5G is available “nationwide” but that doesn’t mean that there is coverage in every single US city. On top of that, carriers are also adding capacity to these cities, so as more devices connect to their 5G network, they are able to keep the speeds up. T-Mobile for one, is adding capacity to over 1,000 cities as we speak. This article will be routinely updated as 5G rolls out to more and more cities.
AT&T
AT&T is rolling out both Sub-6 and mmWave 5G networks right now. It has branded its mmWave network as 5G+, which is starting to roll out in major cities and at major venues now. mmWave will mostly be available at stadiums, arenas and major metro-areas. Where the capacity could be very useful. Cities
ArizonaPhoenixCaliforniaLos AngelesMenlo ParkOaklandRedwood CitySan BrunoSan DiegoSan FranciscoSan JoseWest HollywoodFloridaJacksonvilleMiamiMiami GardensOrlandoTampaGeorgiaAtlantaIndianaIndianapolisIllinoisChicagoKentuckyLouisvilleLouisianaNew OrleansMarylandBaltimoreOcean CityMichiganDetroitNorth CarolinaCharlotteRaleighNevadaLas VegasNew YorkNew York CityOhioClevelandOklahomaOklahoma CityPennsylvaniaKing of PrussiaPhiladelphiaTennesseeNashvilleTexasAustinDallasHoustonSan AntonioWacoWisconsinMilwaukee
Airports
FloridaTampa International Airport
Arenas and Venues
CaliforniaDodger Stadium – Los AngelesOracle Park – San FranciscoColoradoBall Arena – DenverFloridaHard Rock Stadium – MiamiRaymond James Stadium -TampaGeorgiaMercedes-Benz Stadium – AtlantaIllinoisUnited Center – ChicagoIndianaLucas Oil Stadium – IndianapolisLouisianaMercedes-Benz Superdome – New OrleansMinnesotaU.S. Bank Stadium – MinneapolisNevadaLas Vegas Convention Center – Las VegasNorth CarolinaBank of America Stadium – CharlotteSpectrum Center – CharlotteTexasAT&T Dallas Stadium – ArlingtonAT&T Center – San AntonioKay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center – DallasToyota Center – HoustonUtahVivint Arena – Salt Lake CityWisconsinAmerican Family Field – MilwaukeeFiserv Forum – Milwaukee
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is working on rolling out its 5G layer cake. Which is essentially is using its 600MHz, 2.5GHz spectrum and then mmWave. So you get the coverage with 600MHz, then some added capacity with the 2.5GHz spectrum, and in dense areas you’ll get mmWave for the faster speeds. Currently there are only six cities with mmWave available (and the entire 5G layer cake). Those include Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.
ArizonaEloyArkansasJacksonvilleNorth Little RockTrumannCaliforniaAzusaBaldwin ParkCitrusFlorence-GrahamGarden GroveLa PuenteLos AngelesMonroviaNorwalkOntarioParamountSan FernandoTemple CityWalnut ParkWest CarsonWillowbrookConnecticutNew HavenDelawareWilmingtonFloridaAzalea ParkDunedinEast Lake-Orient ParkElfersHolidayInwoodKey VistaLongwoodMinneolaNew Port RicheyNokomisOak RidgePort RicheyProgress VillageRidgecrestSky LakeVeniceWestchaseZephyrhillsGeorgiaAtlantaDallasGainesvilleGraysonJohns CreekMabletonNewnanNorth AtlantaRiverdaleScottdaleSmyrnaWinderIllinoisAddisonArlington HeightsAuroraBataviaBellevilleBellwoodBloomingtonBradleyBridgeviewBuffalo GroveBurbankCalumet CityCarol StreamChampaignChannahonChicagoChicago HeightsChicago RidgeCiceroCrestwoodDoltonEglinElk Grove VillageElmwood ParkEvergreen ParkForest ParkGlendale HeightsGranite CityHanover ParkHazel CrestHoffman EstatesIndian CreekIngalls ParkKankakeeLake ZurichLansingLemontLockportLombardLyonsMarkhamMaywoodMelrose ParkMidlothianMount ProspectMundeleinNapervilleNilesNormalNorridgeNorth ChicagoNorthlakeOak LawnPalos HillsPark ForestPaxtonPekinPlainfieldRichton ParkRiver GroveRiverdaleRomeovilleSchaumburgSouth Chicago HeightsStone ParkStreamwoodSwanseaTinley ParkUniversity ParkUrbanaVernon HillsWaterlooWaukeganWheatonWheelingWoodridgeWorthIndianaCrown