T-Mobile is no longer the only provider offering 5G coverage in the United States. AT&T has officially launched their low-band 5G network, just in time for the release of their flagship Galaxy Note 10 Plus smartphone. The company has stated that they plan to release high-band 5G in the near future.
For those who don’t know, there are two types of 5G coverage being launched by various providers in the United States. Low-band is the most common right now because it’s easier to send that signal, meaning more people will benefit from the coverage.
Low-band 5G is substantially faster than the current generation LTE offerings, however it is not nearly as fast as high-band 5G. Unfortunately, the high-band 5G signal does not go very far, so it’s taking carriers much longer to build up the infrastructure that they need.
AT&T is close to launching their low-band services nationwid e, but is currently piloting it in ten cities around the country: Birmingham, AL; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; Milwaukee, WI; Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Rochester, NY; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; and San Jose, CA.
5Ginsider provides some more details about the 5G launch: “Initially, 5G customers needed to have AT&T’s Unlimited Extra or Unlimited Elite plans to have access to the 5G network. Now, they will offer the service free of charge for customers with these plans.”
5G is the future of wireless services in the United States. While AT&T may be one of the first, all major carriers will offer 5G services in the future. Will this new generation of wireless deliver on all of its promises? Time will tell. For now, enjoy the faster speeds if you live in an area where the service is available.
Sources:
https://5ginsider.com/carriers/atts-low-band-5g-network-officially-launches/
