5G networks are the next generation of mobile internet networks, which provide reliable connections on smartphones. 5G offers connections with download speeds of 1GBps, and it’s going to be the future of mobile connectivity.
The networks are going to supercharge the Internet of Things technology and provide the platform to carry huge chunks of data for a more connected world. Moreover, we expect these 5G networks to appear around the world by 2020, alongside the 4G and 3G technology.
Verizon was the first network that surprised the world by introducing the 5G network at the start of April 2019, making it the first network to offer 5G. At the end of 2019, Verizon 5G has spread to 31 U.S. cities, like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Memphis, Columbus, Grand Rapids, and Atlanta. The company is planning to spread to more areas in 2020.
When you use the 5G network on Verizon, expect to achieve speed up to 1.4Gbps, which is more than 4G’s speed of 300Mbps. However, you will experience variable speeds from time to time. The only thing you can do is to move to a better location.
On the other hand, T-Mobile used a different strategy. The company spent much of 2019 in negotiations to merge with rival telecom Sprint. The company uses 28 GHz mm-wave frequencies; however, the expansion includes sub-600 Mhz frequencies.
T-Mobile’s 5G network started in June 2019 in Los Angeles, Dallas, Las Vegas, and New York City. The company planned to reach 30 cities by the end of the year. The only phone to utilize 5G was the Samsung Galaxy S10. We think that the Samsung Galaxy S11 is going to be a 5G phone.
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All this buildup for the sweeping nationwide T-Mobile’s 5G network in December 2019. According to the company, this launched coverage to 1 million square miles of the U.S. area and reach 60% of Americans.
Sprint used the middle-level frequency approach with the 2.5 GHz, to complement T-Mobile’s low and high bands. Sprint’s 5G networks started in May 2019 in areas like Kansas City, Atlanta, and Chicago. After that, the network expanded to Los Angeles, Pheonix, New York City, and Washington D.C. Sprint supports phones, like Samsung Galaxy S10, One Plus 7t 5G, and LG V50 ThinQ.
AT&T had limited investment in 5G. After launching in 2018, the company expanded the 5G network to seven more cities in April 2019, like Orlando, San Francisco, Austin, and Los Angeles. However, the company relied on 5G Netgear Nighthawk mobile hotspot for its services.
Many 5G phone announcements were made in 2019; however, only a small number of these are available. Moreover, 5G availability is limited by the carrier and the country.
Most mobile carriers support the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50 ThinQ 5G, and the Samsung Note 10 Plus 5G. On the other hand, T-Mobile has OnePlus 7t Pro. The most affordable option is on Verizon as the phone is compatible with Motorola’s 5G Moto Mod. AT&T and Verizon also support 5G mobile hotspots, which provide fast but not top 5G speeds.
On the other hand, people in the U.K. can use nine 5G phones, which are, Oppo Reno 5G, OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, Galaxy S10 5G, Huawei Mate 20 X 5G, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G, Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G.
Now, the only question that remains is how fast 5G is? The speed of 5G networks varies according to the carriers, areas, and devices. However, you should be sure of the fact that the 5G speed is way more than what 4G offers right now.
Although the speed of Verizon is patchy, it provides 1Gbps speed regularly. On the other hand, Sprint’s 2.5 GHz 5G service provides around 200Mpbs. It is a bit less but still more than 4G LTE speeds. Moreover, in the U.K., the maximum connection speed you will get is 550Mbps.
