Verizon’s 5G network has noticeably faster speeds. On Monday, the wireless carrier announced it had gained access to the C-band spectrum it purchased in 2021, four months ahead of schedule.
The precious airwaves were expected to be partially available in 2022 and fully available to carriers by the end of the year, but this will give Verizon a boost in its mid-band 5G network. You will be able to significantly increase the speeds you can deliver to connected devices. Once deployed and connected to a compatible phone or device on the right plan, the carrier says its network can deliver download speeds in excess of 2 gigabits per second.
Verizon said the speeds are based on areas with 161 megahertz of spectrum bandwidth available, which the company aims to be the amount of available bandwidth on average nationwide. In some areas (mostly rural areas) where carriers have access to his 200MHz bandwidth, the speeds can be even faster. Similarly, speeds may be slightly reduced in areas where Verizon has available frequencies below 161 MHz, but Verizon expects “a minimum of 140 MHz of total spectrum in the continental United States.”
To use the C-band network, which Verizon calls “5G Ultra Wideband,” you need a compatible wireless plan. These are usually expensive wireless plans from your carrier, such as the new Unlimited Plus service, or older plans such as Do More, Play More, Get More, Above or Beyond’s unlimited options.
As for the device, a software update is required to gain access to improved and faster connectivity. Verizon says it is updating existing products to take advantage of the network upgrade, but did not provide a list of which products will receive the update and when.
Devices ranging from Apple’s iPhone 12 to the Samsung Galaxy S21 support the carrier’s C-band network, and Verizon has included support for the spectrum in nearly every major device it’s sold in the past year. A spokesperson for the carrier confirmed to CNET that some phones have already received the update and will be able to take advantage of faster speeds, but there is no complete list of devices eligible for the update. is not yet clear.
In a press release announcing the news, the carrier said that once devices get the software update, “customers will immediately begin to realize the effects of this dramatic bandwidth increase within days to weeks.” “Deaf,” he says.
The company has made its C-band network available to 222 million people nationwide, with a goal of reaching 250 million people by 2024. Mid-band spectrum, such as C-band, has long been considered an important part of wireless airwaves. This is thanks to its ability to cover larger areas while offering faster speeds than 4G LTE or low-band 5G (what Verizon calls “5G Nationwide”).
read more: Understand the many names and types of 5G
In addition to increasing the speeds of current and future devices that connect to its network, Verizon will now be able to offer 5G home and business internet in 47 new markets with the additional spectrum, increasing the number of regions where 5G is available. The company says it will be able to cover more households. Home broadband products are already available. As with the list of compatible devices, the carrier did not provide details on which markets will be added and when.
Previously used by satellite companies, Verizon spent nearly $53 billion on C-band spectrum in 2021 as part of a record $81 billion Federal Communications Commission bid. Last year, the company announced it had reached an agreement with the satellite company that uses the spectrum to speed up when it can receive some of the spectrum. As part of the auction rules, existing C-band holders will be removed from the spectrum by December 5, 2023, which was the deadline for their exit.
Rival networks AT&T and T-Mobile have similarly acquired portions of C-band spectrum as part of their 2021 auctions, with AT&T already deploying portions of C-band into its mid-band 5G network. are doing. However, we wonder if both carriers will be able to access the rest of their respective spectrums ahead of schedule as well, or will have to wait until later this year before they can ramp up their 5G networks. It is unknown whether
CNET has reached out to both AT&T and T-Mobile for comment and will update if we hear back.
