AT&T 5G Goes Nationwide

AT&T Communications’ 5G network has gone live nationwide, the company announced Thursday (July 23).

“Just as our lives have shifted in the past few months, so has our expectation of wireless technology,” said AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh in a statement. “With AT&T 5G reaching nationwide, our network is beginning the journey to transform connectivity as we know it by setting a new bar of breathtaking experiences and improved efficiency.”

The signal offers immediate benefits, AT&T said including nationwide connectivity, fast downloads and short lag time for on-demand entertainment and mobile games. There’s also increased capacity capabilities that brings more bandwidth that can handle many devices at once.

AT&T said 5G access will be added to AT&T’s Unlimited Starter wireless plan for consumers and to AT&T Business Unlimited Web Only and Starter plans beginning Aug. 7.

“What we offer is available to consumers and businesses today, and we’re not slowing down,” said Chris Sambar, executive vice president of Technology Operations, in a statement. “As we have throughout our 144-year history, we’ll continue to innovate and invest in our network to expand our 5G coverage to more consumers and businesses across the country.”

Last month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it was facilitating 5G wireless networks across the U.S.

The FCC said it was looking into how it can speed up the upgrades to existing wireless networks through state and local rules to provide the high-speed 5G networks which are critical to expanding economic opportunities and supporting public health and safety in American communities.

Congress passed the Spectrum Act intended to streamline rules for how wireless tech can be modified, allowing 60 days for the approval of any request to modify a structure to install the technology, so long as the modifications don’t substantially change the structure.

In March,  AT&T said its 5G network will be available to everyone, not just businesses. Prior to that announcement, the slower 5G network from AT&T was available to everyone, but the limited mmWave network, faster than the other 5G network, was only available to businesses. The move coincided with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra phones.

In May, PYMNTS reported the COVID-19 pandemic could delay the rollout of 5G networks in the U.S.