5G is on the Move

Verizon hits goal of launching 5G in more than 30 cities
Re-post from The Verge, December 23, 2019
Author: James Vincent

One of the biggest barriers for 5G adoption is simply getting customers access to the new network. Carriers are racing to roll out 5G, and Verizon announced today that it’s reached its goal of launching the service in more than 30 US cities before the end of the year. In fact, 31 cities now have some access Verizon’s 5G network, along with 15 NFL stadiums.

But that figure needs caveats. As we’ve noted before, while 5G certainly delivers blazingly fast speeds, actual coverage is spotty and Verizon’s network is no exception. (This is partly because the millimeter wave technology used to create America’s 5G networks doesn’t travel as easily as other methods.)

In our tests of Verizon’s 5G access in Chicago, for example, the network was only available in a handful of locations, and was inconsistent even when it did appear. And while Verizon does offer coverage maps supposedly showing where 5G is available in each city, even these aren’t always reliable guides. It just goes to show: 5G is definitely a work-in-progress.

In other 5G news…

Politico reports the White House has named Robert Blair a security adviser to his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, a key point person on 5G wireless technology.

The White House named Blair, who will continue to advise Mulvaney, a special representative for international telecommunications policy. He will support 5G efforts led by White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who has staked out support for a market-driven approach to 5G deployment amid administration debates over the best strategy.