PointEvansvilleGreenwoodHammondIndianapolis city (balance)LawrenceMerrillvilleKansasOverland ParkPittsburgWichitaMarylandCroftonLargoLaurelLochearnMaryland CityMelroseMiddle CityMiddle RiverParkvilleRevereSaugusSevernTowsonUrbanaMassachusettsHolbrookWalthamMichiganBangorCenter LineClintonDecaturEastpointeInksterWarrenYpsilantiMinnesotaColumbia HeightsElk RiverHilltopHopkinsMaplewoodMinneapolisSt. PaulMissouriBlack JackCarthageCharlackClaytonCliff VillageColumbiaDennis AcresFlordell HillsForistellGrandviewHouston LakeJoplinKirkwoodLake Mykee TownLawsonNew BloomfieldRaytownSt. JosephSt. LouisUniversity CityWarrensburgNevadaEnterpriseNew JerseyAtlantic CityBrooklawnCamdenCliffside ParkCliftonDoverEast NewarkEast OrangeEchelonEdgewaterElizabethElmwood ParkEnglewoodFair LawnFairviewFort LeeFranklin CenterGarfieldGlen RockGuttenbergHasbrouck HeightsHobokenInterlakenJersey CityKearnyLindenLodiMorristownNewarkNorth ArlingtonPalisades ParkPassaicPatersonPine HillPine ValleyRidgefieldRockawayRoselleRutherfordSecaucusSomervilleTotowaTrentonUnion CityVictory GardensWallingtonWanamassaWest New YorkWhartonWood-RidgeNew YorkAmsterdamBabylonCentral IslipCopiagueEast WillistonFranklin SquareFreeportGarden CityGarden City ParkGreen IslandHarbor IsleHempsteadIsland ParkLake MoheganLindenhurstLong BeachMalverne Park OaksMiddle IslandMineolaNew YorkPlainviewShrub OakSouth HempsteadTerryvilleTroyUniversity GardensWest BabylonWest HempsteadWilliston ParkNorth CarolinaApexAshevilleCharlotteClemmonsConcordCorneliusHendersonvilleKernersvillePinevillePiney GreenStallingsStatesvilleValley HillVanceboroWinston-SalemYoungsvilleOhioAvalonBrooklynCincinnatiColumbusFinneytownHamiltonHanoverLancasterLondonMcKees RocksMonroeRossmoyneSanduskyOklahomaBroken ArrowChoctawDel CitySmith VillageOregonAlohaNewbergSherwoodPennsylvaniaAldanAliquippaAllentownArnoldBeaverBellmawrBethlehemBlawnoxBrackenridgeBraddockBridgewaterBryn MawrChalfantChesterCollingswoodColwynDarbyDuryeaEast LansdowneFolsomKerrtownLansdowneLevittownLibertyMeadvilleMillbourneMunhallNew KensingtonNorth BraddockPhiladelphiaPhoenixvilleRankinRidley ParkRutledgeTarentumUplandVeronaWhitakerYeadonYoungstownRhode IslandWoonsocketSouth CarolinaGoose CreekSangareeTennesseeBerry HillFranklinHendersonvilleKnoxvilleLebanonMaryvilleOak RidgeSeviervilleShelbyvilleTexasBacliffCloverleafDallasFifth StreetGalena ParkHoustonJacinto CityLa PorteNassau BayShenandoahSouth HoustonStaffordVirginiaAlexandriaArlingtonBailey’s CrossroadsBrambletonBroadlandsBull RunFalls ChurchHamptonHerndonHighland SpringsLake BarcroftLoudoun Valley EstatesManassasManassas ParkMerrifieldNewport NewsNorfolkRichmondSpringfieldSudleyTysons CornerVirginia BeachWashingtonYorkshireWashingtonBurienGenevaMonroeOak HarborSnohomishWashington D.C.WisconsinBeloitMilwaukeeNeenahSouth MilwaukeeWest Allis
Verizon
Verizon’s network is expanding pretty quickly, though they did start building it out a bit differently from its competitors. While AT&T and T-Mobile focused on Sub-6 5G first, Verizon focused on mmWave. Which has sort of backfired on them, because of how mmWave works. Because mmWave coverage is so short, there’s plenty of jokes about how bad the coverage is, especially if the wind is blowing. But it does now have Sub-6 rolled out nationwide. So you can get 5G virtually anywhere. But again, because that is the same spectrum as its 4G LTE network, it’s not necessarily faster than 4G LTE. At least for now. To bolster its 5G network, Verizon spent a whopping $52.9 billion to secure more C-Band spectrum in an FCC auction in 2021. Verizon is expecting to cover around 100 million people with this new spectrum by March 2022. For those that might be unaware, C-Band is Sub-6 5G spectrum that ranges from 3.7GHz to 4.2GHz. Which would help Verizon compete with T-Mobile’s 2.5GHz spectrum it got from buying Sprint.
