Anytime you turn on the television, you get bombarded by ads from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile about their new 5G networks. Each one claims they have the largest and fastest network in the country. In this article, I'll compare the 5G networks of all the major wireless carriers and tell you which one has the best 5G coverage!
What Is 5G?
5G is the fifth generation technology standard for cellular networks. There are three different types of 5G that vary in speed and range. If you prefer to watch than read, check out our video comparing Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile's 5G networks on YouTube for everything you need to know!
Low-band is the slowest 5G network. Often, low-band 5G actually travels slower than 4G LTE data. However, low-band 5G does have the widest range of any 5G data network, which may be especially helpful for people in rural areas.
Mid-band 5G is commonly referred to as the “Goldilocks” spectrum. It's faster than low-band 5G and has better range than high-band 5G. Ultimately, mid-band 5G will likely prove to be most useful for average consumers. Hopefully, mid-band 5G will be more widely available by the end of this year.
High-band 5G is the fastest of the three 5G wavelengths. While it's extremely fast, it's range is mediocre. In fact, high-band 5G's signal is so weak, it cannot even penetrate walls and Apple had to build a window into the side of the iPhone 12 to support its 5G mmWave antenna. High-band 5G is mostly available in large metropolitan areas and a handful of sports stadiums.
T-Mobile 5G
It's safe to say that T-Mobile is currently the leader in 5G, especially when you consider their merger with Sprint. Thanks to 5G's limited availability, Verizon and AT&T are not happy about this. No matter whose side you're on, T-Mobile's nationwide 5G is made up of low-band data that is actually slower than Verizon's 4G LTE network!
T-Mobile is making significant investments in their mid-band capability. For example, they doubled their mid-band city count in just one month. Similar to other major carriers, T-Mobile has high-band 5G in several cities. However, it will still take time for high-band 5G to work its way through major and minor cities alike.
AT&T 5G
AT&T has already rolled out their “Nationwide” low-band 5G. However, the term “Nationwide” is a stretch to say the least. Their low-band 5G network is nothing special.
AT&T's high-band 5G is available in certain major cities across the nation. You can visit AT&T's website to find out if they currently have high-band 5G available in your area. In regards to mid-band 5G, AT&T (and Verizon) are upset with T-Mobile, since T-Mobile has accumulated a mid-band 5G spectrum, making them a solid force in the 5G world.
Check out our video all about AT&T's 5G network for more details!
Verizon 5G
Verizon announced their nationwide low-band 5G network at the October Apple event. Big things are coming! Like the other major carriers, Verizon's high-band 5G is only available in select cities. However, their fastest level of 5G also works in NFL stadiums and other sporting arenas.
As we mentioned above, Verizon is not too happy about T-Mobile's domination of the mid-band 5G spectrum. Both Verizon and AT&T are currently taking action against T-Mobile to more evenly distribute mid-band data networks.
Is 5G Worth It?
If you live in a major city and have the budget to afford a 5G phone, then it could be worth the investment. However, even if you do have the budget, it still might not make sense to purchase a 5G plan, especially if you have consistent access to Wi-Fi most of the time.
We recommend against paying extra for a plan just because it has 5G. With so much of 5G's technology still in development, it's not worth upgrading to a 5G phone quite yet either. We believe it will be a few years before 5G is really lives up to the hype.
The moral of the story is that 4G LTE is fast enough, and will be for a while to come.
The Truth About 5G
Now the ball is in your court. You have all the necessary information to make an educated decision when it comes to 5G. Thanks for reading and let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
