On Wednesday, Verizon announced that it’s flipping the switch on its 5G wireless network. The wireless carrier is bringing 5G network connectivity to two markets: Chicago and Minneapolis. Verizon customers within those two market will have first dibs are getting a taste of the carrier’s 5G wireless connectivity.
Company CEO Hans Vestberg told CNBC that the company will bring an additional 30 markets before the end of 2019. The carrier already offers “5G Home” service that launched in select areas in October. It’s an alternative option to the traditional cable-based home internet service.
The wireless carrier has explained that its 5G network will give customers access to peak speeds, which are up to 1 Gbps. To put it into perspective, that’s about 10 times faster than what you might find in the current LTE connectivity. Simply put, yes, you will be able to download movies within seconds.
Verizon may be launching its 5G wireless network around the US, there are a limited number of phones that support it. Samsung previously announced the Galaxy S10 5G model that’s set to come out later this quarter. Verizon will see a limited-time exclusivity on the Galaxy S10 5G model, so you Verizon customers will get first dibs. AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint will begin selling the Galaxy S10 5G smartphone in the second half of the year.
Currently, the only smartphone Verizon has that supports its 5G network is the Motorola Z3. The smartphone will cost you $240 and requires a $200 “moto mod” to work on Verizon’s network.
