Start the new year on the right foot with AT&T's most affordable 5G phone yet
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UPDATE: If a $219.99 phone with both Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G connectivity sounded too good (read too cheap) to be true, it turns out that's because it's actually not true after all. The AT&T Fusion 5G, of course, is very much real, ultra-affordable, and available today with everything from a 6.82-inch HD+ display to an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, 48 + 8 + 2 + 2MP quad rear-facing camera system, and wirelessly charging 4,750mAh battery in tow.
Unfortunately, it looks like the handset only supports "nationwide" low-band 5G speeds at the moment while obviously being ready to embrace AT&T's soon-to-be-deployed C-band technology as well.
Blazing fast mmWave capabilities... that not many customers can actually take advantage of are not part of the budget-friendly package, and Ma Bell would like you all to know it "sincerely apologies" for the "oversight" made in preparation of the Fusion 5G announcement, which shouldn't hurt the phone's mainstream appeal that much however. Not with the price point and specs highlight above and below. Our original story follows after the break.
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Specifically, how cheap they can get in on the whole 5G craze. The answer, of course, is incredibly cheap, whether we're talking about service plans or smartphones capable of delivering the highest download speeds currently available stateside.
Even the world's newest and most advanced handsets can be yours for next to nothing (or, indeed, no money at all) as long as you're willing (and able) to meet the right conditions. If not, you can always opt for something like the AT&T Fusion 5G and pay as little as $219.99 with absolutely no strings attached.
It's true, the carrier's cheapest 5G-enabled smartphone to date will go on sale this Friday, January 7, and if you can't afford (or simply don't want) to spend 220 bucks outright, a straightforward device payment plan will split that into 36 monthly fees of $6.12.
That makes this 6.82-inch giant (with a massive chin and pretty conspicuous waterdrop-style notch) slightly more affordable than AT&T's 6.5-inch Samsung Galaxy A13 5G. Unsurprisingly, the Fusion 5G is considerably cheaper than the $350 Orbic Myra 5G UW, which seems to be Verizon's current entry-level 5G offering.
At only $199.99, however, T-Mobile's REVVL V+ 5G is still "America's most affordable 5G smartphone." On the bright side for the Fusion 5G, the new guy comes with no less than four rear-facing cameras in tow, including an impressive-sounding 48MP primary shooter, and perhaps most remarkably, both Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G support (update: no on the latter front).
While AT&T has yet to roll out its Verizon Ultra Wideband-rivaling "5G+" signal in a lot of places, the ultra-low-cost Fusion 5G is officially guaranteed to support all of the carrier's future efforts in the low, mid, and high-band (aka mmWave) fields.
Some of the phone's specs and features will likely be kept under wraps until Friday, but we do know HD+ screen resolution, a 13MP front-facing camera, 64 gigs of internal storage space, Android 11 software, and a large 4,750mAh battery with both quick charging and wireless charging capabilities are part of the very competitive budget-friendly package.
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