Verizon has 5G equipment deployed in 10 cities

According to a report published today, Verizon Wireless has equipment in place for fixed 5G service in 10 U.S. cities. The nation's largest carrier did admit that this equipment might not meet the initial standards for 5G as determined by 3GPP. As a result, in order to meet these standards, Verizon might have to upgrade this equipment, which is supplied by Ericsson in three of the cities that are being covered.

To meet these standards, Verizon will merely need to push out a software or firmware update. If it does need to make some changes to the hardware deployed in these 10 cities, a Verizon spokesman said that it will require nothing more than "a light lift." The wireless operator is remaining mum on the names of the cities where this testing will take place.

While 3GPP has not issued a final list of standards for 5G, it has done enough work on them for equipment makers to start building the necessary equipment. Verizon has said that it would start offering 5G service for commercial users as soon as 2017. 3GPP develops global telecommunications standards which makes it easier for world-wide deployment of new wireless technology.

AT&T said this week that it would start streaming DirecTV Now over a fixed 5G signal, and T-Mobile recently teased a 2020 date for the beginning of its 5G service.

source: FierceWireless