That time is now. The company just officially launched 5G service to more than 1,700 cities throughout America, covering over 100 million existing customers. The company noted that “nearly one in three Americans” live in areas serviced by Verizon 5G UWB (ultra-wideband), along with two million businesses. Verizon highlighted that this network reaches speeds up to 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) and “brings power and performance comparable to a broadband internet connection to your pocket.” Accompanying the launch are several deals for new and pre-existing Verizon customers. Unlimited data plans come with a 50GB hotspot, various free entertainment subscriptions, a monthly International Travel Pass, and more. The service is also available as a home Internet package, which has been discounted 50 percent. Verizon has not provided a list of what cities are covered by their 5G Ultra Wideband service, but there is an interactive map to check if it is available in your town. Another option is to simply look for “5G UW” in the status bar of your smartphone. Both Verizon and fellow wireless carrier AT&T have been embroiled in a weeks-long fight with the Federal Aviation Agency, as the latter suggests that activating the C-band technology that powers this upgraded 5G network could interfere with radar altimeters that pilots use to land in low visibility conditions. As such, the companies have agreed to delay this rollout near airports. Correction 01/19/22: The link in paragraph 2 was updated to reflect the company’s own announcement instead of a different news outlet’s reporting.
