Cellular Wi-Fi Backup FAQs

Always stay connected with Cellular Wi-Fi Backup.

Cellular Wi-Fi Backup keeps your home Wi-Fi online during Fios outages by automatically switching your connected devices to your Verizon phones mobile data network. As a fully digital service, it works virtually seamlessly with your existing Fios router and Verizon mobile phones without requiring a separate backup router.

Cellular Wi-Fi Backup is available at no charge — with no monthly, hardware or activation fees — for customers with qualifying mobile and Fios internet plans.

Requires one Verizon ID enrollment, eligible Verizon postpaid smartphone and Fios Home Internet plans, compatible Fios router and Verizon Home app. Your smartphone must be connected to the Fios router. It uses your phone's regular data and doesn't count as mobile hotspot data. Speeds vary depending on location, equipment, network connection and external factors affecting cellular networks, and may be slower than Fios. Temporary backup only. Backup power source required for Fios router use during power outage. Mobile terms apply, see Verizon Mobile Customer Agreement, Important Plan Information.

Compare the features of Cellular Wi-Fi Backup and Wi-Fi Backup:

You're eligible if you have both an eligible standard monthly Verizon mobile plan and Fios internet plan. You must link them using one Verizon ID. You must also install or update the latest version of Verizon Home app in order to use Cellular Wi-Fi Backup.

Eligible mobile plans include:

• Verizon Simplicity Plan
• Unlimited Welcome
• Unlimited Plus
• Unlimited Ultimate
• Verizon One
• 5G Start
• 5G Play More
• 5G Do More
• 5G Get More
• One Unlimited
• Welcome Unlimited
• Discover Verizon Mobile Plan
• Unlimited BYOD
• Add A Line Unlimited

Eligible Fios internet plans include in-market plans purchased on or after 9/3/26:

• Fios 300 Mbps
• Fios 500 Mbps
• Fios 1 Gig
• Fios 2 Gig
• Fios 5 Gig
• Verizon One

The following router models are compatible to leverage Cellular Wi-Fi Backup:

• VZ CHR1000A Router
• VZ CHR 1000B Router
• VZ Wi-Fi Access Point CHR30A

You can find your model on your router's label. You can also check the Verizon Home app.

Before you begin: Make sure you have one Verizon ID sign in and the latest version of the Verizon Home app.

Get one Verizon ID:

1. Connect your mobile and home internet accounts under a single sign-in.
   1. If you don't have a sign-in, learn how to register on the Using the My Verizon app page.
2. Complete registration.
3. Go to the one Verizon ID page in My Verizon and combine your sign-ins.
4. Follow the prompts.
5. Download or update the Verizon Home app on your smartphone.
   1. Android™ - Download from Google Play™
   2. iPhone® - Download from the Apple® App Store®

Turning on Cellular Wi-Fi Backup:

1. Open the Verizon Home app and sign in with your mobile account credentials.
2. Select Network Settings and locate Cellular Wi-Fi Backup.
3. Turn the switch to ON and accept the prompt to complete setup.

Yes, you must use the Verizon Home app to manage Cellular Wi-Fi Backup.

Simply open the app to:

• Turn the backup service on or off with a quick tap.
• Register your household's backup devices to ensure your most important tech stays connected first.
• Get real-time updates about your connection and backup status.
• Set your alert preferences so you always know exactly when your backup is active.

Turn off Cellular Wi-Fi Backup whenever you choose.

Yes, you can register multiple mobile devices on your account. If your main device is away, your router searches for secondary devices. It connects to them to keep you online.

Each device that needs to be used as a backup should be signed into the Verizon Home app, and have Cellular Wi-Fi Backup  turned on.

An outage triggers the backup. This happens if Fios goes down in your area. It also happens if only your home loses connection.

When your router detects the loss:

• Your router searches for your registered mobile device.
• It creates a secure backup connection to your mobile phone.
• Your devices switch to the mobile network. This switch takes about 5 seconds.

Your devices stay connected without any interruption. This includes smart TVs, laptops and smart-home devices.

Your mobile device will get an alert from the Verizon Home app.

The alert says: "Network disruption detected. An outage might be affecting you." Then it says: "Cellular Wi-Fi Backup active. We've switched to Cellular Wi-Fi Backup to keep you online."

The Verizon Home app also shows an active banner. This banner appears at the top of your screen.

The Fios router automatically detects when your primary internet is back. It then ends the backup tunnel. It switches your devices back to Fios. You don’t need to do anything.

Yes, your connected home devices will use your phone's unlimited data. This is treated as on-device data. It does not count as mobile hotspot data.

If your mobile plan has speed limits, those rules still apply. Your speeds may slow down if you reach your high-speed limit.

Yes, Cellular Wi-Fi Backup can work during a power outage if the Fios router has a backup power source, such as a home generator or battery backup unit.

Second, your registered mobile device must be turned on. It must stay within Wi-Fi range of your router. It must have a stable mobile network signal.

Note: Fios routers do not include a battery backup unit.

Yes, Cellular Wi-Fi Backup does not guarantee continuous coverage. Your backup connection depends on your mobile signal strength.

Speeds may decrease during natural disasters or extreme weather. This is due to heavy network traffic.

Verizon can end a backup session to protect the network. This only happens during extreme congestion or heavy data use.