Expanding 5G Coverage

5G coverage continues to spread slowly as more and more locations are added to carrier maps. Major telecommunications agencies such as T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint are working on providing 5G network connection and 5G-capable phones for consumers. See how far they have come.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile recently launched 5G connectivity in 5,000 cities. This means that over 200 million people can experience consistent 5G networks (600Mhz) while on their mobile devices. Although it isn’t the fastest option available, T-Mobile currently reaches the most cities, which makes it one of the most reliable 5G providers. The company has stated that it offers speeds up to 20% faster than LTE. While this is a significant improvement, it isn’t the large leap that is expected with 5G.

Verizon

Earlier in December, Verizon launched 5G ultra wideband access in Los Angeles. This brought the carrier’s count up to nineteen cities in which it offers 5G connection. The company promised to reach up to thirty cities in the year 2019. With the year winding down, it is slowly but surely making its way to that goal. The ten additional cities that are meant to get the service this year include: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, Little Rock, Kansas City, Memphis, San Diego, and Salt Lake City.

AT&T

AT&T recently announced that it has launched 5G in ten cities around the U.S. It is currently available in Birmingham, AL; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Milwaukee; Pittsburgh; Providence, RI; Rochester, NY; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, CA.

The company previously launched 5G to business in 2018 for twenty-one business areas. However, the 5G option currently available to consumers has been criticized for its slow speeds that aren’t as fast as other carriers’ LTE.

Sprint

Sprint is providing 5G connectivity over the same spectrum that provides LTE. This process has allowed the company to go live in large parts of Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City. However, the speed of the connection is not as fast as its competitors. The company’s 5G download speed averaged at 236 megabytes per second, while Verizon’s 5G offers up to 870Mbps. After adding Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C in August, the company has not added any more cities to its 5G network. It has also halted advertisements for the product.

Differences in Connection

Each telecom has taken a different approach in launching 5G networks. T-Mobile was able to roll-out with more cities in 2019, but it is using slower speeds that are only 20% faster than LTE. Verizon is providing the service in fewer cities, but faster speeds. AT&T is offering a limited number of locations 5G, but its speeds are not comparable to its competitors.

Learn about 5G Networks

As 5G coverage maps continue to advance, many organizations are getting ahead of the curve by investing heavily in this telecommunications technology. Is your organization ready? Consider training your team with 5G Networks, a course program from IEEE and Nokia, which will be released later this year.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about the program.

Interested in learning more about 5G for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network today!

Resources

Pegoraro, Rob. (11 December 2019). Want crazy-fast internet? Here’s what AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint offer right now. Fast Company.

Rash, Wayne. (13 December 2019). 5G Has Arrived And Here’s How To Find And Use It. Forbes.

Michaels, Philip. (15 December 2019). T-Mobile’s 5G network: 4 reasons to switch, 4 reasons to wait. Tom’s Guide.

Blumenthal, Eli. (16 December 2019). Verizon turns on 5G in Los Angeles as city count hits 19. CNet.

Fingas, Jon. (16 December 2019). Verizon 5G goes live in parts of Los Angeles. engadget.