Everything 5G
You have questions about 5G. We have answers. Our hub page for everything 5G. Learn the basics, learn what matters and what doesn't, we answer your questions about safety, and all of the latest 5G news in one place.
Intro to 5G Series:
What is 5G? The Basics
Is 5G Safe?
10 Reasons You Can Ignore 5G (for now)
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5G Phones:
Recent 5G News:
LG V60 Launches Friday Starting at $800
US carriers have revealed launch plans for the new LG V60 ThinQ 5G flagship-class phone. T-Mobile will offer it starting March 20th for $800, or $900 in a bundle with LG's Dual Screen accessory. T-Mobile is also offering a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deal where customers with two or more lines can get a second V60 for free, if both phones are purchased on a 24-month payment plan. AT&T will start taking online orders for the V60 on Friday, March 20th. The phone will cost $900, which includes a free Dual Screen accessory from LG. AT&T is also offering a BOGO deal, but it requires a new line of service. Verizon's version will be slightly pricier and ship later, reflecting that its unique variant supports mmWave 5G, which requires extra components and engineering. (Versions for other US carriers only support sub-6 5G, which is generally slower but offers broader coverage.) Verizon brands mmWave 5G as "Ultra Wideband", which is why its unique variant will be called the LG V60 ThinQ 5G UW. Verizon will sell the phone for $950, with pre-orders starting March 26th. Like AT&T, Verizon is offering a BOGO deal for customers adding a new line, and Verizon customers purchasing a V60 are eligible for a free Dual Screen from LG.
LG V60 Includes 5G, Dual-Screen Accessory
LG today announced the V60 ThinQ 5G with LG Dual Screen. Its specs are flagship-level, but not quite as top-end as past V-series phones. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular will offer the V60 "in the coming weeks". As with the Samsung Galaxy S20, Verizon's version will supports both mmWave and sub-6 5G, while other versions will only support sub-6 5G (which offers better coverage but not the fastest 5G speeds.) The V60 will be packaged with LG's Dual Screen accessory, which adds a second display identical to phone's main display, connected to the phone with a 360-degree hinge, plus a 2.1-inch monochrome outer display. The V60's is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, and features a 6.8-inch full-HD+ OLED display, 5,000 mAh battery, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB storage, memory card slot, and Android 10. It also features two rear cameras plus a ToF depth camera. The main camera is 64 megapixel (f/1.8), while the wide-angle camera is 13 megapixel (f/1.9, 117º). It can capture 8K video, as well as 4K time-lapse or 60 fps video. It has stereo speakers and 4 microphones, plus an ASMR recording mode. The phone also features an in-display fingerprint reader, 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, Quick Charge 4+, IP68 water rating, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, and USB-C (3.1). It will be available in blue or white. Specific launch dates and pricing will be announced by US carriers in coming weeks.
Sony Xperia Pro Uses US 5G for Live Video Broadcast
Sony has created a new lineup of phones designed specifically for professionals rather than consumers. The new Xperia Pro imagines a specific use case for 5G: broadcasting live video in the field. To that end, it has both mmWave 5G and an HDMI input for connecting to professional video cameras. Even though Sony Mobile has "de-emphasized" the US market in its general strategy, the Xperia Pro's specs list 5G frequency band support specific to US 5G networks: bands 2, 5, 66, 260, and 261. Sony has previously worked to have its flagship phones certified by Verizon, and the Xperia Pro fully supports Verizon's 5G and 4G network bands. The Xperia Pro has 5G mmWave antennas on all four sides for maximum mmWave connectivity. The Pro also has high-end video capture built in, including 4K HDR video at up to 60 fps, Optical SteadyShot, and SteadyShot with Intelligent Active Mode (5-axis stabilization). Otherwise, the Xperia Pro has specs that are nearly identical to the Xperia 1 II that was also announced today, except for more storage (512 GB) and no wireless charging. Release date and pricing are yet to be announced.
Verizon Will Offer a Special Galaxy S20 with Both mmWave and sub-6 5G
Verizon will offer a special version of the smaller Samsung Galaxy S20 5G that supports both mmWave and sub-6 GHz flavors of 5G in the second quarter. The larger S20+ and S20 Ultra support both types of 5G, and Verizon will sell those models starting March 6th. But the standard S20 for the US only supports sub-6 5G, which Verizon won't launch until later this year. Verizon's special version will support its current (mmWave) 5G network as well its upcoming sub-6 5G network. Although the special version will launch later and include extra components to support mmWave, it will be the same price as the standard version: $1,000.
