Nomad Internet Review: Mobile Connection, No Strings Attached

Nomad Internet review

Nomad's wireless internet service aims to help bridge the digital divide by connecting rural community members and people on the go -- everyone from farmers and remote workers who regularly travel for business to people with a recreational vehicle lifestyle. To accomplish this, Nomad Internet uses 4G and 5G networks to bring internet connectivity to its customers.

The company's approach -- no contract, no cancellation fees -- makes it a compelling choice for those with few broadband options. The main caveat? Since it's a third-party vendor using other providers' networks, the internet speeds you receive will vary greatly.

Nomad Internet, which launched as an internet service provider in 2017, welcomed 2023 by announcing a spiffy new mobile app and sending out a press release touting Nomad as the largest national rural wireless internet service provider in the US. How it came upon that proclamation is unclear. For context, T-Mobile Home Internet, another national WISP that made a lot of noise in 2023, has many more total customers, around 5.2 million, which is forecasted to increase to 5.6 million during 2024.

Nomad Internet plans and pricing

Nomad internet plans seem fairly standard, but one particular aspect of Nomad Internet might take you off guard: the internet speeds aren't guaranteed. Nomad aims to provide its customers with high-speed, 4G and 5G internet service, but the actual speeds depend on your location and proximity to a given cell tower.

If you can get the max speeds or close, consider it a decent connection for rural or mobile use. For comparison, T-Mobile Home Internet and Starlink have expected max speeds of just over 200Mbps.

The 100Mbps available with the Nomad Unlimited plan should support streaming, video conferencing and other basic internet activities on a couple devices. For connecting multiple devices, consider upgrading to the Nomad Unlimited Ultra plan.

There are no forecasted price increases for these plans, according to the website. However, Nomad reserves the right to increase monthly prices with notice. For $10 extra a month, you can opt-in to the Nomad Prime Upgrade which includes a 24-month price lock, a free modem replacement and protection, and 24/7 phone technical support.

Still, at the very least, Nomad Internet is a valid alternative in places where good connections are few and far between, and with no contracts or cancellation fees, it's easy enough to test it out for 14 days to see if it'll suit your needs.

Nomad Internet provides wireless, high-speed internet to travelers and rural areas across the US using the 4G LTE and 5G cellular technology of the major carrier of Verizon. The company mission statement is, "We believe that just because a person chooses to live in a rural area doesn't mean they should have overpriced or slow internet." Indeed, a good rural internet connection can be frustratingly hard to find.

Take a peek at the company blog, and you'll find columns like "How Nomad Internet is Fulfilling Unmet Customer Needs," "The Ultimate Guide to Staying Connected in Remote Locations," and "Staying Ahead of the Storm: The Crucial Role of Internet Connectivity." You'll quickly understand how Nomad caters to those in rural and underserved communities and "traveling nomads."

Nomad offers plans specifically targeted at those who travel or stay "off grid." The Nomad Air Travel Bag costs $400 and includes the Nomad Air Modem, a "durable and lightweight" backpack, a portable charger with high durability, a power switch, a power adaptor and a power plug. The internet speeds you'll get on-the-go will vary, but Nomad advertises speeds up to 200Mbps for it's travel system.

Actual speeds can vary

Comments from users on the Nomad Internet page indicate a typical download speed range of 60 to 70 megabits per second. Additionally, the site mentions, "We've had reports of over 150Mbps for those who are close to a cell tower, and about 1Mbps [for those] that are several miles away from a tower." 

While Nomad's site gives customers a general idea of download and upload speeds, it cannot be overstated -- the nature of the cellular connection makes it nearly impossible to guarantee the speeds you'll receive. There are just too many variables, mainly your proximity to the nearest tower, the level of data congestion in your area and the number of physical and geographical barriers obstructing your signal.

Nomad internet offers clear-cut equipment pricing

Nomad Internet offers three types of equipment: the Nomad Omen, an indoor modem for residential customers that connects up to 30 devices at a time; Nomad Air, a residential outdoor modem for "in-motion" use which can connect up to 60 devices; the Nomad Raptor, geared towards gaming and business use and featuring multiple LAN ports.

The Nomad Raptor costs a regular steep price of $700 but Nomad's current promotional discount lowers that price to $200. All three modems are aimed at people on the go, frequent travelers and those living the RV life. Each includes the modem, an ethernet cable, a power supply and a power cable.

The costs for all equipment are up-front; that price includes the service activation fee, sim card, account set-up fee and shipping.

The Nomad Air, which would be most commonly used, is a Wi-Fi 6 device that can support up to 60 connected devices without issue. A Nomad spokesperson shared that the company's main goal is to mitigate customer hassle and confusion.

"Every plan with Nomad comes preconfigured, with updated hardware, and everything is tested in our offices to ensure it's set up before we ship," the spokesperson said.

Other factors to consider 

If you've been following our ISP reviews -- and I sincerely hope you have! -- then you've probably noticed that we recommend, whenever possible, avoiding term agreements and the stiff cancellation fees that accompany them. Nomad Internet meets that challenge by requiring no contracts, credit checks or cancellation fees. Overall, you'll find some fairly consumer-friendly terms. But let's get into the weeds a little so you can better understand what you'll be paying. 

No installation fees or additional monthly charges

There are no additional fees beyond the charges given in the plan chart. Nomad Internet customers don't have to pay an installation fee to start their service and the service activation fee is included in that up-front cost

However, note that if you lose your equipment or fail to return it after canceling your service, you'll be charged a device replacement fee of $150 to $900. 

