Verizon’s super-fast 5G expands to four more cities

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Verizon 5G MiFi M1000 Hotspot
You can use Verizon’s 5G hotspot in lots more places starting today.
Photo: Verizon

The number of people who can access Verizon’s 5G network takes a big jump today. The carrier just launched service in parts of Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis and Washington, DC.

The carrier has a 5G hotspot for anyone who wants to speed up the connection of their Mac or iPad.

Verizon 5G keeps expanding

A recent study found that 5G users can expect the new technology to bring download speeds that are 2.7 times faster than 4G. That’s real-world use, not in a lab.

But availability is still limited. With today’s addition, there are nine cities where Verizon is offering the faster replacement for 4G. It had already begun service in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Providence and St. Paul.

Take note that this faster service can be found in only small areas in any of these cities. The mmWave frequencies Verizon is using enable the super-fast data transfers that are a highlight of 5G, but are also short rage.

The telecom plans to have 5G service in 30 cities by the end of 2019, including Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Houston, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Phoenix, San Diego and Salt Lake City.

AT&T currently has a larger 5G footprint, but its service is available only to business customers.

Apple and 5G

Only a handful of devices can connect to Verizon’s nascent network, including Samsung’s specially-designed Galaxy S10 5G that sells for $1299.99.

The Inseego MiFi hotspot is actually one of the cheaper options, and it’s on available to Apple fans today. It’s $649, and Verizon offers a plan that includes 50GB of 5G data and 15GB of 4G LTE data for an additional $30 a month on top of a phone service plan.

All of the iPhone models coming in 2020 are expected to have 5G built in. By that time, Verizon will have service in far more areas and AT&T will have started letting consumers use its 5G network. The merged T-Mobile and Sprint will have their own speedy network going too.

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