Verizon Fulfills Promise of 30+ 5G Cites in 2019
Verizon flipped the switch on 5G service in three new cities today: Cleveland, Columbus, and Hampton Roads, VA. This brings to 31 the number of cities where Verizon has launched its mmWave 5G service. Since early 2019, Verizon has promised to launch 5G in at least 30 cities by the end of the year. In Columbus, the launch includes the city's airport, Verizon's first airport deployment of 5G. In Cleveland, Verizon is launching 5G at both Progressive Field and FirstEnergy Stadium, the 15th NFL stadium to see Verizon 5G. Verizon launched 5G in Los Angeles and Miami earlier this month. Verizon's current 5G service uses mmWave frequency bands, which offer fast speeds but limited coverage. Verizon's lineup of phones with integrated 5G consists of the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G, LG V50 ThinQ 5G, and Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.
Verizon Expands 5G Network to 28 Cities
Verizon today launched 5G in six new cities: Charlotte, Greensboro, Grand Rapids, Miami, Salt Lake City, and Spokane. Earlier this week, Verizon launched 5G in LA, Des Moines, Hoboken, and Memphis. This brings the company's 5G city count to 28. As with all of Verizon's 5G deployments to date, the new service uses high-frequency mmWave bands, which offer high speeds but limited coverage. In each city, 5G service is only available in the highest-density parts of town. For example, in Miami, 5G is available in "parts of Downtown Miami along Biscayne Blvd and near landmarks, such as: The Frost Museum, American Airlines Arena, Hard Rock Stadium, the surrounding area of Miami Gardens, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport." Verizon remains on track to offer 5G in at least 30 cities by the end of 2019.
Verizon Launches 5G in LA
Verizon has launched mmWave 5G in Los Angeles, its 19th city to get the service. Coverage includes "parts of" Downtown, Chinatown, Del Rey, and Venice. Verizon recently started publishing 5G coverage maps; the 5G map for LA will be published on Dec. 20th. Like other mmWave deployments, data speeds are quick, but coverage is limited to select high-density areas of each city. Verizon has indicated it will also offer 5G in lower frequency bands for greater 5G coverage, but has yet to announce specific plans on that front. Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile have already launched 5G with broader coverage using lower frequency bands. Verizon's mmWave 5G service is already available in New York City, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, Indianapolis, Denver, Washington DC, Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, Omaha, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Boise, Sioux Falls, Providence, and Panama City.
Verizon Demos 5G with DSS in 850 MHz Band
Verizon, Qualcomm, and Ericsson today performed a live demo of 5G operating in a sub-6 GHz frequency band using DSS (dynamic spectrum sharing) technology, enabling the use of band 5 (850 MHz) for both 4G LTE and 5G NR technologies simultaneously. To date, Verizon has launched 5G only in higher-frequency mmWave bands that offer high speeds but limited coverage. 5G in band 5 would offer the same coverage as 4G in band 5. Verizon has mentioned plans to launch 5G in sub-6 GHz bands, but released few details and made few promises. Today's demo implies potential plans to deploy 5G in band 5. AT&T has already announced that it will also use band 5 for its sub-6 GHz 5G deployment. Today's demo took place at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii.
Verizon Publishes Detailed 5G Coverage Maps
Verizon has added detailed maps of its mmWave 5G coverage to its web site. The maps show where 5G is available on a block-by-block basis in the cities where Verizon has launched the service. Verizon started offering 5G in April, but has not offered any coverage maps for the service until now. Because Verizon's 5G network so far uses only mmWave frequency bands, coverage is limited to small areas near each base station, and can vary wildly from city block to city block. T-Mobile was running an ad campaign attacking Verizon's unwillingness to share 5G coverage maps.
Verizon Lights up 5G in Boston, Houston, Sioux Falls
Verizon has launched 5G service in three new cities, bringing the number of cities with Verizon 5G to 18. The service is uses mmWave frequencies, which generally offer high speeds but limited coverage. It's available in "parts of" Boston, Houston, and Sioux Falls. In Boston, initial 5G coverage is concentrated in Fenway, along Brookline Avenue near Beth Israel Hospital, and several university campuses. In Houston, initial 5G coverage is concentrated in East Downtown, Uptown, Greenway Plaza, Museum District, Rice Village, and around select major stadiums and malls. In Sioux Falls, initial 5G coverage is concentrated around Levitt at the Falls, Orpheum Theatre, Washington Pavilion, State Theatre, and the US Federal Courthouse. Verizon has already launched 5G in Dallas, Omaha, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Providence, St. Paul, Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, Washington DC, Phoenix, Boise, Panama City, and New York City. Verizon plans to bring its 5G city count to 30 by the end of the year, with planned launches in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and more.
