Verizon to launch ‘world’s first commercial 5G service’ on 1 October

US operator Verizon is using the limited launch of a new fixed wireless access service to claim victory in the 5G race.

Verizon 5G Home is more fully described as ‘the world’s first commercial 5G broadband internet service,. It will be made available in parts of LA, Sacramento, Indianapolis and Houston 1 October, presumably targeted at people whose fixed broadband is sufficiently rubbish for them to give FWA over millimetre wave a go.

5G is already the most over-hyped thing since the Y2K bug so Verizon seems to have decided to just ride the wave. Of course 5G for most people is a mobile (as opposed to fixed) technology, but that’s not going to stop Verizon’s marketing department. On top of yet another ‘first’ claim, Verizon gets to bang on about the infrastructure that makes it possible.

“To deliver the full potential of 5G, a wireless network provider must have three fundamental assets: deep fibre resources, a large deployment of small cells and critical spectrum holdings – that’s Ultra Wideband,” said Kyle Malady, Verizon’s CTO.  “We will deliver a revolutionary 5G experience that will change how people live, work and play.” Sounds more like an 80s Mars advert, but there you go.

“5G is here,” said Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. “To be first, we encouraged others in the ecosystem to move more quickly at every step. We appreciate the partnership of network equipment makers, device manufacturers, software developers and chip makers in reaching this critical milestone. The entire wireless industry gets to celebrate.”

We’ll see about that Hans. MWC Americas, which starts today, is set to be an orgy of competing 5G firsts and who’s to say that might not get a bit heated as attendees spill out into the LA bars. But credit where it’s due, this does seem to be the first commercial service using some kind of 5G tech, so Verizon is entitled to crow. Enjoy it while it lasts.