AT&T rolls out mobile 5G service in 12 US cities, connection requires accompanying Netgear...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited December 2018
AT&T on Monday announced its standards-based mobile 5G network is now live in 12 U.S. cities, though customers will need Netgear's Nightawk Mobile 5G Hotspot to access the speedy wireless platform.

Netgear Nighthawk
Netgear's Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot is required for accessing AT&T's initial 5G network.


Initially, the service is available in 12 metropolitan areas including Atlanta, Ga., Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Fla., Louisville, Ky., Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, N.C., San Antonio and Waco, Texas. AT&T first committed to 5G in January, promising to deliver limited 5G capabilities across the U.S. by the end of 2018.

The network is slated to go live in another seven cities -- Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. -- in the first half of 2019.

Customers will connect to the 5G -- technically 5G+ -- network via Netgear's Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot, which AT&T plans to debut on Friday. The telecom is making the device and data plans available at no cost to select early adopters for "at least 90 days."

"This is the first taste of the mobile 5G era," said Andre Fuetsch, AT&T CTO and president of AT&T Labs. "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 plans to offer the Nighthawk to general consumers next spring for an upfront fee of $499. The device will be offered alongside a 15GB data plan that runs $70 a month with no annual commitment.

AT&T's 5G+ network is built on mmWave spectrum technology, providing faster connections than the current LTE standard. In addition to 5G+, AT&T continues to expand access to its 5G Evolution network that combines existing 4G technologies to achieve faster speeds. The interim technology will be used as a foundation for the firm's full-fledged cellular 5G network.

Competing U.S. carriers are also preparing their own 5G technology rollouts. Verizon, for example, launched what it calls the world's first commercial 5G deployment in October with the introduction of 5G Home Internet. Though not standards-based, cellular 5G Home Internet competes against traditional broadband tech with connection speeds of up to 300Mbps.

Smartphone manufacturers are likewise ramping up to join the 5G revolution. Verizon this month said it expects Samsung to field a compatible handset in the first half of 2019, while Qualcomm anticipates every Android maker to field a 5G model by the end of next year.

It appears Apple is once again taking the wait and see approach to 5G, as reports indicate iPhone will remain reliant on LTE until 2020 at the earliest.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    $70, 15GB?

    Do they think we’re idiots? You’d blow your wad in hours. 
    georgie01taddSpamSandwichdoozydozen
  • Reply 2 of 21
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    Wait  - I just got a new iPhone and it's not 5G. This means it's outdated and utterly useless! I need a lawyer to file a class action lawsuit against Apple! .... wait... according to the article, there's going to be service in a whopping 19 cities across the entire country by the middle of next year. Maybe my phone isn't obsolete...

    What do they mean buy 'standards based?' I thought 5G standards were still undecided? 
  • Reply 3 of 21
    mazda 3s said:
    $70, 15GB?

    Do they think we’re idiots? You’d blow your wad in hours. 
    Weak speeds and a poor infrastructure (when compared internationally), sold at ridiculously high prices. Something is inherently wrong in the way things are done in the U.S., especially so in the broadband and cell service industry.
    chia
  • Reply 4 of 21
    My first iPhone was with at&t & it wws great for a long time. When i moved locations i had to change networks because of the at&t website not providing accurate 2g area converage. My grandfathered unlimited plan came to an end. 2013 
  • Reply 5 of 21
    So for $70/mo I can get less data for more money than I do with T-Mobile currently, and I can eat through that data at what hopefully would be a faster pace. So now I can download a video even faster than I need to be able to? Not sure what the point is of this offering since internet connections are already fast enough for what the internet currently offers.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    big kcbig kc Posts: 141member
    AT&T & Netgear? There's a match made in hell.
    taddSpamSandwichpscooter63doozydozen
  • Reply 7 of 21
    big kcbig kc Posts: 141member
    And who designed that turd? Looks like the LCD color display on a 1988 Zenith laptop, complete with bezel that's 4x bigger than the actual display.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Cost will delay 5G adoption. I rather continue be on 4G LTE and pay less.
    llama
  • Reply 9 of 21
    Johan42 said:
    mazda 3s said:
    $70, 15GB?