Verizon Launches 5G in Dallas and Omaha
Verizon has launched its mmWave 5G service in two new cities: Dallas, Texas and Omaha, Nebraska. The brings Verizon's number of 5G cities to 15. Because Verizon's 5G network to date uses mmWave frequency bands, coverage is limited to specific blocks and landmarks. In Dallas, service will be concentrated in parts of: Knox/Henderson, Downtown Dallas, Uptown, Medical Center Area, Deep Ellum; and around select landmarks and parks. In Omaha, service will be concentrated around landmarks such as Old Market, Omaha Children’s Museum, The Orpheum Theatre, The Durham Museum, Heartland of America Park, Central High School and Creighton University.
Verizon 5G Launching in NYC Next Week
Verizon has revealed that it will light up its mmWave 5G service in New York City in one week, on September 26th. As with all mmWave deployments, it will focus on dense, downtown areas and public spaces, rather than broad citywide coverage. The coverage areas include parts of uptown, midtown, and downtown Manhattan, along with select parts of Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. NYC is Verizon's 11th 5G city. The company has promised to launch 5G in 30 US cities by the end of the year. Verizon's lineup of phones with integrated 5G include the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50 ThinQ 5G, and Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G.
Verizon Names 12 NFL Stadiums Rigged for 5G
Verizon 5G service is now live in 13 NFL football stadiums around the US. Additional stadiums will be announced throughout the season. Of the 13, Verizon has named 12, leaving the 13th a mystery. Verizon's mmWave 5G service is potentially well-suited to small, high-density areas like stadiums. Verizon recently announced a partnership with Boingo on deploying 5G in areas like stadiums. The 12 announced stadiums are: Bank of America Stadium, Empower Field at Mile High, CenturyLink Field, Ford Field, Gillette Stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, MetLife Stadium, M&T Bank Stadium, NRG Stadium, Soldier Field, and U.S. Bank Stadium.
Verizon Taps Boingo for Indoor 5G
Verizon will work with Boingo Wireless, a specialist in building indoor wireless networks, to expand its 5G network to places like airports, stadiums and arenas, office buildings, and hotels. Boingo has been building dense indoor Wi-Fi networks for 15 years. Verizon's mmWave 5G has short-range coverage similar to Wi-Fi.
Verizon 5G Launches in Phoenix Tomorrow
Phoenix will be the 10th city where Verizon has launched its mmWave 5g service, which covers central areas of major cities. Initially, 5G service in Phoenix will be concentrated around several well-known landmarks in Downtown Phoenix, as well as Tempe and the Arizona State University campus.
Motorola Updates 5G Moto Mod, Adds Z2 Force Compatibility
Motorola has updated the software for its Moto Mod accessory that adds 5G to existing Moto Z-series phones, improving functionality for all phones, and adding compatibility with the Z2 Force for Verizon. The update improves both 5G download speeds, and enables two-way charging between the phone and the Mod when the battery is low in either. The update is available now for the Z2 Force and Z3. The update comes pre-installed on the Moto Z4. The Z2 Force was launched in August 2017 and carried by Verizon until October 2018.
All Four Top US Carriers to Offer 5G Note10, with Varying Band Support
The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G will be the first phone to support sub-6 GHz FDD 5G for T-Mobile and AT&T. However, the AT&T and T-Mobile versions will not support mmWave 5G that offers faster speeds in central areas of major cities, even though the Verizon version will support only mmWave 5G. T-Mobile and AT&T spokespeople have confirmed to Phone Scoop that their versions will not support mmWave. Sub-6 GHz FDD bands (low-band) are the same bands used for 4G service today, and offer broad coverage that mmWave frequencies cannot. T-Mobile and AT&T have announced plans to launch 5G on sub-6 GHz FDD bands later this year. Verizon will be first to sell the Note10+ 5G on August 23rd. Verizon will have an undisclosed period of exclusivity, after which AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint will also offer it. Verizon will charge $1300 for the 256 GB model, available in black, white, or a prismatic "Aura Glow", and $1400 for the 512 GB version, available in black. The 5G and 4G versions of the Note10+ are identical in appearance, size, and features. The only difference is a 2 gram weight difference to account for the 5G components. The Note10 series includes Play Galaxy Link, which lets you stream games from your home PC to your phone, a feature that will benefit greatly from the data speeds and low latency offered by 5G.
