AT&T promised mobile 5G before the end of 2018 and is set to deliver, though cutting it close to the self-imposed deadline.
AT&T lit up the first mobile 5G network in the U.S. today, with service launching in select parts of 12 cities on Friday.
This is not a full-blown launch, and AT&T acknowledged initial reach will be limited to dense urban areas. Still, Dec. 21 will be the first day certain consumers can get their hands on a commercial 5G mobile device – the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotpot― and connect to a live standards-based 5G network.
“This is the first taste of the mobile 5G era,” said Andre Fuetsch, president, AT&T Labs and chief technology officer, in a statement. “Being first, you can expect us to evolve very quickly. It’s early on the 5G journey and we’re ready to learn fast and continually iterate in the months ahead.”
AT&T noted that initially it will offer “select” businesses and consumers the Netgear Mobile Hotspot, plus 5G data at no cost for a 90 day trial period. In spring 2019, AT&T will start offering the hotspot for $499 and 15 GB of data for $70 per month.
AT&T and Verizon have both announced plans to offer 5G smartphones from Samsung in early 2019.
The 12 cities included in AT&T’s initial launch are Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Fla., Louisville, Ky., Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, N.C., San Antonio and Waco, Texas.
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