T-Mobile's 5G "low-band" network lights up across the country

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,256   +192
Staff member
Something to look forward to: Curiously enough, T-Mobile made no claims regarding speed in its press release. We know it will be slower than 5G service offered by the competition but how will it compare to modern 4G LTE? We should find out within the week.

T-Mobile on Monday flipped the switch on its 5G network which the carrier says covers more than 200 million people across 5,000+ cities and towns nationwide. In total, more than one million square miles are blanketed in coverage, we’re told.

T-Mobile’s new 5G network is of the 600MHz “low-band” variety. This means that, while it has better range than the 5G millimeter wave tech we’ve seen from competitors like Verizon, it won’t be as fast. The Verge likens it to an enhanced version of the LTE spectrum we’re accustomed to.

From December 6, T-Mobile’s 5G network will also be available to Metro by T-Mobile prepaid customers.

Today’s news is really little more than a paper launch considering there are no phones available to take advantage of T-Mobile’s new network. Two handsets are inbound, however, in the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren and the Note10+ 5G at $899.99 and $1,299, respectively, but those aren’t scheduled to launch until December 6.

On a positive note, you can nab a free OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren (with 24 bill credits) when you switch to T-Mobile and trade in an eligible phone. Similarly, you can get a Note10+ 5G (again, with 24 bill credits) when you buy another and add a line of service.

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Today’s news is really little more than a paper launch considering there are no phones available to take advantage of T-Mobile’s new network.
Thank you for telling the truth :)
 
LOL .... with no phones available they could claim any speed they want! Haven't see seen this before with yet another carrier???
 
No reason to use any other frequency than a low one for long distance transmission. 5g should be more efficient than 4g so that is it. All you that complain about not having mmwave, raise a company and try to make up the costs of implementing a 5g mmwave network that requires cells each hundred or maybe thousand meters. Not talking about rain being able to break the signal. If something sounds good it doesn't mean it is good in practice. But that is the press today, as smart as their readers Also imagine the cost. Mmwave will be used on big cities where it is feasible from a technical, economical standpoint.
 
The biggest advantage of 5G is relieving congestion on 4G/LTE. In 2016, I was able to stream Netflix on 3G/HSPA using my phone as a hotspot due to lack of congestion. Most people were on 4G and LTE. I was in range for 4G, but it was often spotty so I locked the phone into 3G. I was on Cricket Unlimited at the time which meant 20GB/afterwards throttled during times of congestion, but it worked most of the time. It was a good year. I went to ATT thinking I would have better service. Nope. Overpriced. Should have stayed with Cricket.
 
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