AT&T to Offer Mobile 5G Wireless Phone Service This Year

First service targeted to launch in more than 12 U.S. cities
No specifics yet on costs, vendors, airwaves or pricing

Bloomberg QuickTake Q&A explains how 5G speed upgrades could change everything.(Source: Bloomberg)

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By Scott Moritz

January 4, 2018 at 5:01 AM UTC

Updated on

January 4, 2018 at 4:48 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

AT&T Inc. aims to be the first U.S. carrier to provide fifth-generation, or 5G, mobile service to phone customers this year, pitting the wireless giant against Verizon Communications Inc. and T-Mobile US Inc. in a costly network upgrade race to spur revenue growth.

Unlike current trials using 5G technology to beam signals between stationary antennas, AT&T said in a statement it will introduce mobile services in more than a dozen U.S. cities later this year. The company didn’t offer specifics.