Verizon Launches 5G in 4 New Cities
Verizon today launched 5G service in Washington DC, Atlanta, Detroit, and Indianapolis. The mmWave service works best outdoors, and is available in areas where people tend to congregate, such as public parks, monuments, outside museums, on college campuses and in stadiums. In Washington DC, the network covers parts of over 30 neighborhoods and landmarks, including the National Mall, The White House, George Washington University, Capital One Arena, Union Station, Dupont Circle, and the Georgetown Waterfront. In Atlanta, coverage includes parts of Downtown, Midtown, Tech Square, Mercedes Benz Stadium, and Centennial Olympic Park. In Detroit, service will initially be concentrated in parts of Dearborn, Livonia, and Troy. Verizon will be expanding 5G coverage in all of these cities in the months ahead. The four cities launched today join Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Providence. Verizon has promised to launch 5G in over 30 cities by the end of the year. Verizon currently offers a 5G mobile hotspot from Inseego, as well as 5G phones from LG and Samsung, plus two Motorola phones that support 5G via a snap-on accessory.
Verizon Confirms "Multi-Spectrum" 5G Strategy
Verizon has, for the first time, confirmed that it will deploy 5G in radio frequency bands beyond the short-range mmWave the company is using for its initial 5G launches so far. Verizon VP of network and technology Heidi Hemmer referred to a "multi-spectrum strategy" in comments to The Verge. "We will be using at some point in the future every band of spectrum that we currently own" for the company's 5G network, Hemmer said. But she declined to go into any detail about which bands might be used or — more importantly — when. Verizon is the only carrier that has yet to formally announce plans to deploy 5G in sub-6-GHz frequency bands. Its current 5G service in mmWave bands is fast, but coverage is limited to central downtown areas of major cities, and it does not reach indoors well.
FCC Moves Forward on Four New 5G Bands
At today's FCC meeting, the Commission voted to approve two actions that will open up four radio frequency bands to new 5G service. Three of the bands are ultra-high mmWave frequencies near 40 GHz, while the fourth is mid-band, near 2.5 GHz. For the three mmWave bands, today's action finalized the rules for Auction 103, which will allow companies to bid on licenses for Upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz bands. Auction 103 will commence on December 10th, 2019. The 39 GHz band was first auctioned off in 2000, with some of those licenses ending up in the hands of Verizon and AT&T via sales and acquisitions. However some 39 GHz licenses remain privately-owned, but unused. Auction 103 will include an incentive auction component to facilitate the sale of those licenses to companies that will use them. The 2.5 GHz band was originally set aside for educational TV broadcast service, which never took off. Today the FCC voted to remove rules requiring the band be owned by education institutions and used for educational purposes. Existing license holders will be able to lease out the spectrum, making it available for commercial 5G. Many licenses in the band remain unsold, which the FCC will auction off, after giving priority to Tribal Nations. The 2.5 GHz band is near the band 41 that Sprint already uses for 5G service. It has better range and building penetration than mmWave bands.
Verizon Lanches 5G in Denver, Providence
Verizon's 5G network launches today in Denver, and will launch in Providence on Monday, July 1st. The two cities join Chicago and Minneapolis for a total of four cities where the company offers 5G service. The networks only cover the most central areas of each city. Because Verizon's 5G network only uses mmWave frequency bands, each "tower" only covers a few hundred feet and the signal does not work well indoors. But mmWave can offer higher peak data speeds than is possible with lower (sub-6-GHz) frequency bands. Verizon has promised to launch 5G in "30-plus" cities by the end of 2019. The company offers multiple 5G phones: the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50, as well as the 5G Moto Mod for the Moto z3 and z4. Verizon offers its 5G phones to all customers nationwide.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Available for Pre-Order on Verizon
Verizon has started accepting pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, its first phone with integrated 5G. The phone will hit stores on May 16th. Verizon will offer the S10 5G in the Samsung-announced configuration with 256 GB of storage for $1,300, plus a new option with 512 GB of storage for $1,400. (The S10 5G does not have a memory card slot to add storage.) Verizon has a limited-time exclusive on the S10 5G in the US, and will retain an exclusive on the Majestic Black color. Verizon will also offer the phone in Crown Silver. The company is offering several promo deals to those who pre-order the phone, including free 5G service (normally $10/month), free Samsung Galaxy Buds, and a Samsung Wireless Charging Battery Pack. In addition, customers can trade in an old phone for up to $450 in savings, and new customers switching to Verizon get a $200 prepaid MasterCard. The S10 5G is similar with the S10+, but with a larger screen, larger battery, and advanced depth cameras on the front and back. Verizon plans to offer 5G service in the downtown areas of over 30 major US cities by the end of the year. Chicago and Minneapolis have already launched, and Verizon announced the next 20 cities today. Because Verizon's initial 5G network uses the 28 GHz band in the mmWave range, it can offer very high speeds, but the range of each cell is limited to a few hundred feet and does not reach indoors well.
