The Achilles heel of mmWave networks like Verizon's, is their minuscule coverage. Base stations have to be situated every 1000 feet or so in dense urban areas, whereas Sprint's mid- and T-Mobile's low- and mid-bands can produce signal that travels much farther.
What's more, while Verizon's Ultra Wideband (UWB) mmWave network offers the fastest speeds and thus marketing bombast at the initial rollout, the spectrum has very low penetration rates.
So low, in fact, that the signal can get easily dispersed by the phone's glass body, and it has trouble getting through your hands holding the phone, let alone trees, buildings, and even windows, that is why there are UWB-marked 5G models at Verizon, more expensive and with more antennas inside. Well, Verizon just announced that this state of affairs may not last long, or else it risks to keep being taunted about it by T-Mobile.
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Verizon aims to solve its 5G network building penetration
To solve the mmWave penetration puzzle, Verizon has teamed up with Samsung (for the indoor base stations), and Corning (for the fiber optic) in test setups that it says will offer all the advantages of its UWB network - high speeds, load, and low latency - indoors.
Specifically, Verizon mentions hospitals, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, schools, ports, retail stores and more, or places that need connectivity, and fast. Its 5G station partnership with Samsung is going into the indoor direction now, albeit still in the lab test phase. According to Magnus Ojert, Vice President, Networks Division, Samsung Electronics America:
Building on our network collaboration with Verizon since 2009 and our global leadership in mmWave technology, we are excited to expand 5G’s next phase to the enterprise with Verizon. These first trials of indoor small cell solutions, coupled with our recent advancements with vRAN, advance our support of Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, and will provide their U.S. consumers and enterprises with incredible new experiences.
The Corning partnership for in-building 5G solutions, however, is further along, and is out of the lab tests and into field trials in commercial buildings. Wait, what, wasn't Corning a the company responsible for the durable Gorilla Glass Victus on the Note 20 Ultra? Yes, but that glass part should've tipped you off that it also makes state-of-the-art fiber optic cable solutions, and, apparently, complete 5G base station solutions, as Verizon tips.
Somewhat paradoxically, 5G needs cable. Lots and lots of fiber optic cable that needs to be laid in the ground by good old-fashioned ditch-digging. Short of the national highway system and the railroad tycoon era, 5G may turn out to be one of America's grandest infrastructure undertakings, with assorted carrier base stations on or in buildings, and even lamp posts.
Here's where Corning comes into play with an oven-ready 5G mmWave dispersing station that Verizon says has undergone trials in the "test lab in Westlake, TX and has begun field testing in a live network environment." Corning's indoor 5G station should be on the market by year's end, and, as per Michael Bell, senior VP of Corning Optical Communications:
We're pleased to open a new phase in our longtime collaboration with Verizon, which over the years has brought reliable LTE coverage to Verizon's customers in venues large and small. Now, with Corning's mmWave solution, Verizon will showcase its 5G Ultra Wideband capabilities for the enterprise. Our mmWave solution draws on Corning's decades of experience in network design to deliver cost-effective indoor coverage that allows enterprises to reap the full benefits of 5G.
There you have it, while Verizon is amassing spectrum for its neglected low and mid 5G bands, expected to light up later this year, it is simultaneously addressing the range and penetration shortcomings of its ultrafast mmWave network, too.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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