5G Is Here

“5G is here,” said Hans Vestberg, Verizon Chief Executive Officer.

Continuing its legacy of consumer firsts, Verizon is launching Verizon 5G Home, the world’s first commercial 5G broadband internet service, on October 1. Verizon 5G Home will initially be available in parts of Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Sacramento. It is built on Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network. Verizon is the first company to bring 5G broadband internet service to consumers and is expected to be the first to offer 5G mobile service.

Verizon has spearheaded the 5G ecosystem for three years, with its 5G Technology Forum, 5G Labs, work with international standards bodies, and collaboration with network equipment and device makers. Further advancing 5G, the company isn’t waiting for the most recent technical standards to deliver 5G Home, pushing ahead with its own proprietary 5G standard in this initial commercial launch. “To be first, we encouraged others in the ecosystem to move more quickly at every step,” said Vestberg. “We appreciate the partnership of network equipment makers, device manufacturers, software developers and chip makers in reaching this critical milestone. The entire wireless industry gets to celebrate.”

Become a “First On 5G” Member

Starting October 1, Verizon 5G Home will be available initially in certain neighborhoods in Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Verizon will rapidly expand its coverage area once we can install the new standards-compliant equipment from our vendors. And on Thursday, you sign up at FirstOn5G.com to become a “First On 5G” Member. You’ll receive updates on when 5G is coming to you, and we’ll keep you apprised of 5G-related news and offers, including the launch of Verizon’s 5G mobility service.

“’First On 5G’ Members get early access to Verizon 5G Home and are first in line for new services, including 5G mobility,” said Tami Erwin, Verizon’s wireless operations leader. “You want an opportunity to cut the cord with your cable company? Now you can cut the cord and go cable free, while getting fast, reliable home internet service over the hottest new technology.”

 5G Home is Built on the World’s First and Only 5G Ultra Wideband Network

Verizon 5G Home is unique because it’s built on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. 5G is only as good as the network it’s built on and Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network is the only 5G network that combines:

• End-to-end deep fiber resources throughout the network
• A large deployment of small cells
• Critical, and best-in-class spectrum holdings, particularly in the millimeter wave bands, the only spectrum with the bandwidth to realize the full 5G potential for capacity, throughput and latency

“To deliver the full potential of 5G, a wireless network provider must have three fundamental assets: deep fiber resources, a large deployment of small cells and critical spectrum holdings. That’s Ultra Wideband,” said Kyle Malady, Verizon’s chief technology officer.  “We will deliver a revolutionary 5G experience that will change how people live, work and play.”

Verizon is first in the world to deliver a commercial 5G service, with plans for rapid 5G broadband internet expansion and 5G mobility service

For three years, Verizon has led the way developing and deploying 5G, thereby accelerating 5G innovation and now, its introduction. In 2015, we created the 5G Technology Forum, bringing together key partners like Ericsson, Qualcomm, Intel and Samsung — to move the entire 5G ecosystem forward. 5G Technology Forum’s technical work resulted in the release of the 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR) standard in December, 2017. And in 2018, Verizon has achieved a series of technological “firsts” with our 5G technology partners, including:

• First video call placed over a pre-commercial 5G connection on a prototype 5G device at the 2018 Super Bowlwith Samsung in February
• First 5G NR data transmissionin a lab with Nokia and Qualcomm in February
• First two-way data transmission of 3GPP 5G NR and the first use of multi-carrier aggregation to boost the signal into Gbps range — outdoors— with Nokia in June
• First transmission of a 5G NR signal to a receiver in a moving vehiclewith Nokia in August
• First data transmission on a commercially deployed 5G NR network in Washington DCin September with Nokia
• First data transmission over commercial 5G NR network equipment to a prototype smartphone device in Minneapolis with Ericsson and Qualcomm in September

Verizon has led the technology industry with our clear focus on bringing 5G service to consumers as quickly as possible. That’s why our 5G Home service is built on our proprietary 5G TF standard; we are able to deliver results and a 5G network faster than waiting for the formal 3GPP 5G NR standard to be incorporated into network equipment, devices, chipsets and software. As our 5G technology partners bring that hardware, software, chipsets and devices to market on the 3GPP 5G NR standard, we’ll upgrade First On 5G Members to that equipment at no charge. When new network equipment is available and introduced, we’ll expand our 5G broadband internet coverage area quickly and bring 5G to additional cities.

“We spent the last three years driving the industry to bring 5G to consumers as soon as possible,” said Ronan Dunne, head of Verizon’s wireless business.  “We developed early standards that allowed the industry and hardware and software manufacturers to build solutions more quickly. As a result of this initiative and ongoing collaboration, we will rapidly deliver the promise of 5G to our customers.” – CT Bureau