Verizon Just Announced Its First Two 5G Cities

March 13, 2019 – Today, Verizon announced solid plans to launch its first standards-based 5G wireless network. From April 11, 2019, residents of Minneapolis and Chicago will be able to access the carrier’s 5G network. In the initial stages, 5G coverage will extend only to specific areas in the two cities. Come April, Verizon will become the first carrier to offer a 5G network for smartphones. It is important to note that the 5G wireless network is vastly different from the 5G in Verizon FiOS hotspots.

At the time of its launch, the carrier offers support for the Motorola Z3 with a 5G Moto Mod. Verizon has also pointed out a hike in prices in its data plans to accommodate 5G usage. The network will ultimately cover 30 cities throughout the country.

As Reported by The Verge

At the time of rolling out the next-gen network, Verizon intends to bump up the prices for its data plans. While T-Mobile announced it won’t increase prices, Verizon has hiked up the prices by $10 for 5G users. The Verge reports:

In 4G, Verizon’s three existing data plans are subject to throttling when you exceed a threshold. But in 5G, it appears Verizon will not be applying any data throttling. According to Verison:

“5G data usage with the moto mod is unlimited with no data de-prioritization,”

Unclear

The upcoming rollout is the carrier’s first standards-based next-gen network. The in-home wireless 5G service launched last year differs and is based on different standards. The two networks are not compatible. This means a 5G enabled smartphone will be unable to use the network on the in-home network.

The new 5G network in Chicago and Minneapolis will cover only select areas for now. For the most part, the coverage includes high-traffic and commercial areas. Details from The Verge state:

As mentioned above, Verizon support covers only the Moto Z3 for now. This is because the Z3 is the only 5G capable commercial smartphone in the market. Samsung plans to launch a 5G version of the S10 later this year. LG also has a 5G phone named V50 ThinQ in the works. When these phones hit the market, the carrier will roll out support for them as well. Apple users will be disappointed to know the first 5G Apple device doesn’t hit stores till 2020.