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AT&T Launches its Fake 5G Service in Indianapolis

So we've noted repeatedly that while fifth generation (5G) wireless will someday deliver ultra-fast, low-latency broadband to Americans, actual deployment of this technology is still several years off. The 5G standard still hasn't even been finished yet, and any real deployment of the technology isn't expected until 2020 or later. Of course that hasn't stopped carriers from over-hyping their various experiments with the technology that may someday make up the standard, just as they did ahead of the launches of 2G, 3G and 4G technology.

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Case in point: AT&T back in April unveiled "5G Evolution", insisting that the carrier "plans to pave the way to the next generation of faster speeds for its wireless customers with the latest devices in over 20 major metro areas by the end of this year."

More specifically, AT&T is testing 4x4 MIMO antennas and 256 QAM, technologies that can provide faster speeds. But they aren't "5G," and T-Mobile had already been deploying these technologies to speed up its existing network since last fall.

“Our 5G Evolution in Austin gives our customers a taste of the future," an AT&T marketing exec says of the offering. "With 5G Evolution from AT&T you don’t have to wait to experience endless entertainment possibilities on the next generation network when you have the latest devices."

Except you will have to wait. AT&T's initially only tested the technology in Austin, and the faster speeds will only be accessible via one (technically two) device(s): the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. That said, AT&T did announce today that it's also launching the offering in parts of Indianapolis, noting that customers with the right hardware walking through the right areas might just get a glimpse of the faster connectivity.

AT&T says they'll eventually be launching 5G Evolution by the end of the year in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, and San Francisco -- up to 20 markets in total. But again: real 5G connectivity remains pretty far out on the horizon, and these are just the very first steps in the standard's direction.

Most recommended from 31 comments



Takuro
join:2016-10-17
Chapel Hill, NC

1 edit

18 recommendations

Takuro

Member

The Future is Here

I personally can't wait to experience endless entertainment possibilities on AT&T's next generation network!¹²³

¹ Must be standing on a very specific corner of a very specific street in a busy metropolitan area.
² Must be using a Samsung Galaxy S8 or 256 QAM compatible device.
³ Must be subscribe to DirectTV Now for best entertainment experience, other services subject to Stream Saver and potentially other ways of throttling third party content in the future.

timothyhohar
join:2004-03-20
Apex, NC

10 recommendations

timothyhohar

Member

It's "EDGE" all over again... Ugh

It's "EDGE" all over again... Ugh
tehkwhiz
join:2012-02-28
Columbus, OH
Humax BGW320-500
Ubiquiti Unifi Security Gateway
Ubiquiti U6-Lite

7 recommendations

tehkwhiz

Member

Oh, AT&T

Launching 4G LTE-A services your GSM rival launched years ago, and then slapping 5G on the nametag to make uneducated consumers think you're better?

Yeah, that'll show 'em! T-Mobile's had all these technologies on their network for YEARS, but we call it "5G" so we're better than them! Yeah, phony marketing!

Riiiight. Just like U-verse FTTN is "fully fibre."

Anonf9278
@hcs.net

5 recommendations

Anonf9278

Anon

4G

Ummm... I don't care about 5G. I would rather have 4G LTE in more "dead spots" where only 2G and 3G are available. 4G is fast enough for me.

Donut
join:2005-06-27
Romulus, MI

4 recommendations

Donut

Member

802.11 N

Reminds me of Wireless N and all the BS went around with that. How many devices came out before the IEEE finish the specs. So many draft N devices. Just wait till the standard is finished before you try to screw it all up. Thanks.

dslwanter
20 years on this site
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Mineral Ridge, OH
·Armstrong
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-LR
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X SFP

3 recommendations

dslwanter

Premium Member

Sad

Keep playing chess with wireless experiments, when fiber is clearly working and selling well in the areas it's deployed. AT&T lacks any progression in this area. Same access to the same service (ADSL) for 15 years, no improvement or upgrade. My previous address use to have access to 12mbps ADSL2+, after checking out of curiosity, the same address can only get 5mbps ADSL2+.

Anon23d73
@pacswitch.com

3 recommendations

Anon23d73

Anon

Another misleading roll out

AT&T has changed gophone to AT&T prepaid with no apparent plan upgrades. What is the point of doing that?

AT&T prepaid has not significantly distinguished itself from cricket or verizon prepaid. And it's current plans offer less robust value than T mobile one prepaid.

In other words at&t is all flash and no substance.

rchandra
Stargate Universe fan
Premium Member
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105
ARRIS ONT1000GJ4
EnGenius EAP1250

2 recommendations

rchandra

Premium Member

Does it really matter?

When "4G" was being developed and deployed, the ITU (who made the definition) started saying, hey, that's not 4G, it doesn't meet our specs. But eventually they capitulated, and basically said, well, out in the wild there, we see something performing better than 3G, so, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and called it 4G anyway.

So...what about today? It doesn't matter that a 5G spec hasn't been written. If it's substantially (or maybe even marginally) better than 4G, the carriers will call it 5G and that will be all that really matters.

GlennLouEarl
3 brothers, 1 gone
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Richmond, VA

2 recommendations

GlennLouEarl

Premium Member

Doing something is better than doing nothing

in the never-ending search for profit. Lots of people will be happy to pay for the privilege of participating in a field trial.