AT&T has announced that it will be offering a 5G smartphone from Samsung in the first half of 2019.
“5G is going to be about more than just a network. Customers will eventually be able to connect in near real-time to unforeseen possibilities,” David Christopher, president of AT&T Mobility and Entertainment, said in a press release. “Together with Samsung, we plan to bring the best in technology and innovation to our customers. The future we imagine with 5G is just beginning, and it is a great time to be a consumer.”
The mobile phone carrier’s announcement comes one day after Verizon revealed that it would release U.S. 5G phones with Samsung — also in the first half of 2019. Both companies will be beating Apple to the market since the tech giant is going to wait until 2020 to release the first iPhones featuring 5G.
In addition, AT&T is working with Samsung on the creation of America’s first manufacturing-focused 5G Innovation Zone, which will provide a real-world understanding of how the technology can impact manufacturing, as well as provide insight into the future of a Smart Factory.
“We expect that future smart factories will be filled with 5G-connected sensors that can channel real-time information about equipment performance, ranging from vibration to noise data,” said Christopher. “As of today’s announcement, we’ve installed the latest mobile 5G network equipment in areas in the 12 markets where we plan to make 5G available in 2018.”
The cities that will have the 5G technology available this year include Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Fla., Louisville, Ky., Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, N.C., San Antonio and Waco, Texas. There are plans to expand service in the first half of 2019 to parts of 7 additional cities, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, Calif.