AT&T said its mobile 5G service is live starting today in a handful of markets. This makes it the first major U.S. carrier to launch 5G. AT&T is branding the service AT&T 5G+.
It relies on the 5G NR standard and makes use of AT&T’s mmWave spectrum. The service is being offered in parts of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Louisville, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, San Antonio, and Waco. AT&T didn’t say exactly where in these markets 5G is available.
The company plans to expand to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose during the first half of next year.
The first device to provide access to AT&T’s 5G service is the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot. It goes on sale December 21. Select early adopters will be able to grab the Nighthawk with mobile 5G service at no cost for three months. The device will be more widely available in the spring for $499.
AT&T says its data-only 5G service will start at $70 per month for 15 GB. AT&T expects to have at least one 5G phone reach the market during the first half of the year with a second to follow before the end of 2019.
This second device will include both mmWave and sub-6 GHz 5G spectrum.
AT&T hasn’t priced out phone-based 5G service yet, but says it expects 5G service will be “broadly available” by late 2019 with nationwide coverage to follow in early 2020
