A week ahead of schedule, Verizon launched its commercial 5G network, which was supposed to be the world's first. However, the presumptuous statements of the South Korean telecom operators SK Telecom and two smaller ones that they (including due to the release of a special version of the Samsung Galaxy S10) will own the title of the operator of the first commercial 5G network, also did not come true. Verizon adjusted its schedule to try to beat the Koreans by two days, but the Koreans did the same and ended up sharing the glory with their US rivals.
Another U.S. carrier, AT&T, launched its 5G smartphone network as early as Monday, but commercial operations will begin later. By the way, the company considers itself a winner in this race, because back in December it offered commercial 5G networks to owners of compatible access points.
Today, residents of select areas of Minneapolis and Chicago who own a Moto Z3 smartphone with an optional Moto Mod 5G backplate will be able to take advantage of "ultra-wideband" coverage. This is the first step in Verizon's plans announced in February to launch 5G Ultra Wideband service in more than 30 U.S. cities in 2019.
Early customers can expect typical download speeds of 450Mbps with peaks up to 1Gbps and latency below 30ms. Despite the high performance, Verizon promises to improve overall performance and latency this year through network upgrades and regular software updates for client devices.
The coverage area is concentrated around the sights and old downtowns of Chicago and Minneapolis, as well as in places of large concentrations of people both on the street and inside the visited objects. Outside of the 5G network, client devices will switch to reliable Verizon 4G LTE coverage.
Contract users of any of Verizon's Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, or Above Unlimited unlimited plans get unlimited 5G traffic for an additional $10 per month, with no additional charge for the first three months. Last year's Motorola Z3 with the matching accessory can be purchased with a 24-month installment contract for a $10 upgrade, double the current retail price of $480.
Separately, the Moto Mod accessory is offered by the telecom operator for $200 (retail — $350). Undoubtedly, this thick pad does not add convenience and aesthetics, but in addition to the 5G module, it also has an additional 2000 mAh battery built into it.
Source: 3dnews.ru