or so and using our antenna connection to watch TV, we went to the Verizon store in Flemington, NJ, to take them up on their offer of a Backup Wi-Fi unit for just $20 a month if you already have a Verizon mobile plan and autopay. Frank does (I switched to Visible a couple years ago). An hour later we were at home with a device that’s basically a large hotspot, and it worked like a charm. You get seven 24-hour cycles per month with the $20, after which it costs more, but we hope to never need it more often than that. So what is a backup wi-fi?

Quick Summary

While they’re not the only service provider to offer this kind of thing, Verizon has always been reliable for us. (Visible is a low-cost mobile option owned by Verizon and using their network, and I’ve had no issues with it at all, while cutting my monthly bill in half).

Verizon’s Wi-Fi Backup gives your household a wireless internet fallback using their cellular network when your regular home internet is unavailable. You get the Verizon router, along with the seven 24-hour unlimited data sessions each month I mentioned above.

Pricing:

$20/month with Auto Pay + Verizon mobile plan
$25/month with Auto Pay (no mobile plan – you don’t have to be a Verizon customer!)
$30/month without Auto Pay
Includes the Wi-Fi Backup router at no extra cost.

What Works Well

Provides a True Household Backup

Instead of relying on your phone’s hotspot, Wi-Fi Backup gives your whole home a connection. Multiple devices can stay online during an outage. Setup is simple: run the Verizon router, and when needed, connect devices to its backup SSID or start a session via the Verizon Home app.

Unlimited Data

You get unlimited data during each session, meaning you don’t have to worry about caps during those backup days, just how many days you have left each month (seven 24-hour blocks).

Affordable Compared to Traditional Plans

For households that can tolerate occasional outages, the price tag, especially with Auto Pay and a Verizon mobile plan, is reasonable compared with paying full price for a second broadband subscription.

Trade-Offs & Real-World Concerns

Limited Usage

You only get seven 24-hour sessions per billing cycle. Unless your primary internet frequently drops, that’s probably fine, but for longer multi-day outages, you can burn through them quickly.

Manual Switch & Session Start

Right now, starting a backup session involves either connecting to the Backup SSID or using the app, there isn’t seamless automatic failover like some business solutions provide, so there can be some fiddling when an outage hits.

Speeds & Coverage Depend on Cellular Signal

Verizon’s wireless network is generally solid, but your actual backup speeds will vary based on cellular signal quality at your home.

Doesn’t Work If Power Is Out (Unless You Add Battery)

The included router needs power. If the power is out, you’ll need a UPS or generator to keep the router running — something to plan for if outages are tied to electrical issues. (Verizon)

Our verdict? It’s well worth it. We split the cost, so I’m putting out $10 a month for the security of knowing I won’t be stuck without internet access when this happens. But be aware that once you start a session it will last for 24 hours whether you use it or not. You can’t stop and start the cycle yourself. If you use it for 10 minutes, it will cost you a cycle, so don’t use it unless you expect to be out of internet access for several hours at least.