5G could mean the return of carrier phones

When 5G smartphones are launched next year, they will bring a wave of improvements such as faster Internet access and more data limitations. Unfortunately, they also have a major disadvantage. Most phones that launch with 5G capabilities will be locked to specific operators.

Speaking with PC Mag, Gordon Mansfield, AT & T's vice president of radio networks and device design explained that the lock was due to the limitations of technology, and not to a clear desire on the part of cellular operators.

"It's not because there is no desire and we do not want cross-compatibility," Mansfield said. "It's just that no one has understood how to place the 5G at 28 GHz that Verizon and T-Mobile use, and the AT & T 39GHz 5G, in one box at the moment." And while T-Mobile and Verizon use similar bands at 28 GHz, T-Mobile also puts the 5G on the 600 MHz band, which Verizon is not. "

Although this news is disappointing for some people, it is not unprecedented. When 4G devices were launched, many of these early phones were locked on the carrier to which you originally purchased the phone. If you simply need to have an unlocked phone, you'd better stay with a 4G device and wait until the technology behind the 5G develops a bit more.

Fortunately, Mansfield does not think that the maturation process will take a lot of time. Although he did not give a precise timetable, he stated that AT & T planned to launch 5G in the course of 2018.

The four major US carriers plan to bring their 5G networks into service this year or early in 2019, but so far we have no firm launch date for the first generation of 5G smartphones and tablets.

If you want to get your hands on a 5G device, you need to make some decisions about the operator you want to use. Although contacts and costs are part of the equation, it should be noted that the frequency used by different operators may affect the type of phone offered. For example, Mansfield stated that using a higher frequency by AT & T would allow it to support smaller devices than some competitors.

For more information, check out our handy guide for everything related to 5G.