Verizon Launches $75 mmWave 5G Plan for Prepaid Customers

[MacRumors]

Verizon today unveiled a new unlimited plan designed to allow prepaid customers to access Verizon's fastest 5G network for $75 per month.

As noted by The Verge, the plan is priced at $10 more than the standard unlimited prepaid plan and provides access to Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network, which is the fastest available 5G that can be accessed in a limited number of cities. It also includes unlimited 5G Ultra Wideband Mobile Hotspot data.

Prior to now, access to the mmWave Ultra Wideband network was limited to Verizon postpaid customers on eligible unlimited plans, but all of Verizon's prepaid plans previously had access to the slower sub-6GHz 5G network that's not much faster than LTE.

Verizon's standard 5G nationwide connectivity is available in more than 2,700 cities, but the faster mmWave Ultra Wideband 5G is limited to select parts of 64 cities across the United States, so those who subscribe to the higher-priced prepaid plan may not find widespread availability of the faster 5G speeds.

All of Apple's iPhone 12 models in the United States are compatible with mmWave 5G networks such as Verizon's Ultra Wideband 5G.

Article Link: Verizon Launches $75 mmWave 5G Plan for Prepaid Customers

 

[BlendedFrog]

How about they solve for 5g in dual sim mode first?

 

[JPack]

Verizon needs to show on the map which individual street corner(s) have mmWave.

The Verge sums it up the best: Bear in mind also that the signal doesn’t penetrate walls, so don’t expect to pick it up in your living room.

 

[jaymc]

Verizon needs to show on the map which individual street corner(s) have mmWave.

The Verge sums it up the best: Bear in mind also that the signal doesn’t penetrate walls, so don’t expect to pick it up in your living room.

Then wouldn't you just use Wi-Fi calling then?

 

[nutmac]

I can't wrap my head around paying extra for 5G service. Unlike broadband Internet, wireless carriers cannot guarantee higher minimum bandwidth. Until 5G is far more widespread and significantly faster outside few small mmWave covered exterior areas, the word is completely meaningless.

Unless 5G is bundled with some other benefits, such as higher deprioritized/hotspot data cap or streaming subscription service, it's not something I would pay extra for.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If I were a Verizon customer, this would be of no use to me, and wouldn't warrant the extra $10. month. For the select few that will be able to take advantage at times, will said people pay the extra money?

 

[mi7chy]

Propagation is already poor with 5GHz WIFI so imagine 28GHz and 39GHz. Just a money grab for virtually non-existent service.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I can't wrap my head around paying extra for 5G service. Unlike broadband Internet, wireless carriers cannot guarantee higher minimum bandwidth. Until 5G is far more widespread and significantly faster outside few small mmWave covered exterior areas, the word is completely meaningless.

Unless 5G is bundled with some other benefits, such as higher deprioritized/hotspot data cap or streaming subscription service, it's not something I would pay extra for.

There is more to 5G than speed but, I get your point.

 

[Internaut]

US plans are expensive. I get 80G for £15 and can get unlimited for £25.

Edit: No millimetre wave in Blighty so none of the more insane speeds, but certainly a step up from 4G.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

What does "Unlimited" mean in this context? This question still needs to be asked every time the word is used.

 

[MacKid]

This map is incredibly deceptive; the band they’re touting is the kind of thing that only fills a sports arena or a downtown shopping district.

The size of the pins (and the halo around the pins!) would have you believe Verizon is blanketing the entire city of Chicago in mmwave.

 

[swm]

not just expensive, but totally pointless. mmWave travels extremely poorly. there is some reflection but not without refraction. and your body can attenuate the signal significantly.
not to mention that there's no need for such throughput in the mass market on a mobile device.

unless you're totally into speedtest.

 

[JPack]

How about they solve for 5g in dual sim mode first?

That's for Apple to enable. Might be engineering or possibly feature rationing for the 2021 iPhone.

 

[swm]

The size of the pins (and the halo around the pins!) would have you believe Verizon is blanketing the entire city of Chicago in mmwave.

you can't really expect mmWave to travel further than 100-200m so actual 'cell' coverage would rather look like poppyseeds on a city map.

 

[Apple_Robert]

What does "Unlimited" mean in this context? This question still needs to be asked every time the word is used.

It means you have unlimited data. And that data doesn't mean it will come at the speed you expect it to each time. Unlimited data does not mean unlimited speed and never has meant that.

 

[Williesleg]

Too bad they own the wrong band frequencies. **** coverage, check the physics. Other carriers use bands with way better coverage on 5g

 

[AManInACan]

US plans are expensive. I get 80G for £15 and can get unlimited for £25.

Edit: No millimetre wave in Blighty so none of the more insane speeds, but certainly a step up from 4G.

US plans are expensive because our government maximizes the amount of money they get by having auctions and getting telcos to outbid each other. It makes it so the telcos have to pay a ton of money before they can even turn on the first service and the only way to make the money back is to make the customer pay. $4.7Billion for 5G: https://venturebeat.com/2020/03/12/...uction-nets-4-47-billion-for-5g-mmwave-bands/

 

[Michael Scrip]

The $75 "Outdoor Sidewalks and Street Corners" plan.

Hooray!

 

[Edsel]

I have Verizon and their signal is so weak that I need to go stand in the middle of my field to get a LTE signal. However, their coverage map shows strong reception for my area. I end up using WiFi for my calls and data needs. Verizon reminds me of the Wizard character in the "Wizard of Oz".

 

[Antes]

Yeah the word unlimited needs to be explained further. Unlimited *but* dramatically reduced speed after certain amount of data is used. Even if 5G becomes more accessible, what’s the point if 50GB data caps prevent us from using it at its full potential. 4K videos and HD live-streaming eat up tons of data. 5G just makes reaching a data cap faster. Its great but overhyped by the media.

 

[swm]

I can't wrap my head around paying extra for 5G service.

that's soo easy. look, telcos always tried to differentiate and upsell new technology tiers. it was there with 4G and also with 3G.
not to mention, they always failed miserably. but trying is for free so it's worth a shot, or this must be their mindest

 

[Greg_Z]

Its time to do some urban camping so I can enjoy mmWave.

 

[Rafterman]

Verizon needs to show on the map which individual street corner(s) have mmWave.

The Verge sums it up the best: Bear in mind also that the signal doesn’t penetrate walls, so don’t expect to pick it up in your living room.

Yea, mmWave seems pretty pointless for the average person.

 

[ghostface147]

They can't even get their regular 5G working right, much less mmWave. Even their LTE network here in Houston has taken a nosedive, at least for me on my 12 Pro.

 

[jmgregory1]

I wonder when Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are going to start offering 5G mmWave transmitters / receivers to consumers in order to actually fill in all the empty areas that mmWave can't reach using their existing cell towers? It's such a limited use technology at this point, with far too many caveats to make it worth paying for, for most people.