T-Mobile 5G Phones: When and Where You Can Get It

The world embraces 5G

Wireless networks continue to be one of the most improved upon fields in the world of technology. The trending improvements continue with the anticipated fifth generation wireless network technology -- 5G is finally here and T-Mobile has no intentions of lagging behind.

5G has been many years in the making. With speeds of up to 100 times faster than 4G, 5G is set to fasten the pace of technology as we know it. Expect lag-free streaming, low to zero latency, improved cloud services, and more.

All around the world, countries -- and telecommunication companies -- are on a journey to adapt their devices and infrastructure in order to gain access to the advanced network. One such company is T-Mobile, which has taken steps to ensure its 5G capabilities.

However, there’s yet to be any release of any 5G phone that’s exclusive to the T-Mobile network. There have been assurances, though, that upcoming releases will work just fine on T-Mobile 5G.


What T-Mobile devices will be 5G capable?

As stated, T-Mobile - unlike its competitors - is yet to announce the slew of mobile devices which can actively function on the network’s 5G spectrum. This can be attributed to the fact that not many existent mobile devices can perform on the carriers low-band spectrum, which will be described further below.

Despite these constraints, the telco has confirmed that its 5G network will be available on the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, once the T-Mobile version is released. 

The official release date of the device is yet to be set for T-Mobile, but if you can somehow get your hands on an unlocked version, you should be in luck when T-Mobile’s 5G network rolls out.

Alongside the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G (whenever a T-Mobile version is released), T-Mobile will be selling the Samsung Galaxy Fold at some point. While Samsung has declared it will be selling 4G and 5G versions of the device, T-Mobile is yet to confirm which version will be available to its consumers.

Will there be any changes to T-Mobile plans and prices?

The carrier is yet to offer concrete details on plans and prices for its 5G network. In a recent interview with PCMag, however, Neville Ray declared that all of T-Mobile’s 5G plans would come with unlimited data. Ray also stated that its 5G plans would not cost more than the carrier’s current unlimited plan. By this statement, it is expected that the cheapest plan should cost no more than $70 a month for a single line.

T-Mobile’s unique 5G network

T-mobile, unlike its competitors, will not be rolling out its 5G network on high band millimeter waves (mmWaves). Instead, the mobile carrier is expected to launch using a low-band spectrum of 600MHz. The low-band spectrum is set to present the network carrier with some benefits, including a wider service range.

In addition to its service range, the spectrum is expected to easily penetrate through buildings and cars, giving users more access than before. 

On the downside, the carrier will experience lower internet speeds in comparison to its competitors.

In addition to its 600MHz spectrum, T-Mobile is working on building a 28GHz and mid-band spectrum. This will allow users excellent coverage throughout the country.

T-Mobile’s map for 5G networks

T-mobile planned to launch its mobile 5G network within the first half of 2019. The telco, however, failed to bring these plans to fruition. In an interview with CNET, Neville Ray, T-Mobile’s chief technology officer, said the company won’t be launching its 5G network services across the country until the second half of the year. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including the network’s prospective merger with rival telco, Sprint.

Of the 30 cities expected to witness the launch of T-Mobile’s 5G network, the first are expected to be:

-            New York City;

-            Los Angeles;

-            Dallas; and

-            Las Vegas.

Once launched, T-Mobile believes it will cater to over 95% of America’s rural residents -- about 62 million people. Although this section of the population may not witness the networks’ 450Mbps (Megabytes per second), two-thirds of this population are sure to enjoy speeds of up to 100 Mbps by 2021. This is a far cry from the data speeds of 30-40Mbps consumers witness today.  

In New York, T-Mobile’s 5G network may have made an early appearance. In an article published by CNET, Ookla employee Milan Milanović managed to hook up to the networks’ 5G space in New York City. Milanović accessed the network using an unlocked Samsung S10 5G and witnessed impressive speeds of just under 500Mbps.

Final words: What we may see going forward?

T-Mobile has set the gears in motion for a highly functional 5G network service. By combining the advantages of its low-band 600MHz frequency with its mid-band 28GHz frequency, the network is set to cover a wider geographical range while providing lightning-fast network speeds.

Given the lack of 5G-capable mobile devices, it may be a while before the general public begins to enjoy the full-scale benefits of T-Mobile’s 5G network. Nevertheless, phones which cater to its spectrum are expected to flood the market in the second quarter of the year. We’ll just have to wait.