Does T-Mobile Still Have the Fastest 5G?

You may be familiar with Ookla, or their famous speedtest.net website that lets users easily test their Internet connection’s latency and download and upload speeds. They also run quarterly reports comparing the results between different Internet providers, both fixed and mobile. 

We’d like to highlight the mobile results only. This first quarter’s results were just released Monday and they compare median download speed, median latency, consistency score, and availability. 

Results reveal T-Mobile is still in the lead, and at the top of each category tested. The only change is that the gap between T-Mobile and Verizon has lessened. Here are just some results; median download speeds:

  1. T-Mobile: 191.12Mbps (up from 187.12Mbps)
  2. Verizon: 107.25Mbps (up from 78.52Mbps)
  3. AT&T: 68.43Mbps (down from 68.82Mbps)

With regards to testing by state and city, Minnesota took the top spot for fastest median mobile download speed during Q1 2022 at 92.31 Mbps. Overall, T-Mobile was the fastest mobile provider in 42 states. Results were too close to call in 6 states. 

St. Paul, Minnesota had the fastest median mobile download speed among the 100 most populous cities in the U.S. Speeds topped out at 136.72 Mbps. T-Mobile was the fastest operator in 78 of these cities. Verizon Wireless was the fastest provider in 10 cities, and US Cellular was fastest in one city (Madison, WI). The results were statistically too close to call in 11 cities.

Per T-Mobile news, their President of Technology has this to say about today’s win: 

“Our 5G network is delivering a powerful performance boost and it’s resonating, with over 40% of our customers now using a 5G device, accounting for more than HALF of our network traffic. And we’re just getting started – this leading network experience will continue to improve as we accelerate our 5G build this year and beyond.”

Will Cellular Carriers Continue to Invest in mmWave?

Many of the cellular carriers are, or have dedicated a large portion of their capex budgets this year, but this doesn’t mean that millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G deployments are done. Mobile Experts, in a recent report, say that it expects mmWave investments will return in late 2023 and 2024.

Companies like Verizon and AT&T have spent billions this year and will continue to next year, all in effort to deploy 5G in their C-band spectrum. Looking at numbers, Verizon is expected to dedicate about $5 billion toward C-band this year and AT&T said it will spend $6 billion in 2023, much of which will go to C-band. 

Dan McNamara, principal analyst with Mobile Experts, expects carriers will need to cover more locations with mmWave as data on the C-Band 5G networks increases. He says this because one of the fundamental values of mmWave 5G is that it offers huge capacity gains and delivers high data rates.

“The good news about C-band is that there is a lot of investment in it. And as it gets rolled out, customers will see their phones get faster and that will get them excited,” he said, adding that at this point he believes customers will flock to 5G because the difference between 4G and 5G will be much more evident.  

“The current systems will see data consumption rise,” he said. “And in areas where that data consumption gets higher, the operators will support that through mmWave.”

McNamara went on to say that we may hear a lot about 5G deployments in the U.S., but it’s still a relatively new technology. “Lots of countries have not deployed it [5G] yet,” he said, noting that because of this many consumers haven’t experienced the benefits of 5G.   

Per McNamara, manufacturers of 5G radios are working to integrate multiple radios into one antenna. This could mean the difference of installing one antenna that supports multiple networks (LTE and 5G C-Band) versus having to fit multiple radios together. This would also lower the number of permits and approvals that carriers require to deploy their network. 

“This solves some of the operator pain points that are beyond just pure technology,” McNamara said.

The Dell ‘Oro Group also commented on this subject, noting that the 5G capex cycle will be longer than past generations of wireless. This includes LTE. According to the group, the reason 5G’s cycle will be longer is because of all the different spectrum bands that are being used for 5G from mmWave to 2.5 GHz, C-band, 6 GHz and more.

How 5G Can Boost Storytelling

When you think of innovation in the film industry, surely Disney is one of the first companies to come to mind. For their next project, Disney Studios StudioLAB is partnering up with T-Mobile to advance their storytelling capabilities using the 5G network. This will be a five year partnership, which they announced back in March at the Uncarrier’s 5G Forward event. In addition to T-Mobile, StudioLAB Innovation Partners include Accenture, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, LG Display and Salesforce.

T-Mobile will collaborate with StudioLAB on new ways to improve content production and test new forms of immersive experiences for consumers using its largest and fastest nationwide 5G network. 

“Disney has been at the heart of storytelling for generations, making magic that inspires us to dream big and see the world in new ways, and that’s why the T-Mobile team is excited they chose to work with us on 5G innovation,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “Together, we will use our leading 5G network to spark new innovations aimed at transforming how entertainment can be produced and experienced.”

