AKRON, Ohio – Akron on Friday joined Cleveland as the second Northeast Ohio coverage area for Verizon’s 5G networks – the so-called fifth generation of cell phone technology that promises faster speeds than 4G LTE networks.
Akron and Nashville, Tennessee joined Verizon’s “5G Ultra Wideband” service on Friday, bringing the company’s total to 57 cities with this 5G service, Verizon said in a news release.
Verizon’s 5G is already live in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. The 5G networks in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan, also extend into the Toledo area, according to Verizon’s coverage map.
“Verizon continues its aggressive expansion of 5G Ultra Wideband service, adding to the growing list of cities with access to the amazing new capabilities this technology brings,” Kyle Malady, Verizon’s chief technology officer, said in a statement. “Customers in these cities are at the forefront of game-changing technology, with access to download speeds and bandwidth that will power the future of consumer, business and government mobile applications.”
The new high-speed networks are built on much smaller cells than older cellular systems. Customers are able to reach internet speeds up to 4Gbps, or billions of bits per second, which could allow them to download and stream movies and TV shows in seconds, videoconference and collaborate remotely in near-real time, according to Verizon.
The cost for 5G service will depend on a customer’s Verizon plan. The “Start Unlimited” plan starts at $35 per line per month and includes “5G Nationwide” and 4G LTE data. For the 5G Ultra Wideband service along with 5G Nationwide, the “Play More Unlimited” and “Do More Unlimited” plans begin at $45 per line per month.
Industry experts have predicted that 5G could become a new cord-cutting option for almost 90 million U.S. households that now get broadband, phone and TV via cable or satellite.
AT&T, which rivals Verizon as one of the country’s largest cellular carriers, previously announced plans to launch 5G service in Cleveland this year. As of Friday, the AT&T coverage map does not indicate that 5G is available in Cleveland or Akron. A company spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
