A true 5G network? That is still some time in coming, as it is expected to be operational anywhere from 3 to 4 years from now. This does not mean that the carrier networks are just going to fold their arms and do nothing, waiting for a 5G network to roll out. T-Mobile did announce its plan to deliver an actual, working 5G network that will be deployed across the length and breadth of the US. It is also not surprising to see that T-Mobile took this opportunity to snipe at its rival, AT&T, concerning their 5G Evolution service which is actually not 5G, but rather, a variant of 4G LTE.
John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, took the opportunity to share in a vlog about AT&T and their 5G Evolution service. Legere claimed in a rather crude manner that AT&T’s offering is actually “bullshit.” He backs his own company’s 5G capabilities, citing that the carrier will make full use of its recently purchased horde of 600 MHz spectrum so that it is well poised to offer 5G network services throughout the country, as opposed to a Fixed 5G implementation which will basically result in the creation of 5G hotspots in selected areas.
Neville Ray, who is T-Mobile’s CTO (Chief Technology Officer), said, “Nationwide Mobile 5G will require both high-band AND broad low-band coverage, and having unused nationwide 600 MHz spectrum means T-Mobile is in an ideal position to deliver.”
Apart from T-Mobile and their plan to dominate the 5G network when the time is ripe through a nationwide deployment, the presence of T-Mobile 5G will enable high bandwidth as well as massive throughput in urban areas thanks to a combination of mid-band and millimeter wave spectrum. In other words, the potential to take advantage of the bandwidth that a true 5G network is able to deliver is massive, and exciting times are certainly ahead of us. T-Mobile is rather optimistic that they will be able to roll out their 5G network by the time 2019 rolls around, targeting a complete nationwide coverage before 2020 calls it a day.
What about T-Mobile’s competitors? Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T will definitely not bum around without working on their plans to offer 5G network services to their subscribers and customers as well. No doubt it will be a battle royale as the big four mobile carriers duke it out against one another. Chances are we will see a price war in the mobile plans at the beginning as well as many freebies thrown into the mix so that potential customers would be enticed to make a jump from one carrier to another. However, when the market stabilizes, things will eventually settle down. It has been the same pattern with each new mobile network advancement, from GPRS to EDGE, and then from EDGE to 3G, and in the last iteration, from 3G to 4G LTE. A price war would definitely be able to benefit customers the most as we love nothing better than to get the best bang for our buck.