As powerhouses in each of their respective industries, T-Mobile and StudioLAB will explore manu emerging technologies. This includes, but is not limited to virtual presence, Mixed Reality and immersive experiences for consumers. In addition, the team plans to use Ultra Capacity 5G to test new, more efficient ways to capture, produce and distribute content, both from inside a studio as well as from remote locations. This could allow the production team to scout out remote set locations from anywhere in the world. Or it can help improve the way teams transfer their video content in real time from remote locations to the cloud. 

“We’re just getting started and the possibilities are endless for how 5G can infuse new magic into the entertainment business,” said Jamie Voris, Chief Technology Officer at Walt Disney Studios. “Partnering with T-Mobile opens up incredible opportunities to use 5G to radically change many aspects of the industry from content production to the creation of new consumer experiences.”

T-Mobile 5G has its hand in transforming many industries, only one of which is entertainment. But no matter the area, they are fueling innovation that keeps businesses and consumers better connected. Today, T-Mobile’s Extended Range 5G network covers more than 310 million people across more than 1.8 million square miles, with more than 210 million people nationwide covered by Ultra Capacity 5G.

Where to Find Information About Peplink’s InTouch for Remote LAN Management

With Peplink’s release of router firmware 8.2.0, they added a new feature called “InTouch.” For remotely accessing LAN devices on your network, no longer will you need a public IP address, costly VPN services or Out of Band Management (OOBM) licenses.

There has not been much information surrounding this feature, but the company will be publicly announcing it on April 19. 

Peplink describes the feature as a service that allows remote management of any device, anywhere. InTouch leverages SpeedFusion Cloud and InControl2 by extending your reach to any device UI backed by a Peplink router. 

InTouch is easy to set up and all you need is the following:

  • a valid InControl2 subscription
  • a SpeedFusion Cloud data plan
  • a Peplink router running firmware 8.2.0

Want to see just how easy it is? Check out our instructional walk-through here.

How AT&T is Helping Pave the Road to 6G

With 5G networking becoming more widely available, we’re now learning more about future technologies – 5G Advanced and 6G. 

According to AT&T news, AT&T has asked the FCC for two, two-year experimental licenses that will be used to “demonstrate the functionality and capabilities” of these newer wireless systems. 

The carrier will be performing tests out of Austin, TX. Coincidentally, Austin is home to the University of Texas at Austin’s 6G research center, which is supported by AT&T and other companies like Samsung and Qualcomm.

“The advances in both wireless communications and machine learning over the past decade have been incredible, but separate,” said 6G@UT Director Jeffrey Andrews, a professor in UT Austin’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, in a press release. “Coupled with vast new sensing and localization abilities, 6G will be defined by an unprecedented native intelligence, which will transform the ability of the network to provide incredible services.”

AT&T’s application will be to use the spectrum licenses for testing communications between mobile units and fixed base stations. These units will be placed both indoors and outdoors. Tests will be performed to verify if wireless links can be established between the base stations and the mobile user equipment at distances up to 5 kilometers. Their end goal is to gain valuable insights into how to optimize next-generation cloud-native architectures and technologies as well as develop new use cases using multi-Gbps throughput.

The licenses AT&T is asking for include the following spectrum bands:

  • 5.9 GHz to 8.4 GHz
  • 10.7 GHz to 15.35 GHz
  • 92 GHz to 100 GHz

The equipment used with these licenses must operate within higher spectrum bands. This includes the sub-Terahertz (THz) band, which is between 95 GHz and 3 THz. This band was made available for experimental licenses in March 2019 by the FCC. It was done as part of the agency’s Spectrum Horizons First Report and Order. 

The THz spectrum offers more benefits than GHz. It’s capable of delivering data-intensive, high bandwidth applications at super-fast speeds for a short distance. Similar to the millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum though, a signal traveling in THz spectrum can only travel a short distance (typically between 100 to 150 meters). It has yet to be fully tested, but some believe the signal will be impacted by environmental conditions.

AT&T was not the first company seeking to use the FCC’s Spectrum Horizons experimental licenses. Test and measurement company Keysight Technologies was granted the first FCC Spectrum Horizons experimental license for sub-THz frequency bands. This was announced back in March. They weren’t specific, but the company said it would be using the license to develop 6G technology.

3GPP, a standards organization, is also working on 6G standards and is expected to be released after the next several years. It’s also expected that 6G will incorporate advanced antenna technologies as well as more efficient coding and modulation schemes and will likely deliver multi-gigabit download and upload speeds. Most of the industry players anticipate that 6G will incorporate sub-THz and THz spectrum.

