T-Mobile has shown just how fast 5G is by launching its new network four days early

Launched ahead of schedule alongside a new OnePlus phone

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T-Mobile just jumped ahead of schedule by launching its5Gnetwork, meaning you won’t have to wait until the planned December 6 date to test it out.

The move coincides with the debut of the specializedOnePlus 7T Pro5G McLaren Edition phone, which joins theSamsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus5G andGalaxy S10 5Gas the first ofT-Mobile’s 5G phonesto be available starting today.

T-Mobile announced in the launch withpress releaseand a goofy video shared by CEO John Legere on Twitter.

☝️First NATIONWIDE 5G ‼️‼️‼️‼️☝️ That’s the @TMobile way 🙌 #Nationwide5GDecember 2, 2019

T-Mobile boasts that the difference between its 5G network and those from competing networks likeSprint 5GandVerizon 5Gis the wider coverage map. It’s able to offer broader coverage because the company is using the 600MHz spectrum for the foundation of its 5G network.

While Sprint’s and Verizon’s 5G networks are available in select cities, with coverage further limited by the employed spectrum’s ability to penetrate buildings (a weakness we experienced in our testing, especially with Verizon), T-Mobile claims its 5G network now covers one million square miles and 60% of the US population.

The T-Mobile 5G coverage maps and trade-offs

There are trade-offs to the broader T-Mobile coverage maps. Its newly deployed 5G network operates only on that low-band 600MHz frequency right now, which means it doesn’t offer the same insane data throughput we’ve seen from Verizon’s mmWave in our5G speed test.

In fact, in its press release, the word “fast” isn’t even mentioned, and “speed” is mentioned only once. Until the merger between Sprint and T-Mobile goes through, T-Mobile may not be able to compete with the others in terms of speed.

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But T-Mobile has teased that faster 5G. The end of the launch video hints at the “New T-Mobile 5G” network that would be enabled through the carrier’s merger with Sprint and integration of mid-band spectrum.

T-Mobile is offering its 5G service in a number of forms, from its unlimited plans to pre-paid options. The high-end devices from OnePlus andSamsungare also just the start, it says. The official plans are to offer 15 more5G phonesin 2020.

Via:Engadget

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