Verizon makes 2018 fixed 5G commercial launch pledge

OMG some people in the US are going to get 5G, like, next year. We’re sooo jealous!

Before we get too excited it should be noted that what we’re talking about here is fixed wireless, used to deliver domestic broadband services. At an analyst day Verizon said it plans to launch this 5G-infused broadband in 3-5 US markets next year, starting with Sacramento.

Details and specifics were thin on the ground, leading many analysts to note that it was hard to draw any concrete conclusions from it. This piece on Barron’s seems to sum the mood up nicely and it seems they were hoping for some proper 5G announcements. One of the few commentators to get any additional details was Light Reading, which found out the kit being used is supplied by Ericsson and Samsung.

“This is a landmark announcement for customers and investors who have been waiting for the 5G future to become a reality,” said Hans Vestberg, Verizon CTO. “We appreciate our strong ecosystem partners for their passion and technological support in helping us drive forward with 5G industry standards, for both fixed and mobile applications. The targeted initial launches we are announcing today will provide a strong framework for accelerating 5G’s future deployment on the global standards.”

This 5G FWA will use the 28 GHz spectrum band and Verizon reckons the total addressable market for this sort of thing in the US is around 30 million homes. FWA seems like a great idea, considering you don’t have to lay cable, dig up streets, etc, but it also has many challenges, including the poor propagation characteristics of millimeter wave spectrum. Here are some slides and a vid, you can’t say fairer than that.