Verizon Names Next 20 5G Cities
Verizon has announced a new list of 20 cities where it will offer 5G coverage in 2019. They are Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Phoenix, Providence, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Washington DC. The company has already launched mobile 5G service in Chicago and Minneapolis. The company continues to promise 5G in "more than 30" US cities by the end of the year, leaving at least nine cities yet to be announced. Verizon offers 5G phone service with a Moto z3 + 5G Moto Mod. Its first phone with integrated 5G will be the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, which became available for pre-order today, and hits stores on May 16th.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Ships in Two Weeks; S10 5G in May
The Samsung Galaxy Fold will be on display and available for purchase on April 26th at AT&T, T-Mobile, Best Buy, and Samsung Experience Stores. T-Mobile will start accepting online orders the night before, at midnight ET / 9pm PT. Samsung will start accepting pre-orders tomorrow, April 12th, exclusively for people who have signed up to receive Galaxy Fold updates on samsung.com. Samsung also confirmed that the Galaxy S10 5G will launch in the US in May. Verizon has previously announced that it will be the first US carrier to offer the phone, with a period of exclusivity. AT&T also recently revealed that it will offer the S10 5G in the "spring", which implies that AT&T will launch the phone in June. Samsung says pre-orders for the S10 5G will start "soon".
Verizon Launches 5G One Week Early to Claim a World First
Verizon launched the first part of its commercial, mobile 5G network today in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis. Consumers can experience 5G service with the Motorola Moto z3 when used with the 5G Moto Mod accessory, which also goes on sale to the general public today. Verizon says early customers in Chicago and Minneapolis should expect typical download speeds of 450 Mbps, with peak speeds of nearly 1 Gbps, and latency less than 30 milliseconds. Verizon had originally announced April 11 as the launch date, but moved the launch up to today in order to beat Korea's SK Telecom to claim the "first commercial 5G network in the world that works with a 5G smartphone". SK Telecom just today announced its plans to launch commercial 5G on April 5th with the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. Verizon has announced plans to carry the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and LG V50 ThinQ phones, both of which have 5G fully integrated, but it appears SK Telecom will be the first to offer a phone with integrated 5G. Verizon's 5G service costs an extra $10/month. The company has announced plans to expand its 5G network to over 30 US cities this year. Verizon's 5G network launching today relies on the 28 GHz frequency band, which is considered mmWave. Such high frequencies have limited range and do not penetrate well indoors. Sprint plans to launch its 5G network — using much lower frequencies — starting next month, offering the LG V50 ThinQ. AT&T claims it launched its mmWave 5G network last year, but has yet to make compatible devices available to the general public. AT&T has promised to offer a 5G phone in the first half of 2019.
Verizon Launching 5G on April 11 in Chicago, Minneapolis
Verizon's first standards-compliant mobile 5G network will launch in select areas of Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11th. 5G service will cost an extra $10/month. The country's first 5G smartphone solution will be the 5G Moto Mod for the Moto z3, which customers can pre-order starting tomorrow, March 14th. For a limited time, the 5G Moto Mod is available for just $50, after which it will sell for $350. The $10/month 5G data plan offers truly unlimited 5G data and requires an existing "Unlimited" service plan. The first three months of 5G service are free. The 5G Moto Mod is only compatible with the Moto z3, and Verizon will only sell it to customers they can confirm have a Moto z3. Verizon has also announced plans to carry the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and LG V50 ThinQ phones, both of which have 5G fully integrated. Verizon's initial 5G NR network relies on the 28 GHz frequency band, which is considered mmWave. Such high frequencies have limited range and do not penetrate well indoors. The initial Chicago coverage will include West Loop, South Loop, Gold Coast, River North, Old Town, Union Station, Willis Tower, Art Institute, Millennium Park, Chicago Theatre, and near the Verizon Store on the Magnificent Mile. The Minneapolis coverage will include Downtown West, Downtown East, areas of Elliot Park, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis Central Library, Mill City Museum, Target Center, The Commons, and U.S. Bank Stadium. 5G offers lower latency (delay) and faster data speeds overall. Verizon's 5G phones are only compatible with the new 5G NR network launching in April, and not the company's existing 5G Home network, which uses an incompatible, non-standard technology.
