Does building a 5G network actually mean launching commercial service on such a network? And what services might actually be available, for an early launch?
Right now, the only devices that might be able to take advantage of 5G features are data devices for internet access (as was the case for early 4G, when the only consumer devices available were internet access dongles). Those “pucks” might support nomadic access, while fixed wireless access equipment should also be available for use.
In some cases, U.S. service providers might build 5G networks in some locations in 2018, but not activate 5G networks until 2019. That might be what T-Mobile US does, as it has derided AT&T for offering data-only pucks in 2018. T-Mobile US might wait for 2019 to launch 5G mobile phone service only when phones are available.
Some people might be wondering how AT&T is going to launch early mobile 5G in 2018. The answer is simple: it will use FirstNet 700-MHz spectrum, plus AWS (2.1 GHz) and WCS (2.3 GHz) spectrum, perhaps 60 MHz in most locations, to roll out mobile 5G without relying on millimeter wave spectrum for coverage purposes.
AT&T plans to offer mobile 5G to customers in a dozen cities, including parts of Dallas, Atlanta and Waco, Texas, by the end of 2018.
AT&T emphasizes that “this is standards-based, mobile 5G.”
AT&T has said it will be the only U.S. carrier to deliver standards-based mobile 5G to customers in 2018, though T-Mobile US also expects to launch mobile 5G in 30 U.S. cities in 2018.
The issue is handset supply. Qualcomm expects 5G handsets in 2019, which leaves open the question of what phones actually could be ready for consumer use in 2018. At least for the moment, it does not appear AT&T believes it will have 5G phones available until 2019. Verizon also appears to believe 5G phones will not be available until 2019.
Perhaps of significant importance, given its market share, Samsung and Qualcomm are working together on 5G devices.
Qualcomm Technologies, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, says its Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem family has been selected by a number of global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for standard-compliant 5G NR mobile device product launches starting in 2019.
Those firms include Asus, Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited, HMD Global (Nokia phones), HTC, Inseego/Novatel Wireless, LG, NetComm Wireless, NETGEAR, OnePlus, OPPO, Sharp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Sony Mobile, Telit, vivo, Wingtech, WNC, Xiaomi and ZTE.
These firms are working to commercialize 5G mobile devices for the sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum bands starting in 2019 based on the first commercially announced 5G modem solution, the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem, Qualcomm says.
Even T-Mobile US, which derides AT&T and Verizon for going with a data puck strategy in 2018, admits that it does not expect 5G phones until 2019. So unless T-Mobile US can pull a big surprise, it will build a 5G network that only works with the derided “pucks” in 2018, or is not actually put into commercial service until 2019, since 5G phones will not be available until 2019.
Sprint, for its part, Sprint expects to launch 5G-like services to customers in select U.S. markets in the first half of 2018, including Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. Atlanta, Houston and Washington, D.C. will be activated later in 2018.
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