AT&T has perhaps one of the most developed 5G networks out there right now. With coverage in 21 cities and two 5G devices available, this 5G network seems like the best bet for consumers. AT&T, however, has only rolled out 5G service to its business customers.
At some point, this network will be available to more customers, but AT&T currently does not have a date set for this. If you do have a business account, it makes a lot of sense to buy into this network with some of the best data speeds we've seen from any carrier.
- When will my area even get 5G?
- Which devices should I get to be ready for 5G?
- Which plan do I need for access?
- What tech is AT&T using?
- What is 5Ge?
- Is 5G worth it for most people?
When will my area even get 5G?
AT&T has a lot of cities listed for its 5G+ network. 5G+ refers to real 5G NR used in AT&T's network. 5G NR is what every other carrier and most people simply refer to as 5G. You need to be careful with AT&T though: While at first glance, it may look like you've received an update for 5G on your older phone, it may just be rebranded LTE called 5Ge.
As far as an actual 5G network goes for AT&T, there are now 21 cities on the list. This is one of the most impressive deployments of 5G NR but without a specific coverage map available, it's hard to know precisely if you are covered. If you don't have 5G NR coverage, you can fall back to AT&T's 4G networks built on the LTE. LTE Advanced has been branded as 5Ge and can serve as an upgrade to LTE in anticipation of full 5G coverage.
Here are the cities with true 5G so far.
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Atlanta, GA
- Indianapolis, IN
- Louisville, KY
- New Orleans, LA
- Charlotte, NC
- Raleigh, NC
- Las Vegas, NV
- New York, NY
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Nashville, TN
- Austin, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Houston, TX
- San Antonio, TX
- Waco, TX
AT&T has started to bring some 5G experiences to some sports stadiums including the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. AT&T is also working with the NBA and WNBA to demostrate the power of 5G. While these are basically just tech demos, it can be a way to see what lies ahead for 5G.
Which devices should I get to be ready for 5G?
5G is currently supported on one phone and one hotspot on AT&T. The phone is the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, which is based on one of the most powerful and well-reviewed flagship lines running Android. With a larger display and battery than even the monstrous Galaxy S10+, this phone is an excellent media consumption device and will be powerful enough to take full advantage of 5G. If you have a business account, this phone is available for $999.
5G is a business-focused deployment for AT&T and as such, the first device to utilize the network was the Netgear Nighthawk 5G hotspot. This hotspot supports Wi-Fi 5 speeds to connect any device to the powerful 5G network. When it comes to working away from the office, a hotspot can be your greatest ally.
Should you buy a 5G phone in 2019?
The best 5G hotspots you can buy right now
Which plan do I need for access?
5G is only available to business customers and will need to be arranged with your AT&T account representative. Pricing starts at $90 per month and includes unlimited data and 20 GB of tethering. If you have a business account and if you live in a city with 5G coverage, it may be worth it to upgrade to 5G.
What tech is AT&T using for 5G?
AT&T is using mmWave technology to deliver fast 5G service to its customers. This uses high-band spectrum above 24 GHz for coverage. This spectrum is available in large chunks allowing for enormous speeds of over 2 Gbps in ideal conditions. It remains to be seen how this will hold up under a true public load, but the early prospects are good.
5G in the U.S.: How each carrier will deploy 5G on phones
Is 5G dangerous or is it safe?
Does 5G use more battery than LTE?
Is 5Ge nonsense?
LTE isn't the same today as it was on day one. Periodic upgrades to the underlying technology have made LTE more efficient and faster over time. The most modern version of this is called LTE Advanced. This tech offers the best consumer wireless technology outside of 5G and can produce some very strong speeds that are more than enough for almost any application. This isn't abnormal since LTE stands for long term evolution and was designed to evolve and grow as technology improved.
AT&T is moving its LTE Advanced towers along a path towards 5G coverage thanks to these towers having high-speed backhauls that can support 5G speeds. This is why they have renamed their 4G LTE Advanced service to 5Ge with a software update. Short for 5G Evolution, this is framed as a first step towards an actual 5G network, though, not everyone agrees.
The fact of the matter is that this 5Ge network is the best of LTE and if you are using an older phone that is unusably slow in crowded areas, it may be worth it to get a phone that supports these enhancements. Don't expect speeds to be a huge difference but latency and connection quality can be improved.
5G vs. 5Ge: What does it actually mean?
Is 5G worth it for most people?
In ideal conditions, 4G LTE is fast enough for most people. One problem is that these good speeds lead to data usage that is constantly increasing as the quality of media improves and download sizes grow. With LTE technology, there will be a hard ceiling on the amount of data one tower can deliver and the user experience will start to suffer.
Putting 5G in as many places as possible will continue to handle the increasing load without compromising latency and network responsiveness. At this time, most people don't need to make the move to 5G and on AT&T, unless you have a business account, you can't. 5G is still really only for those that demand the absolute best wireless performance available.
It's OK not to be hyped about 5G
5G for Business
Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot
mmWave 5G and a big battery
If you have a business account in an AT&T full 5G+ coverage areas, then the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot can deliver unparalleled speeds.
The 5G Galaxy
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Fast, smooth, and cutting edge
One of the most complete feeling flagship phones only gets better with 5G support and a massive battery. With a great display and cameras, this phone is the perfect tool for anyone that gets things done on the go.
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