Verizon vs. AT & T vs. Sprint vs. T-Mobile: How To Choose The Best 5G Carrier

5G arrives in your city. Starting this spring, Verizon, then AT & T, Sprint and T-Mobile began deploying 5G networks, dispersing the US – from Minneapolis to Dallas and from New York to Los Angeles – with faster speeds. 5G.

Depending on where you live, you may not see it for a while, especially if you are more rural than urban. And even when 5G arrives in your area, the coverage areas may be small and the reception may be questionable. But when that happens, you will need to know which carrier gives you the most for your money.

5G is globalizing: We have tested 5G speeds around the world.

5G technology is the highly anticipated fifth-generation wireless network technology that can potentially deliver fiber-like transmission rates for phones, cars, homes and factories. And although the 5G promises speeds that will allow you to download a complete movie to your phone in seconds, it's not just about super-fast connections. The wireless standard is designed to dramatically reduce network latency (or latency), by allowing you to play a real-time combat game against other players on your phone, for example, or by helping autonomous cars to monitor each other on the road.

To create their 5G networks, the four major US companies use a combination of available spectrum bands and their combination of bands defines the coverage. On one side, there is the "sub-6", which is extremely efficient and reliable for providing connections over long distances, both inside and out. Sub-6 currently operates in the frequency bands from 2.5 GHz to 6 GHz.

On the other hand, the 5G can also refer to "millimeter wave" or "mmWave", which offers much greater capacity over much shorter distances (ie, velocities). ultra-fast higher than 1 Gbps). The reception can be difficult, with walls, glass and even a hand capable of blocking the mmWave signal. mmWave uses spectrum bands higher than 24 GHz.

Unless you want to be one of the first to adopt 5G, you have little reason to spend today. Current 5G phones are expensive and tax the battery of the device. You will probably have to pay extra to access the 5G network of an operator. If you are not near a 5G node, you will spend more time on the 4G than on the 5G. less at the beginning.

But 5G is inevitable, in the same way that 4G replaced 3G before it. Finally, it will reach us all. Whether you decide to choose a 5G network now or wait to see how 5G will unfold in your area, here's what to consider when looking for a 5G mobile carrier.

Cost: 5G phones and packages are not cheap

These are the beginnings of 5G, and major carriers are beginning to unveil their plans and phones. Over the next year, we will see more 5G phones and operators will adjust their plans. But now, here is what we have. (You can see how Verizon's 5G plans, AT & T, Sprint and T-Mobile are in the table below.)

5G phones are not cheap right now, with most devices well above $ 1,000. the Galaxy S10 5G, for example, is $ 1300. You can also buy the LG V50 ThinQ for $ 1222. But you can find deals, like the Motorola Moto Z4 phone, and compel Moto Mod accessory currently priced at $ 440, but these are more of the exception. Outside the United States, options include OnePlus 7 Pro 5G and Oppo Reno 5G.

If the price of a 5G phone seems high, you can pay month by month instead of buying the phone in advance. But the disadvantage, as with any phone, is that you may still be paying first generation 5G phone that in two years could feel overwhelmed.

Comparison of 5G data plans for the big 4 American carriers

Mobile operator	Monthly, individual	Monthly, family / group	Monthly allowance for hotspots	Cities with live 5G	Other expenses
Verizon Beyond Limited	$ 85 for 1 line	$ 50 per line for 4 lines	Unlimited for 5G	4	$ 10 per month access fee, currently canceled
Verizon Above Limited	$ 95 for 1 line	$ 60 per line for 4 lines	Unlimited for 5G	4	$ 10 per month access fee, currently canceled
AT & T Business Unlimited Perferred *	$ 90 for 1 line	$ 165/2 lines at $ 490 for 10 lines	20 GB	20 (hotspot only)	$ 25 a month over the phone; $ 150 for the mobile point of access
Sprint Unlimited Premium	$ 80 for 1 line	$ 140 for 2 lines at $ 200 for 5 lines	100 GB	4
T-Mobile Essentials	$ 30 for 1 line	$ 30 per line for 4 lines	Unlimited for 3G	6
T-Mobile Magenta	$ 40 for 1 line	$ 40 per line for 4 lines	3GB for 4G	6
T-Mobile Magenta Plus	$ 50 for 1 line	$ 50 per line for 4 lines	20 GB for 4G	6
* AT & T's 5G network is for businesses; no public date for consumer access.

