When it comes to mobile phones and technology, it seems that most people like to look ahead to the next big thing. As if we’re not content with what we already have in our pocket, we spend time reading rumors, and speculation, looking at leaked photos.
One might argue that 5G is the next big thing for smartphones. While it’s still in its infancy, it’s the tech that won’t be going anywhere soon. Moreover, it’s the sort of thing that wireless providers are going to he hitting us over the head with for the foreseeable future.
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Rightfully, there’s a lot of confusion around 5G. Which carrier has it where? What phones work with the service? What sort of technology is used? How do rate plans work?
In this piece we will clear up the first two questions: where is it, and which phones support it? Specifically, we’ll tackle AT&T, and periodically update the post as things evolve.
Where is AT&T 5G available?
As of today, AT&T offers 5G speeds in the following cities:
Atlanta
Austin
Charlotte
Dallas
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Louisville
Nashville
New Orleans
New York
Oklahoma City
Orlando
Raleigh
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Waco
Here’s the thing about AT&T and its so-called 5G+ network – it’s not available to consumers just yet. Backing up even further, AT&T has been pretty misleading in its rollout of the next-gen high speed coverage.
For reasons unknown it pushed out what it terms 5G Evolution as somewhat of a stop-gap measure between its 4G LTE and the 5G. One might think it’s faster than 4G, and that’s usually true. But, it’s not always the case. Select tests have shown that it’s actually slower in instances.
While AT&T might have a whole list of cities (500+) with support for its 5G+ coverage, it’s true 5G is just 21 today. Moreover, you’ll need to have a business account or be a developer to access the ultra-fast stuff.
According to AT&T, it plans to boost introduce 5G to parts of cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and others. Further, it expects to have “nationwide 5G in the first half of 2020.”
Which AT&T phones support 5G?
When it comes to smartphones with support for AT&T 5G+, the carrier has but one phone to choose from: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. And, as mentioned above, you’ll need a business account if you plan to purchase one.
Further reading
- Please don’t buy the 5G hype in 2019
- AT&T 5G plans may have tiered prices based on speed
- AT&T launches mobile 5G in another seven cities ahead of first capable phone