M+E Connections

Sprint and Verizon stepped up their 5G deployment plans, making separate announcements Aug. 14 regarding their next-generation wireless technology strategies.

Sprint is collaborating with LG Electronics USA to deliver what the fourth-largest U.S. mobile network operator said in its announcement will be the “first mobile 5G smartphone in the U.S. in the first half of 2019.”

Verizon, meanwhile, said in separate announcements that its 5G residential broadband service launching in four markets later this year will feature the Apple TV 4K streaming set-top box and YouTube TV OTT subscription streaming video service.

As part of the LG-Sprint pact, Sprint customers “will be among the first in the world to experience” 5G on the LG handset built for the country’s first mobile 5G network when it launches in the first half of 2019, Sprint said.

Sprint didn’t provide device specifications or exact timing for its launch, saying those details will be announced later.

“Sprint is moving fast on the road to 5G,” Sprint CTO Dr. John Saw said in the news release. He added: “LG has done tremendous work developing technical designs that enable us to be among the first movers in mobile 5G.”

Sprint recently announced plans to launch its 5G mobile network in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.

“Additional markets will be announced as Sprint continues the roll-out of its blazing-fast mobile 5G service,” it said, adding more devices designed for Sprint’s new 5G network will be announced later also.s but not sore

Verizon said Apple TV 4K and YouTube TV will each be included as part of its 5G residential broadband package launching in Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Indianapolis was added as the fourth and latest city in Verizon’s 2018 5G residential broadband deployment plan, it noted.

Apple TV 4K will provide Verizon 5G broadband customers with a large selection of Ultra High-Definition (UHD) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes and Netflix, Verizon said.

More details about the YouTube TV offer will be announced when the Verizon 5G residential broadband service goes on sale, Verizon said. YouTube TV offers cable-free live TV from more than 60 networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, plus popular cable networks including AMC, CNN, ESPN, FX, TBS and TNT, and local sports networks including FOX Sports and NBC Sports, Verizon pointed out. YouTube TV membership costs $40 a month.

Verizon is “on track to be the first wireless technology provider to deploy 5G residential broadband service and 5G mobile service” in the U.S., it said. The company expects home internet installations to start in the initial four markets in the second half of 2018, it noted, adding that, “as mobile devices become available in early 2019, Verizon plans to quickly move to be first in 5G mobile service.”

Separately, AT&T said Aug. 15 that its AT&T LTE network “now covers more than 400 million people in North America,” adding: “By building out our 4G LTE network, we’re laying the foundation for 5G, the next advance in network technologies. We’re boosting network speeds and capacity, as we continue to expand the availability of our network using the latest technology.”