(Photo by Artem Podrez via Pexels)
5G wireless technology continues its rollout in the Columbus market, but is it a good deal for college students?
If you haven’t heard about 5G in 2020, chances are you have heard about it as we start 2021. The fifth generation of wireless cell phone technology will connect the next generation of smartphones to the internet, autonomous cars to each other, and more.
5G-ready smartphones are hitting the market, as well. Apple’s latest lineup of iPhones all support 5G and other smartphone makers, such as Samsung, started releasing their 5G-ready phones about a year ago, at the start of 2020.
So, when can consumers get 5G service and is it worth the price? First, I will break down the current state of 5G cell service and then I will offer some insight on plans and pricing with the current top networks in Central Ohio. First, let’s talk about coverage and speeds:
Coverage and Speeds
5G is unique in that it there’s a few different versions of it. The most common is the low band version of 5G. This version of 5G is what allows most of these major cellphone carriers to claim “nationwide coverage” as it requires updates to existing cell towers. This version of 5G allows for greater speeds and bandwidth than 4G LTE (what most phones use today), but in most cases, no one will notice much of a difference besides a new “5G” badge next to the coverage bar on their phones. Verizon, AT&T, and the new T-Mobile (T-Mobile + Sprint) all cover Bexley and campus pretty well, as well as most of Columbus. AT&T seems to have the best coverage, with both Verizon and T-Mobile both having gaps in certain areas around town.
The high-band version of 5G is where things get more interesting. This version of 5G is a true generational leap over 4G LTE and is the tech that allows you to download a Netflix movie in seconds or power a fully autonomous car. There’s a big tradeoff here, though: this version of 5G requires all new cell towers (for the most part). The signal strength of these cell waves are a lot less strong than 5G low band/4G LTE waves, so a lot more cell towers need to be placed in order to fully cover a city as big as Columbus.
The only carrier that notates a difference between its low and high band 5G offerings in their coverage map is Verizon. The company’s rollout of its ultra-fast high-band 5G variant starts with popular areas around Columbus such as Downtown, Polaris, the Short North, John Glenn International Airport, Easton, and parts of Ohio State University. Currently there is no high-band 5G in Bexley, at least for Verizon.
For more information on 5G coverage and rollout, see Ookla’s 5G coverage map and this coverage map comparison website.
Pricing
5G pricing depends on the carrier. Most carriers will include low-band 5G at no additional charge. High-band 5G is included in more of the top-tier plans, but again, this all depends on the carrier. Let’s break it down below:
Verizon
According to the company’s website, Verizon’s low-band 5G Nationwide network is included at no additional charge for all of it’s plans (you will need a compatible phone to take advantage of this, though). The high-band 5G Ultra Wideband version of 5G is included with the company’s postpaid unlimited plans, which start at $70/month for one line.
AT&T
All of AT&T’s Unlimited plans offer both low and high band 5G at no additional cost. This includes “5G+”, AT&T’s high-band 5G variant. Unlimited plans start at $65/month per line for one line.
T-Mobile
The new T-Mobile combines the network of Sprint and T-Mobile to create a worthy competitor to AT&T and Verizon. As far as pricing is concerned, T-Mobile is competitive here as well. 5G is included with all unlimited plans at no extra cost. The plans start at $60/month for one line.
Conclusion- is 5G worth it?
5G is officially here in Columbus. For the immediate future, I wouldn’t recommend switching as most of us are still spending time indoors (with fast Wi-Fi) anyways. 5G will become a lot more useful once this pandemic ends and things like music festivals, fairs, and vacation trips are normal again.
If you already have an unlimited plan, go ahead and enjoy 5G if you recently bought a brand new device. For the rest of us, I would wait it out to see 5G phones get cheaper and for the high-band network to get built out more.
