Image : Verizon

5G continues its slow rollout around the world as more companies announce plans to launch 5G networks in 2019. The most recent is Verizon, who has detailed its upcoming 5G services launching April 11.




Since 5G is a tricky technology and companies like to over-inflate its potential, the early days of 5G data plans and 5G devices will be confusing. Verizon’s initial 5G rollout is no exception, so here’s a quick guide that details Verizon’s plans, pricing, supported phones and markets, and how its 5G rollout compares to its competitors’ offerings.

Where is Verizon’s 5G service launching first?

Verizon’s 5G service launches April 11 in Minneapolis, MN and Chicago, IL, though only in specific locations in each city. Further support will be rolling out to an additional 30 cities throughout 2019.


Admittedly, that’s a pretty limited initial availability when compared to other U.S. carriers. T-Mobile is planning to launch in three cities, while Sprint is eyeing nine. AT&T has launched 5G mobile and hotspot services in 12 cities so far and plans to reach seven more by the end of 2019, though 5G-compatible phones won’t be available through AT&T until later in the year.

The good news, however, is that Verizon is building its 5G network from the ground up to conform to the 3GPP’s 5G NR specification—essentially, this is legit 5G. T-Mobile, on the other hand, is piggybacking off its LTE network to deploy “low band” 5G services to cities as it builds out its 5G network. For more explanation on the differences in these flavors of 5G, check out our 5G explainer piece.

Verizon’s plans and pricing

For $10 a month on top of their existing data plan, Verizon customers can get unlimited access to its 5G network (where available) with no de-prioritization—meaning no speed throttling or data thresholds (though Verizon may change this as 5G rolls out to more cities). This 5G access fee will be waived for the first three months, but once the fee becomes applicable, here’s the new pricing for Verizon’s plans:

Go Unlimited plan, $85 per month: Includes unlimited 5G and LTE data, but mobile and hotspot LTE data is subject to throttling

Includes unlimited 5G and LTE data, but mobile and hotspot LTE data is subject to throttling Beyond Unlimited plan, $95 per month: Unlimited 5G and LTE data (LTE data subject to throttling after 22GB mobile and 15GB hotspot data thresholds)

Unlimited 5G and LTE data (LTE data subject to throttling after 22GB mobile and 15GB hotspot data thresholds) Above Unlimited plan, $105 per month: Unlimited 5G and LTE data (LTE data subject to throttling beyond 75GBs on mobile and 20GB over hotspot)


Compared to T-Mobile, who previously promised not to raise its prices for 5G access, Verizon’s 5G premium charge is a bummer. However, that premium comes with the promise of unthrottled 5G access—something T-Mobile has not explicitly stated.



Supported phones

Verizon will support the Moto Z3 at launch, but requires users to buy the Verizon-exclusive 5G Moto Mod for $50 for a limited time (the 5G mod otherwise costs $350 elsewhere).


LG V50 ThinQ and Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G will also be ready for 5G when they launch in 2019. This is good news for Verizon customers interested in those devices, but as we’ve mentioned in the past, there’s some uncertainty regarding the performance of this first wave of 5G smartphones, so it’s worth holding off on buying any of these phones until some hands-on testing has been done (if their 5G capabilities mean a lot to you, that is).