    Do they think we’re idiots? You’d blow your wad in hours. 
    Weak speeds and a poor infrastructure (when compared internationally), sold at ridiculously high prices. Something is inherently wrong in the way things are done in the U.S., especially so in the broadband and cell service industry.
    It is a developing technology.  For those who need it great.  Clearly not for the masses.
    sandor
  • Reply 10 of 21
    Looking forward to getting SpaceX satellite-based high-speed Internet and communications versus this rot.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    sandorsandor Posts: 655member
    Johan42 said:
    mazda 3s said:
    $70, 15GB?

    Do they think we’re idiots? You’d blow your wad in hours. 
    Weak speeds and a poor infrastructure (when compared internationally), sold at ridiculously high prices. Something is inherently wrong in the way things are done in the U.S., especially so in the broadband and cell service industry.

    Land area has much to do with it, but the telecoms (and cable companies) are ruthless.
    Tax business per GB in order to fund your government-required rural expansion?!?
  • Reply 12 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member

    ....
    It appears Apple is once again taking the wait and see approach to 5G, as reports indicate iPhone will remain reliant on LTE until 2020 at the earliest.
    Is this because of a pissing contest with Qualcomm -- or just a stupid decision?

    With an expected life of 3-5 years, who would want to be stuck with today's equivalent of a 3G phone -- when every carrier and every smart phone manufacturer (except one holdout) is rolling out modern technology ?
  • Reply 13 of 21
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    With lots of advertisements by Cell carriers and sales tactic misguiding people to lure into buying 5G phones. Uninformed people will buy 5G phones in hope they bought future proof phone but later will realize they couldn't use that 5G in area they live and work but paid more for the tech and than realize it's time to upgrade the phone.
    It is hard for Apple to offer 5G in 2019 or wait until 2020.

    For me, 4G LTE works fine so stay on long as possible. Let some impulsive early adopters become guinea pigs. By 2021/22, 5G will be standardize across global carriers, expanded coverage available and competition to upgrade customers from 4G to 5G will be so fierce, the data package price for 5G will be equivalent to current 4G or better..
    llama
  • Reply 14 of 21

    ....
    It appears Apple is once again taking the wait and see approach to 5G, as reports indicate iPhone will remain reliant on LTE until 2020 at the earliest.
    Is this because of a pissing contest with Qualcomm -- or just a stupid decision?

    With an expected life of 3-5 years, who would want to be stuck with today's equivalent of a 3G phone -- when every carrier and every smart phone manufacturer (except one holdout) is rolling out modern technology ?
    Sure they are. After early suckers er adopters pay for the infrastructure. 

    Why is a new technology dependent on 1 manufacturer? 

    Sounds like hype we have all heard before and you’re eating it up with a spoon. 

    The issue with the carriers is overselling the network, limiting your unlimited data, and throttling you. We haven’t even hit the bandwidth limit on 4G and the carriers are already trying to change to 5G. 

    When everyone was hyped about 4G and Apple was still on 3G, people were complaining.
    That is, until they bought a 4G device and saw their battery life drain right in front of them rapidly.  I saw a person throw his HTC thunderbolt 4G phone on the ground at an Apple store and tell the employee that it was a POS and had terrible battery life. He said 4G wasn’t worth the cost and he ended up buying an iPhone 4S. This was in 2011. 

    Just wait until 5G is everywhere and wait for your bill to be upgraded. It’s a shell game like 4K, 8K, 16K is for TVs. 
     
    I especially like how you have to buy a hotspot to get 5G for $500. What a fleecing. 

