It’s been quite the week for 5G launches. AT&T has announced its plans for its own 5G network, set to be launched by the end of this year. The news follows this week’s announcement by Verizon of trials starting in Sacramento – and its deal with Samsung.
Significantly, the plans will follow 3GPP’s recent 5G NR guidelines (passed just last month). In the past, AT&T has rebranded existing LTE products as 5G. In its statement announcing the 5G launch, the company drew attention to its previous, pre-standard 5G trials in Texas,Michigan and, Indiana.
The company now, however, seems to be concentrating on the 3GPP guidelines. The company claims that now these 5G specification have been decided, hardware, chipset and device manufacturers will be able to roll outran new products, allowing AT&T to kick-start its own launch.
5G advantages
“5G will change the way we live, work and enjoy entertainment,” said Melissa Arnoldi, president, AT&T Technology and Operations. “We’re moving quickly to begin deploying mobile 5G this year and start unlocking the future of connectivity for consumers and businesses. With faster speeds and ultra-low latency, 5G will ultimately deliver and enhance experiences like virtual reality, future driverless cars, immersive 4K video and more.”
The company is, however, keeping tight-lipped about the new trials – it’s announced no further details about its 5G plans.
