Verizon announces that 5G will arrive in 30 cities by the end of 2019

Verizon's fast 5G network will visit 30 cities this year, general manager Hans Vestberg told investors Thursday.

The company did not specify which cities would be the first to benefit from its 5G service or how far the technology would be deployed in selected locations. Vestberg also did not specify the exact timing of the launch of the service, but that will happen by the end of 2019.

The company said the deployment will include the use of the very high millimeter-wave wireless spectrum, which is essential to benefit from all the promised benefits of 5G.

5G is next-generation cellular technology that promises download speeds 10 to 100 times faster than current 4G LTE networks. But the real game changer with 5G is the reduction of network latency, which will force the network to react almost instantly. This will allow mobile devices to do things never imagined before, and usher in a new wave of apps that will exploit new technologies such as augmented and virtual reality. This will also allow things like communication between autonomous cars.

"It's our commitment to be at the forefront of technology to offer our customers the best network experience in the world," Vestberg said in a press release.

Verizon has confirmed that the company's 5G taste is what is considered a standards-based mobile 5G service. This differs from the non-standard form of technology that the company deployed last year by launching its home wireless Internet service as an alternative to traditional wired broadband.

Verizon had previously announced that its 5G mobile service would be launched in early 2019. There are signs that the company is about to make it commercially available. Since the new network will require new handsets, marketing 5G compatible devices is essential before launching the service.

On Wednesday, Verizon announced that it would be the exclusive launch partner of Samsung's first 5G smartphone, the Galaxy S10 5G. Samsung said the device would be available to Verizon customers in the second quarter. Verizon also announced at the CES show in Las Vegas last month that it would offer Motorola's Moto Z3 as another 5G handset.

Meanwhile, carriers are competing to outdo each other in 5G. In December, AT & T activated its 5G mobile network in a dozen cities and plans to expand coverage to 19 cities this year. But its network is still unusable because the company has not announced 5G compatible devices. T-Mobile has announced its launch in 30 cities, while Sprint will be launched in nine cities in 2019.