Akron, OHAlbuquerque, NMAnaheim, CAAnn Arbor, MIArlington, TXAthens, GAAtlanta, GABaltimore, MDBoise, IDBoston, MACharlotte, NCChicago, ILCincinnati, OHCleveland, OHColorado Springs, COColumbia, SCColumbus, OHDallas, TXDayton, OHDenver, CODes Moines, IADetroit, MIDurham, NCEl Paso, TXFort Wayne, INFremont, CAFresno, CAGrand Rapids, MIGreensboro, NCHampton Roads, VAHarrisburg, PAHartford, CTHoboken, NJHouston, TXSan Antonio, TXIndianapolis, INJacksonville, FLJersey City, NJKansas City, MOKnoxville, TNLas Vegas, NVLittle Rock, ARLos Angeles, CALouisville, KYMemphis, TNMiami, FLMilwaukee, WIMinneapolis, MNNashville, TNNew Orleans, LANew York, NYNorfolk, VAOklahoma City, OKOmaha, NEOrlando, FL (Sept 9)Panama City, FLPhiladelphia, PAPhoenix, AZProvidence, RIRaleigh, NCRichmond, VARiverside, CASacramento, CASalt Lake City, UTSan Diego, CASan Francisco, CASan Jose, CASarasota, FLScranton, PASioux Falls, SDSpokane, WASt. Louis, MOSt. Paul, MNSt. Petersburg, FLSyracuse, NYTacoma, WATampa, FLTucson, AZ,Washington D.C.
Verizon 5G Home is available in these cities:
Birmingham, ALPhoenix, AZTucson, AZFremont, CALos Angeles, CAOrange County, CARiverside, CASacramento, CASan Diego, CASan Francisco, CASan Jose, CADenver, COHartford, CTMiami, FLOrlando, FLPensacola, FLSarasota, FLTampa, FLAtlanta, GADes Moines, IAChicago, ILFort Wayne, INIndianapolis, INLouisville, KYNew Orleans, LADetroit, MIMinneapolis, MNSaint Paul, MNKansas City, MOSt Louis, MOCharlotte, NCGreensboro, NCRaleigh, NCOmaha, NELas Vegas, NVNiagara Falls, NYCincinatti, OHCleveland, OHColumbus, OHScranton, PAMemphis, TNArlington, TXDallas, TXHouston, TXSan Antonio, TXSalt Lake City, UTSeattle, WATacoma, WAMilwaukee, WI
5G Frequencies
As was the case with 4G LTE, each of the carriers use different bands for 5G. Below is a quick cheat sheet to find out which bands are used by which carriers. This can be very useful for those that are buying an unlocked smartphone to use on a 5G network in the US.
AT&Tn5 (850MHz)n260 (39GHz)T-Mobilen71 (600MHz)n41 (2.5GHz)n260 (39GHz)n261 (28GHz)Verizonn5 (DSS for Sub-6)n261 (28GHz)
There will be more bands added as the C-Band spectrum is rolled out and baked into these networks. And as older 3G and 4G LTE networks are sunset, in favor of 5G.
mmWave vs Sub-6
We’ve talked a lot about mmWave vs Sub-6 5G networks in the past, but it’s a pretty simple thing to explain. Sub-6 is basically any spectrum that is under 6GHz. This is great for coverage, as the lower spectrum is better with coverage, but doesn’t offer as much capacity for speed. This is what T-Mobile used to launch its nationwide 5G network, as it is essentially the same spectrum that is used for 4G LTE. mmWave is where you’ll see those speeds. You’ve likely seen those speed tests of 1GBPS or eve 2GBPS on a smartphone. That comes from mmWave. As it can offer a ton of speed, but the coverage on mmWave networks is completely garbage. It really only works outdoors, and if the wind blows to hard, you’ll be knocked off of it. And we’re not kidding. However, when you blend Sub-6 and mmWave together, you get the best of both worlds. The incredible Gigabit speeds that 5G promises, but also the great coverage that allows it to work indoors, and maybe even replace your ISP. So that is important to remember here.
Prepaid and MVNO carriers
These are the nationwide carriers, and the ones that own the networks. But they are not the only carriers that have 5G service. Most prepaid and MVNO carriers that run on these networks have access to their 5G network. That includes Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Visible, Xfinity Mobile and others. And in most cases, they are the same price as their 4G LTE plans were. There’s also Dish network, which is working to roll out its own 5G network. Dish has been buying spectrum over the past decade or so, which means it has a pretty substantial warchest. And it also bought Boost Mobile and Sprint’s 800MHz spectrum from T-Mobile (in order for regulators to approve of the T-Mobile/Sprint deal). So they have the means to build out a 5G network, but building out a 5G network nationwide is not easy or quick to do. Many are not expecting this to be done until 2025 at the earliest. And it’ll likely take longer, due to the pandemic. So there are plenty of choices when it comes to 5G carriers, and if you want to learn more about their plans, you can click here. Most carriers are not charging extra for 5G. Though some of their plans may be charging extra, or not have it included. Like Verizon’s mmWave network is not included in its cheapest unlimited plan. There’s plenty of options for 5G, and it’s fairly likely that there is 5G available in your city.
