Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband Enters AT&T's Home Turf

Verizon has unleashed its 5G Ultra Wideband technology in two more US cities. Customers in Dallas and Omaha are joining the network’s 5G rollout(Opens in a new window), raising the total number of US cities with at least some degree of access to over a dozen.

The technology accelerates download speeds while reducing latency. It’s an advantage for customers as they’re able to download large files, such as movies and entire seasons of TV shows, in seconds rather than minutes. Ultra-fast speeds and ultra-low lag time also extend to business applications.

AT&T, by the way, is based in Dallas and also operates its own 5G network in the city.

In both US cities, Verizon decided to focus on specific areas. Verizon deployed its technology in high-traffic locations to test reliability. Still, Verizon needs its customers to purchase 5G-enabled hardware. Most US carriers’ lineups are light on 5G-enabled connected devices as 4G LTE connectivity remains dominant. With the next few years, Verizon and its competitors are likely to introduce smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and other types of hardware as 5G takes over.

Currently, Verizon sells only a handful of compatible smartphones. The list includes Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10+ 5G and S10 5G, LG’s V50 ThinQ 5G, and Motorola’s Moto Z4.

“Customers in Dallas and Omaha become the latest to experience the super-fast download speeds delivered by our 5G Ultra Wideband service,” said Chief Technology Officer Kyle Malady. “We’re focused on building 5G right in order to enable unique experiences for our customers.”

The 5G Ultra Wideband technology is already live in Atlanta, Boise, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New York City, Panama City, Phoenix, Providence, St. Paul, and Washington, DC. Verizon says it’ll continue expanding to additional cities through the end of 2019 and into next year.