Samsung Grows Galaxy S Family with S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G
The tenth edition of Samsung's Galaxy S series of flagship phones includes, for the first time, four different models spanning a range of sizes and price points. Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 series today at an event in San Francisco. In addition to the standard S10 and (larger) S10+ that mirror pervious years' offerings, Samsung also revealed a smaller, cheaper S10e, as well as the S10 5G, which is even larger than the S10+. All of the S10 models include the new, top-end Snapdragon 855 processor, Cat. 20 LTE, a new "Dynamic" AMOLED display with hole-punch design and HDR10+, and two-way wireless charging that can charge other phones or accessories. For photography, they all include the same 12-megapixel main camera as the S9 (with dual-pixel and dual-aperture technology), a 16-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a new 10-megapixel, auto-focus front camera that can record 4K video. All models keep the 3.5mm audio jack, as well as IP68 rating for water-resistance. Most S10 models (the S10e excluded) also have an ultrasonic fingerprint reader embedded in the display, a third camera on the back for telephoto shots, an Infinity Edge display that curves at the sides for thinner bezels, heart rate sensor, and a minimum of 8 GB of RAM / 128 GB built-in storage. The S10 5G also adds 3D depth cameras to both the front and back and 25W fast charging. The S10, S10e, and S10+ go on sale worldwide March 8th, with pre-orders available starting tonight at midnight Eastern time. Those models will be available in the US in Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, and Flamingo Pink (which is based on Pantone's color of the year, Living Coral). Pricing will be the same unlocked and at all major US carriers: The S10e will start at $750, the S10 at $900, and the S10+ at $1,000. Variants with added memory will cost more. All four top US carriers will offer all four models. Those who pre-order the S10 or S10+ will receive a free set of Galaxy Buds fully wireless earbuds (normally $129). Samsung is also offering trade-in deals worth up to $550. The S10 5G will be available in the 2nd quarter, first with Verizon before the middle of the year, followed by AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Spectrum, and Xfinity "at a later date this summer." Read on for more details.
Inseego Supplying Verizon with 5G Mobile Hotspot Next Year
Verizon Wireless plans to offer a mobile hotspot powered by 5G during the first half of 2019. Today, the company showed off the device and revealed that it is being made by Inseego. Inseego was formerly known as Novatel and has made MiFi-branded hotspots for years. The Inseego MiFi 5G NR hotspot includes a touch screen and is powered by the Snapdragon 855 processor and Snapdragon X50 modem. It supports WiFi 6, and includes an ethernet port to assist in various connection scenarios. Inseego hopes to bring the hotspot to market before the end of the first quarter. There's no word on what it will cost.
Verizon and Samsung to Launch 5G Phone In First Half of 2019
Verizon Wireless and Samsung today said the companies are working together to bring a 5G phone to market during the first half of 2019. The pair said they'll show off a proof-of-concept device at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit later this week. The device will rely on the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and antenna modules, including the RF transceiver and RF front-end. Next year's mobile 5G networks will be many times faster than today's LTE 4G, with minimal latency. Verizon and Samsung have been working together on 5G for years on both the network and device sides. Verizon says its 5G mobile service will go live in "early 2019" and "expand rapidly." Verizon plans to use the brand "5G Ultra Wideband" for the network when it goes live. Verizon has already launched fixed 5G service in a handful of markets. The company hasn't made clear which will be the first of its mobile 5G networks.
Motorola, Verizon Successfully Test Data On Moto Z3's 5G Mod
Motorola and Verizon Wireless say they've successfully completed a 5G NR data transmission test between the Moto Z3 paired with a 5G Moto Mod and Verizon's network. Motorola announced the Moto Z3 for Verizon in August along with a Moto Mod capable of adding 5G to the Z3. While the Z3 went on sale over the summer, Motorola and Verizon said the 5G Moto Mod wouldn't arrive until 2019. The test demonstrates that the Mod does indeed bring 5G service to what Motorola and Verizon marketed as the "first 5G upgradeable phone." The companies performed this test in Providence, R.I., using Verizon's 28 GHz spectrum. The 5G Moto Mod relies on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X50 5G modem with QTM052 mmWave antennas. The companies used the publicly available Motorola Moto Z3. Motorola says the Moto Z3 will be the "first smartphone with access to Verizon’s 5G network" when that network launches. Verizon is expected to launch mobile 5G service during the early months of 2019. It launched fixed 5G in October. Verizon competitors AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile are all clamoring to be first to offer mobile 5G. AT&T recently revealed its first mobile 5G product, the Netgear Nighthawk hotspot. Sprint says it is working with LG to bring a 5G-capable phone to market.
Verizon to Shuffle Business Units Ahead of 5G Launch
Verizon today announced plans to reorganize its internal business structure to reflect its jump into the 5G era. Moving forward, the company will have three major business groups that are all tied together by its network. The new Verizon Consumer Group will center on running Verizon's wireless and wireline businesses for consumers, while the Verizon Business Group will do the same for Verizon's small, medium, and large business customers. The Business Group also contains Verizon's telematics business. These two organizations will be run by Ronan Dunne and Tami Erwin, respectively. Verizon Media Group, the company's Oath brand, ties together media, advertising, and technology through a collection of web sites. Oath will be led by Guru Gowrappan. Last, Verizon's global Network & Technology organization will serve all company operations by deploying and maintaining the company's wireless and wireline services. This group will be led by Kyle Malady. The top-level executives will not change. Verizon says its new structure will go into effect January 1, 2019.
