All the cities and phones supporting C-Band 5G in the US
All the cities and phones supporting C-Band 5G in the US over a year ago that saw Verizon and AT&T set to radically expand their 5G networks, the time has finally come for an official launch. C-band 5G had faced several delays in the face of pushback from airlines and the FAA alike, but on Wednesday, January 19th, both carriers flipped the switch on improved experiences for customers. Not every city in the US is getting the benefits of the C-band spectrum just yet, but if you’re looking to check it out for yourself, we have a pretty good idea of where you should start looking.
What is C-band 5G?
In 2020, the FCC announced its decision to auction off unused spectrum previously used for satellite TV. Ranging between 3.7 to 4.2 GHz, Verizon and AT&T quickly swooped in with the highest amounts of cash, with the former spending as much as $53 billion just to help build out its network. T-Mobile spent far less, committing $9 billion as it opted to utilize what it had gained from its then-recent Sprint acquisition. Overall, the three US carriers bid over $80 billion combined.
Fast-forward to the present, and we’re finally seeing the results in action. Verizon and AT&T initially planned to launch C-band 5G in December of 2021, but the possibility of interference with radio altimeters used in airplanes across the globe forced a delay into January. After a little more turbulence pun mostly intended the two carriers went live with C-band 5G on January 19th, 2022.
As for what you’ll get out of C-band, the answer is surprisingly complex. In the simplest of terms, utilizing C-band gives the carriers more spectrum for their networks than they previously had. All three US networks are in a mad dash to get as much spectrum as they can 5G, and C-band represents a large swatch of once-dormant frequencies. All told, it should lead to a more reliable experience, especially in denser areas of the US.
AT&T
AT&T’s keeping its initial launch relatively small, intending to cover 200 million people by the end of 2023. If you’re in any of these eight metro areas, you can check out C-band 5G starting today:
Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston
Austin
Chicago
Detroit
Jacksonville
Orlando
Miami
5G-Verizon-ATT.jpg
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All the cities and phones supporting C-Band 5G in the US
Orlando
Miami
Of course, it’s not enough just to live in these cities — you need a compatible device as well. These are the phones that are compatible so far:
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
Samsung Galaxy A13
Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 6 Pro
iPhone 12 series
iPhone 13 series
That’s a decent lineup to start, comprising the most popular Android flagships from 2021 alongside the newly-launched Galaxy A13 and every 5G-compatible iPhone. If you meet both the geographic and hardware requirements for C-band, you’ll see a 5G+ indicator on your phone — something AT&T has also been doing to signify when you’re actively using its mmWave network.
https://my-protuto.com/2022/01/21/you-can-now-use-your-samsung-galaxy-z-flip3s-cover-screen-as-a-full-fledged-phone/
Verizon
Verizon has, surprisingly, kept its list of launch cities close to the chest. Despite promises to get a map up on its website ahead of launch, the network has yet to do so (via The Verge). Some users have reported access on Verizon’s subreddit, though we’d wait for an official word from the carrier before we highlight exactly where C-band is live on the network. We’ve reached out for a comment and will update you when we hear back.
Thankfully, we do know what devices can access Verizon’s newly-enhanced 5G, with a very similar list to AT&T’s:
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
Google Pixel 6 (coming soon)
Google Pixel 6 Pro (coming soon)
iPhone 12 series
iPhone 13 series
iPad Pro 12.9″ (5th gen)
iPad Pro 11″ (3rd gen)
iPad mini (6th gen)
Yes, unfortunately, Google’s latest flagship smartphones have yet to be certified for C-band 5G on Verizon. With any luck, it won’t take long for both devices to receive an upgrade.
All the cities and phones supporting C-Band 5G in the US
T-Mobile
Although T-Mobile isn’t part of this week’s C-band launch, it did acquire licenses to a small amount of spectrum it plans to launch in late 2023. As a spokesperson informed us in a comment
5G-Verizon-ATT3
All the cities and phones supporting C-Band 5G in the US
“T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network uses a different frequency than what the FAA is concerned about, which is primarily from the Sprint acquisition. It does not pose a risk to airplane operation and the FAA has not raised any concerns with it. Similarly, parts of Verizon and AT&T’s 5G networks use other spectrum and do not pose an issue. T-Mobile does also have C-band licenses, but we plan to put them into use in late 2023, by which time we’re confident any issues will be resolved. Already today, this part of the airwaves is being used successfully for 5G networks – with no adverse effects – in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world.”
If you’re rocking a recent flagship on either AT&T or Verizon, it’s an exciting time. Even if you don’t live in a city where C-band 5G is currently active, the next couple of years should bring about some real changes to how you use your smartphone when you’re on the move.
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