    How come we can’t use every other smartphone that has “modern technology” connect directly to the 5G network George? 
  • Reply 15 of 21
    Looking forward to getting SpaceX satellite-based high-speed Internet and communications versus this rot.
    Unfortunately we will be waiting a while. I doubt it happens by 2024. I'm skeptical SpaceX can launch over 6,000 satellites into orbit by 2024. 
  • Reply 16 of 21
    mazda 3s said:
    $70, 15GB?

    Do they think we’re idiots? You’d blow your wad in hours. 
    Don't forget $500 for the hotspot! How big is it? How is it powered? Batteries? How long do they last. No thanks in any case... 
  • Reply 17 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member

    ....
    It appears Apple is once again taking the wait and see approach to 5G, as reports indicate iPhone will remain reliant on LTE until 2020 at the earliest.
    Is this because of a pissing contest with Qualcomm -- or just a stupid decision?

    With an expected life of 3-5 years, who would want to be stuck with today's equivalent of a 3G phone -- when every carrier and every smart phone manufacturer (except one holdout) is rolling out modern technology ?
    Sure they are. After early suckers er adopters pay for the infrastructure. 

    Why is a new technology dependent on 1 manufacturer? 

    Sounds like hype we have all heard before and you’re eating it up with a spoon. 

    The issue with the carriers is overselling the network, limiting your unlimited data, and throttling you. We haven’t even hit the bandwidth limit on 4G and the carriers are already trying to change to 5G. 

    When everyone was hyped about 4G and Apple was still on 3G, people were complaining.
    That is, until they bought a 4G device and saw their battery life drain right in front of them rapidly.  I saw a person throw his HTC thunderbolt 4G phone on the ground at an Apple store and tell the employee that it was a POS and had terrible battery life. He said 4G wasn’t worth the cost and he ended up buying an iPhone 4S. This was in 2011. 

    Just wait until 5G is everywhere and wait for your bill to be upgraded. It’s a shell game like 4K, 8K, 16K is for TVs. 
     
    I especially like how you have to buy a hotspot to get 5G for $500. What a fleecing. 

    How come we can’t use every other smartphone that has “modern technology” connect directly to the 5G network George? 
    EBay still sells 3G phones.   Check them out!     They're a little out dated -- but current technology is only "a shell game" to fleece the unwary anyway.
    sandor
  • Reply 18 of 21
    Looking forward to getting SpaceX satellite-based high-speed Internet and communications versus this rot.
    Unfortunately we will be waiting a while. I doubt it happens by 2024. I'm skeptical SpaceX can launch over 6,000 satellites into orbit by 2024. 
    Interesting you say this when this was just reported:  https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/12/18/spacex-raising-500-million-new-valuation-at-30point5-billion-report.html
  • Reply 19 of 21
    sandorsandor Posts: 655member
    Looking forward to getting SpaceX satellite-based high-speed Internet and communications versus this rot.
    Unfortunately we will be waiting a while. I doubt it happens by 2024. I'm skeptical SpaceX can launch over 6,000 satellites into orbit by 2024. 
    Interesting you say this when this was just reported:  https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/12/18/spacex-raising-500-million-new-valuation-at-30point5-billion-report.html
    That only proves they can raise equity, not deploy a network of 6,000 satellites in the next 5 years. How is Tesla doing with their production speed?

  • Reply 20 of 21
    sandor said:
    Looking forward to getting SpaceX satellite-based high-speed Internet and communications versus this rot.
    Unfortunately we will be waiting a while. I doubt it happens by 2024. I'm skeptical SpaceX can launch over 6,000 satellites into orbit by 2024. 
    Interesting you say this when this was just reported:  https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/12/18/spacex-raising-500-million-new-valuation-at-30point5-billion-report.html
    That only proves they can raise equity, not deploy a network of 6,000 satellites in the next 5 years. How is Tesla doing with their production speed?

    SpaceX isn’t Tesla, now is it?
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