Verizon Launches Fixed 5G Service
Verizon Wireless today became the first company to launch a live 5G network for consumers in the U.S. The new service is called Verizon 5G Home, and provides 5G-based broadband internet to homes and businesses in parts of Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. Verizon picked these markets "because of forward-looking state policy and local leaders who embraced innovation and developed a strategic vision for how 5G" could benefit the consumers and businesses under their jurisdiction. Verizon says customers are on already deck in these markets, and named Clayton Harris of Houston as the company's first 5G customer. The company's installation crews are beginning their work in all four markets today. Verizon 5G Home is built on Verizon's 5G TF network standard, which is not the 5G NR standard ratified by the 3GPP. Verizon says it will transition its 5G TF service to 5G NR service over time (at no expense to customers). Moreover, this is not Verizon's mobile 5G service, which is what would be used by cell phones. Verizon's mobile 5G service won't launch until early 2019.
FCC Sets Limits On State and Local Govs for 5G Site Approvals
The FCC is stripping power away from state and local governments in order to facilitate the installment of 5G infrastructure. This week the agency moved forward on an earlier proposal that sets limits on fees municipalities can charge for cell site applications, as well as the timeframe in which those applications need to be approved. Carriers must apply locally within towns, cities, and states to install new cell sites. Local governments can impede progress by denying permission to put up new sites for any number of reasons, as well as charge fees. Since 5G requires more cells in more locations, the FCC believes the process needs to change. To start, the FCC is setting limits on the fees that can be charged by municipalities for applications, processing the applications, and adjusting the right-of-way around such sites. The FCC is mandating that local governments charge no more than is reasonable. The FCC has also shortened the shot clocks afforded to local governments to weigh such applications. For example, new equipment that is to be added to existing cell sites will have a 60-day shot clock, and entirely new cell sites will have a 90-day shot clock. Local governments that charge onerous fees or sit on applications past the new 60- and 90-day windows will be presumed to be denying the applications and will need to have legitimate reasons prepared. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless are all in various stages of building their 5G networks. This step by the FCC helps these companies at the expense of local governmental control. Earlier this year, the FCC made similar changes at the federal level.
Initial Batch of 5G Phones Likely to Work On a Single Carrier
Don't expect to be able to use the same phone across 5G networks, at least in the early days, says AT&T. "It's not because there isn't a desire and we don't want to," explained Gordon Mansfield, AT&T's VP of radio networks and device design, to PCMag. Technical challenges are the roadblock that will prevent 5G roaming from the onset. Specifically, phones won't be able to contain the 28 GHz 5G radio used by Verizon and T-Mobile, and the 39 GHz 5G radio used by AT&T in a single device. This means the first 5G phones will likely be carrier exclusives. The same story played out when LTE 4G first launched, as network operators used disparate bands for their high-speed service. It wasn't until 4G radios began to support multiple bands that LTE roaming became a reality. Mansfield believes this scenario won't last too long with 5G. "As an industry, that will be very quickly overcome; I don't think the single band introduction from the millimeter-wave point of view will last very long," he said. AT&T's first 5G device, expected before the end of the year, will be a puck-style mobile hotspot. The carrier hasn't said when it will go on sale, nor how much it will cost. The company is also preparing 5G-enabled smartphones, though those aren't expected to reach the market until 2019.
Verizon to Launch 5G As an In-Home Broadband Replacement Oct. 1
Verizon Wireless will offer consumers in Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento 5G service beginning October 1. Verizon is calling its new offering Verizon 5G Home, which is its fixed 5G service that will act as a replacement for in-home broadband, cable, or fiber. Verizon's mobile 5G service, which will offer access to phones, tablets, and other mobile devices, won't launch until 2019. For now, Verizon says its 5G Home service can offer peak download speeds of 1 Gbps and average speeds of 300 Mbps. The service costs $50 per month for Verizon Wireless subscribers, taxes and fees included, or $70 per month for non-Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon says the service will be available with no data caps at launch. Verizon is offering freebees to early adopters. For example, Verizon's fixed 5G service includes three months of free access to YouTube TV, and a free Apple TV 4K or Google Chromecast Ultra device. Verizon will install all the necessary equipment for free, including WiFi devices and routers, as well as provide dedicated support to 5G customers. People who jump on Verizon's 5G fixed service will have first access to 5G mobile devices when they launch. Verizon calls its 5G network "5G ultra wideband." It relies on Verizon's extensive fiber-based backhaul network, a large number of small cells, and mmWave spectrum. Of note is that Verizon 5G Home is not based on the 5G NR standard. Instead, Verizon is using its proprietary 5G TF standard, which is ready now. The 3GPP 5G NR standard is not yet being incorporated into commercial gear. As such, once 5G NR gear becomes more widely available, Verizon will upgrade 5G Home customers' equipment at no charge. Starting September 13, consumers can sign up to become "First On 5G Members." Signing up puts you on the list for in-home 5G service when it launches October 1, and ensures people who live outside of the launch markets will be kept up to speed on when 5G fixed and mobile service will arrive in their neighborhood.