Also of note is Nomad's offer to temporarily halt service and monthly fees for three months at a time, twice during 12 months. Just make sure you fill out a ticket to request a temporary service freeze.

No data caps, for the most part

Unlike many rural internet options, including satellite providers Hughesnet and Viasat, which impose monthly data restrictions, Nomad frequently uses the phrase "up to unlimited data." The implication is that you won't need to track your data usage for fear of incurring overage charges once you pass a certain threshold. 

That's certainly true. Nomad Internet will not charge any data overage fees. However, because it's a third-party vendor that does not have the final say over the cellular network it's using, Nomad Internet customers may have their data deprioritized by the mobile company. It's not uncommon for phone carriers like Verizon to prioritize their own customers in times of congestion or high traffic.

High upfront costs, but...

Though Nomad Internet customers don't face a credit check, all subscriptions must have a valid credit card on file for automatic payment. This is because Nomad Internet is essentially a month-to-month, prepaid service, where you pay ahead for 30 days.

One buffer Nomad offers is limited-time deals for reduced membership fees and one-time equipment costs. Currently, the Unlimited plan is down from $130 to $100 and the Unlimited Ultra plan is $150 (down from the regular $180). For equipment, the Nomad Omen is $100, the Nomad Air is $300 and the Nomad Raptor is $200 (equipment typically costs between $200 and $700).

Another safety net Nomad Internet provides is a 14-day, money-back guarantee that lets you try out the service. If you find it doesn't meet your expectations (maybe the speeds are unsatisfactory), or you can't get consistent service over the network, you can return the equipment for a full refund of your equipment fee and first monthly payment. 

Be aware: Before returning the equipment, you must call the Customer Cancellation Line at 385-257-2809 to notify your intent to cancel so the company can generate a Return Authorization Number. You won't qualify for your full refund without that.

Aggressive referral program with decent benefits

Nomad Internet often refers to its customers as its connected community. It helps foster that atmosphere by encouraging customers to participate in its Nomad Partner Program. You can score points for various actions -- including reviewing the service, reselling it, sharing on social media and more -- and those points can be converted to discounts on products or to PayPal cash bonuses. 

More recently, Nomad now offers its customers an incentive of "free internet for life" after customers refer five new customers to the company. Here's how it works: Nomad gives active customers five free Nomad Omen modems for you to gift to five friends. For every friend that signs up for Nomad service, you get one month of free internet. After all five modems have been activated by different friends, Nomad Internet promises to cover the price of your internet in full. The only catch is that each of these five subscriptions must be maintained to keep your internet free.

Nomad Internet vs. competitors: Decent customer satisfaction scores for an ISP

Nomad Internet doesn't have a sizable enough customer base to register a rating with either J.D. Power's US Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study or the American Customer Satisfaction Index, two surveys we frequently use to gauge how ISPs fare on equal footing. Instead, we turned to the Better Business Bureau. Nomad Internet received an average score of 2.81 out of 5 points from over 699 customer reviews. While that might not seem stellar on the surface, it's significantly above average for an ISP and well above the scores for such bigger names as Charter Spectrum (1.09), AT&T (1.10) and Google Fiber (1.17).

Among the complaints lodged with the BBB, three out of four were "Billing/Collection Issues" instead of "Problems with the Product/Service." This made sense after we noted that several issues stemmed from confusion over Nomad's policy requiring customers to notify the company of the intent to cancel. If a customer returns the equipment without notifying Nomad, billing will often continue even after service ends.

Most complaints appear to have been satisfactorily rectified, but Nomad's return policy does seem to be a major stumbling block for folks. A spokesperson shared with CNET that Nomad is aware and is implementing new processes for its cancellation policy to help mitigate some of the billing issues.

Recent legal troubles are something to be aware of

On April 2023, Ken Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, filed a lawsuit against Nomad Internet for violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection Act, alleging the perpetration of deceptive schemes misrepresenting its relationship with wireless internet providers.

Nomad Internet responded in a press release on December 2023: "We regret that the Texas Attorney General's announcement of its probe of Nomad Internet's services through the period between 2020 and 2022 fails to acknowledge key facts, causing confusion among consumers." We reached out to Nomad Internet for additional comment and a spokesperson shared that "Nomad Internet attorneys are working closely with the state of Texas to resolve the claims made against the company and reach a resolution."

As of May 2024, the State of Texas resolved the Nomad Internet lawsuit with a no-fault agreement. Nomad paid $2 million in refunds as part of the settlement. Nomad Internet continues to deny claims of wrongdoing and claims "to experience a successful trajectory," according to a press release on the company website in May 2024.

My final take on Nomad Internet

Nomad Internet serves an admirable purpose by providing a reliable internet source for travelers and underserved communities often overlooked by traditional wireline services. But depending on your location and proximity to cellular service, the performance of Nomad Internet will vary. Translation: It's certainly best to try before you buy. 

That 14-day window of time to test drive Nomad Internet is a decent amount of time to decide if the plan is right for you, though optimally that window would be extended to 30 days. Unlike other rural internet options (like satellite internet), you don't have to unquestioningly commit and then be tethered by a long-term contract to a service that doesn't accomplish what you need. In that respect, Nomad Internet tries to do right by its customers and give them options they might not otherwise have. 

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