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AT&T Launches 5G Network in 10 Cities
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How many people in low income areas have $1000+ phones with 5G modems? Probably a much lower number vs. more affluent areas. If that's true, then most people won't even be able to use the 5G network without an appropriate 5G device. As a result, it seems like a waste to roll out 5G technologies in very low income cities at this point until 5G devices become more prevalent. I believe that's what OwenW was getting at.
It’s probably more about the city being easier to deal with for installing the beacons/access points, less regulatory hurdles, or more accessible zoning/buildings/poles.
5G is pointless in areas outside a stadium or huge event venue. It’s coverage is a joke, anything in between your phone and the tower causes severe performance drops, and the density of towers for appropriate coverage is insane. Yes, it does increases tremendously the amount of devices associated in a single cell. However AT&T plans on businesses to offer 5G/WiFi6 combined over their own private circuits (aka we pay for others bandwidth). Good luck with that.
Expect a great, improved service on densely packed areas, and long live to LTE for everywhere else.
Expect a great, improved service on densely packed areas, and long live to LTE for everywhere else.
No, HIGH BAND 5G is pointless outside of crowded venues/densely packed areas. Low band 5G travels long distances just like LTE. There are two types of 5G.
Another benefit of 5G is that when people are connected to 5G at those densely packed crowded venues is that it frees up LTE bandwidth for people who either don't have 5G devices or who are just outside of range of the high band 5G. Instead of EVERYONE being connected to the same LTE bands, some people will be connected to 5G instead, reducing the load on the LTE bands.
That was due to the reason iPhones with 5G capabilities are behind competitors.....once iPhone starts having 5G that argument will be buried deep! Until then you will keep hearing that..
But I've been using 5GE for months now. 
If the dots are 5G locations, Indianapolis residents will have to drive a couple hours southwest to get theirs.
1000 feet is based on the higher frequency (2.4, 4.2, 13, 72 Ghz, etc.) that 5G will be deployed at for high performance. But 5G can also be deployed at 600 or 850 MHz that has a range of miles and goes through walls and around hills better.
Of course at the lower frequency 5G is really no better than 4G. Except that 5G claims 40% reduction in latency.
Oh I almost forgot, all networks require 4G LTE because it is required to establish a 5G connection. So there you go.
They have done this on purpose for decades. The point is to learn how to deploy new hardware and test it in a place that will have relatively low users as to not stress the network and reduce costs if they need to go back and change things. They want a place that's relatively small, flat, and has minimal high-density environments like stadiums, subways, and skyscrapers.
Kind of like test marketing a new burger in a out-of-the-way city.
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That makes sense, but why are Los Angeles and San Diego on the initial rollout list? Not small, flat or low density by any stretch.
San Diego has always been early because that's where Qualcomm and a lot of other wireless industry vendors are.
LA and the Bay Area are the first "real" city deployments. LA is actually quite flat, where most people live, and most of it is lower-density sprawl, it's certainly not New York. California homes are also easy to penetrate, they're all wood and drywall. None of the masonry you see in other parts of the country, due to earthquake risk.
Along with the small city testing, that may be because of the proximity to Canada. Wireless licencees within 100 km of the border have to go coordinate their spectrum use with the Canadians. So it may act as a test run before they go deal with Detroit.
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There are phones out there that are capable of 5G that aren’t $1000+....
Moto Z4, OnePlus 7 Pro.... 5G isn’t exclusive to the super expensive phones.
Those are the wrong kind of 5G for these networks.
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While the tech for 5G is cool and it's impressive we can get such high speeds over cellular, I still think 5G isn't going to be fully ready for years to come and even once it is ready, it will have such a bad reputation that people won't give it a chance.
Looks right to me, it falls between Indy and Milwaukee. Vicksburg would be west of New Orleans, and that dot is clearly to the east of New Orleans. Providence though is way off, although if you click on the link it looks like AT&T has fixed it on there article.
Every time I see the 5GE come up I once my connectivity is going to suck. I don’t know why but it just does.But I've been using 5GE for months now.
Where I live and commute, 4G from AT&T is not particularly strong. But my 11 Pro is actually keeping up fairly well on an Intel modem. It’s the first time I can actually rely on an iPhone for clear phone calls and don’t have to use my Qualcomm based android phones.
I’m happy with my AT&T service as-is. Now their customer service is another story.
T-Mobile and Verizon said they were switching to standalone NR next year due to the complexity of NSA mode.
NYC is February and the coverage covers all of the Island and almost as far north as Hartford.