Verizon Says It Has Completed a 5G NR Call with a Phone-Type Device
Verizon Wireless continues to make progress in developing its future 5G network. The latest milestone saw Verizon and partners Ericsson and Qualcomm create a 5G NR call using commercial equipment and a smartphone-sized test device. Previous calls have been made in labs and to vans with the proper equipment. This demonstration shows how 5G NR mobile service will eventually work on phone-sized devices. Verizon says the call was completed over its 39 GHz spectrum with an Ericsson mmWave radio and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 modem. Verizon expects to launch fixed 5G service in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Houston, and Indianapolis before the end of the year, with its mobile 5G on deck for early 2019.
Verizon Says It Completed 5G NR Data Call with Commercial Gear
Verizon Wireless today said that together with partner Nokia it has taken another step forward its eventual launch of mobile 5G. The company says it completed the first "over-the-air, end-to-end data transmission on a commercial 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR) network." The test, completed in Washington, D.C., used a real-world 5G base station and transmitted data using Verizon's 28 GHz (mmWave) spectrum to a Nokia van on the city street. Last month, the two companies completed a successful hand-off between two 5G cell sites in a controlled setting. Verizon is preparing to deploy fixed 5G service as an in-home broadband replacement later this year. It won't launch mobile 5G service, which this test covered, until 2019.
FCC Wants to Speed Up the Approval Process for 5G Cell Sites
The FCC wants to ensure that wireless companies don't hit any unnecessary hurdles thrown in the way by state or local governments as they build out their 5G networks. As it works today, carriers typically have to apply locally within towns, cities, and states to install new cell sites. Local government can impede progress by denying permission to put up new sites for any number of reasons. Since future 5G will require more cells in more locations, the FCC believes the process needs to change. A new Declaratory Ruling and Report and Order seeks to establish new guidelines. For example, the FCC wants to set limits on the fees that can be charged by municipalities for applications, processing the applications, and adjusting the right-of-way around such sites. The FCC also wants to shorten the shot clocks afforded to local governments to weigh such applications. For example, it wants to see a 60-day approval window when carriers seek to adjust an existing cell site and a 90-day window for installing new cell sites. The Order will codify the existing 90 and 150 day shot clocks for larger wireless facility deployments. Local governments that don't comply with the new clocks will be presumed to be denying the applications and will need to have legit reasons prepared. "This is part of a national strategy to promote the timely buildout of this new infrastructure across the country by eliminating regulatory impediments that unnecessarily add delays and costs to bringing advanced wireless services to the public," argued the FCC. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wirless are all in various stages of building their 5G networks.
Verizon and Nokia Complete Mobile 5G Call Handoff
Verizon Wireless today said that together with partner Nokia it has completed a mobile 5G call with the receiving device moving from one cell to another. This is an important step in the development of 5G, as it will eventually allow people to use 5G devices freely when moving around outside. Verizon says it completed the test at Nokia's Murray Hill, NJ, location using the 3GPP New Radio (NR) 5G standard. It used two radios on Nokia's building to broadcast 28 GHz (mmWave) to a receiver in a moving vehicle. Verizon says the vehicle traveled between the two radio coverage zones and made a successful handoff from one to the other. Verizon is preparing to deploy fixed 5G service as an in-home broadband replacement later this year. It won't launch mobile 5G service, which this test covered, until 2019.
Verizon Says Indianapolis Is On Deck for Fixed 5G
Verizon Wireless today said that Indianapolis will join Los Angeles, Houston, and Sacramento as one of its launch markets for 5G. This particular deployment will be fixed residential 5G broadband service. Verizon is testing a number of different technologies for its forthcoming 5G network, including millimeter wave. Verizon doesn't plan to launch mobile 5G service until 2019. Verizon and its carrier competitors are all racing to be first to deploy 5G, with AT&T and T-Mobile also targeting late 2018 launches. Initial rollouts will include fixed broadband service, with mobile service to follow later. Phones with 5G may reach the market as soon as the first half of 2019. Sprint and LG announced such a device today. AT&T has gone on the record saying its first mobile 5G device with be a puck, or mobile hotspot. Verizon also announced today that YouTube TV and Apple TV 4K will be included with its fixed 5G service.