The phone is not the only thing for which you pay a premium. Operators can place you and your 5G phone in one of their top-level packages. Expect to pay for unlimited data. On Verizon, for example, a 5G plan starts at $ 85 for a single line and, although the carrier has temporarily waived its monthly $ 10 surcharge for 5G service, expect it to take effect later. That alone represents an extra $ 120 a year that you only pay for using the 5G.

Another possible cost: if you pay each month for your current phone, you will have to pay it off in full before switching, unless a promotional offer makes up for the difference so you can change. You may also be able to offset this expense by exchange your phone or resell it.

An additional expense: If your plan has a data limit, you can use a good portion of your budget. 5G Data Allocation in less than an hour, as we did in Australia, a publisher ate half of its monthly data package in 25 minutes by downloading a game and several movies on a 5G network that was he was testing.

And something to watch for: Sprint is live with 5G in four cities, but the potential reversal of Sprint – and T-Mobile – 5G is the proposed merger of the two companies. Sprint and T-Mobile are striving to attach all their abilities to win the approval of their merger by July 29th. A boost from the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission could give the newly merged company and its merged network a beginner at 5G.

Cover: What can you expect today from 5G

Fast networking speed. Coverage that varies from one block to the other. Unexpected passages between 5G and 4G. Large parts of the country – urban and rural – without 5G at all. 5G is herebut hardly.

The top four operators are gradually brightening the 5G networks in 20 or so US cities, but each is taking a different approach to deploying, ranging from Verizon offering tiny pockets of 5G coverage to four AT & T cities looking for 5G hot spots that create 5G wireless networks.

To see for yourself whether or not 5G is available in your area, Ookla tracks the global deployment of 5G networks through its Speedtest.net service. The Speedtest interactive map allows you to explore at the city level the companies that have deployed the 5G.

The map, however, does not tell the whole story. In a next step, compare your place of residence and work or go to school with each carrier's coverage card. If you are often near an operator's hot spots, this could push you to 5G as soon as possible.

The current 4G data network will also become faster

The deployment of 5G across the United States will be slow. Apple, for example, would not have a 5G phone before 2020 at the earliest. An analyst predicts sales of 5G phones will not overshadow those of 4G devices before 2023. And T-Mobile marks the year 2024 as a year.

In the meantime, 4G networks will continue to support the wireless load of mobile operators, just as 3G has guided us in the transition to 4G. 4G networks should also go faster as 5G networks grow. So, even if you are not immediately on the 5G, the 4G should also present some benefits.

Another word for the sage: Be aware of unusual claims on 5G coverage. AT & T has been trying to get ahead of the 5G wave earlier this year by displaying the "5G E" icon on a handful of its 4G phones. Under pressure, the company has distanced itself from confused claim 5G and deploys 5G service in some areas of 20 cities via hot spots.

Get 5G now or wait?

If you do not need a 5G phone by the minute, watch for 5G offers and promotional offers from your carrier, as soon as the 5G is available in your area. Also think about changing the operator if you have a better offer or better coverage in your area when you are ready to move to 5G.

Know that, regardless of where you live – urban or especially rural – services will probably not be widely available for some time. Before switching to a 5G phone and service, ask your operator how you will know when you are connected to the 5G and its return policy if you do not get an acceptable 5G speed. You will often have a 14 day grace period for returns – make sure you have a backup phone to use if you simply want to try 5G technology without being sure.

Do not forget that 5G technology is the technology that will transport us over the next decade. Waiting will not be a bad thing: the costs should go down, a bigger selection of phones should be put online and the coverage will grow.

Whether you decide to intervene now or wait, come back here – we will continue to refresh it as new 5G phones arrive and mobile operators improve their coverage and tweaking their data plans to meet on demand.