Last month, Verizon put the 5G Moto Mod for the Motorola Moto Z3 up for pre-order. This mod allows the phone to connect to Verizon's 5G network when it launched, which was supposed to happen on April 11. However, the carrier seems to be ahead of schedule, as CNBC reports that the company has now activated the service in Chicago and Minneapolis.
Verizon had already launched its 5G home service in some cities, but it used its proprietary technology, 5G TF, instead of the 5G New Radio standard that's been chosen as the default standard by most carriers. The new network is already built on the globalized standard, and that means it's ready to be used whenever supported devices are available.
Right now, the Moto Z3 is the only option you may have, though you'll have to spring for the 5G Moto Mod as well, but the 5G edition of the Samsung Galaxy S10 is expected to arrive this week in Korea, and should make its way to the U.S. not too long after that. Other phones, like the LG V50, will also support 5G in 2019. Initial 5G networks promise up to 1Gbps speeds, but you likely won't see it go that high in real life.
Verizon says the 5G service will make its way to 30 more cities over the course of this year, and many carriers around the world are investing to launch similar offerings as well. 5G has been talked about for years now, so it'll certainly be interesting to see it truly being put to the test in the real world.
Source: CNBC