How AT&T 5G and Northrop Grumman Corp. Are Helping the DoD

Northrop Grumman Corporation, a technology company, and AT&T have started a collaboration with the goal of researching and developing a digital battle network. This would be in an effort to support the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and powered by AT&T 5G and Northrop Grumman’s advanced mission systems.  

Northrop Grumman and AT&T’s plan is based on a cost-effective, scalable, open architecture solution. They will help the DoD connect distributed sensors, shooters and data from all domains, terrains and forces – think of it like how your smart devices connect and share data from our day to day activities. 

This digital battle network is expected to bring together the high speeds, low latency and cybersecurity protections of private 5G networks with the flexibility and scalability of AT&T’s commercial 5G capabilities. It will also offer a critical capability to support the DoD’s vision for Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

“Our collaboration with AT&T brings together some of the best capabilities in defense and commercial communications to meet the evolving requirements of JADC2,” said Ben Davies, vice president and general manager, Networked Information Solutions division, Northrop Grumman. “The enhanced connectivity and networking of information that 5G provides are a great advantage in a military environment and will help the DoD in the development of high-performing and intuitive technologies that quickly and seamlessly share data across a myriad of secure networks.”

“Our 5G capabilities can help the Department of Defense achieve operational and information advantage when it matters most – protecting our country and freedoms around the globe,” said Lance Spencer, Client Executive Vice President-Defense, AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet. “By bringing our 5G services together with Northrop Grumman’s powerful avionics and defense systems, we expect to create an ideal platform to deliver DoD’s JADC2 vision.”

The agreement establishes a joint research and development framework to prototype, demonstrate and test AT&T’s commercial 5G networking capabilities integrated with Northrop Grumman’s robust portfolio of capabilities that are at the forefront of military technological advancement that enable the Joint Force. For more information, visit Northrop Grumman’s JADC2 webpage or go here to learn more about AT&T’s work in the public sector.

How Tile Arrays Can Help Improve the 5G Signal

5G service has been available for several months now, but there are still no amplifiers that support the 5G frequencies. Currently, if you need to boost your 5G signal, you’ll need to do so with a lonely antenna. 

Back in January we wrote about a plastics company that had been working on hardware to help pull in 5G signals. In similar news, a research team at Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering has developed a 3D printed tile that can boost the bandwidth of 5G cellular and IoT systems using multiple antennas.

By using this 3D printed tile-based approach, the unit scales to 256 antennas to construct on-demand, massively scalable arrays of 5G+ (5G/Beyond 5G) smart skins on nearly any surface or object. A single, flexible underlying layer holds the tiles and allows arrays to be attached to a multitude of surfaces. It provides very large 5G+ phased/electronically steerable antenna array networks.

The research team fabricated a proof-of-concept – it is a flexible 5×5-centimeter tile array that is wrapped around a 3.5-centimeter radius curvature. Each tile includes an antenna subarray and an integrated, beamforming integrated circuit on an underlying tiling layer to create a smart skin that can seamlessly interconnect the tiles into very large antenna arrays and massive multiple-input multiple-outputs (MIMOs).

The proposed modular tile approach means tiles of identical sizes can be manufactured in large quantities and are easily replaceable, reducing the cost of customization and repairs. Essentially, this approach combines removable elements, modularity, massive scalability, low cost, and flexibility into one system.

While the tiling architecture has demonstrated the ability to greatly enhance 5G+ technologies, its combination of flexible and conformal capabilities has the potential to be applied in numerous different environments, says the team.

“The shape and features of each tile scale can be singular and can accommodate different frequency bands and power levels,” said Prof Emmanouil (Manos) Tentzeris at Georgia Tech. “One could have communications capabilities, another sensing capabilities, and another could be an energy harvester tile for solar, thermal, or ambient RF energy. The application of the tile framework is not limited to communications.”

The team is also looking at how the tiles can be used in the Internet of Things and smart manufacturing/Industry 4.0.

“The tile-architecture’s mass scalability makes its applications particularly diverse and virtually ubiquitous. From structures the size of dams and buildings, to machinery or cars, down to individual health-monitoring wearables,” said Tentzeris. “We’re moving in a direction where everything will be covered in some type of a wireless conformal smart skin encompassing a communication system or antenna that allows for effective monitoring.” He added, “Typically, there are a lot of smaller wireless network systems working together, but they are not scalable. With the current techniques, you can’t increase, decrease, or direct bandwidth, especially for very large areas. Being able to utilize and scale this novel tile-based approach makes this possible.”

With the future in mind, the team is currently working on the fabrication of much larger, fully inkjet-printed tile arrays with 256+ elements that will be presented at the upcoming International Microwave Symposium (IEEE IMS 2022). The IMS presentation will introduce a new tile-based large-area architecture version that will allow assembly of customizable tile arrays in a rapid and low-cost fashion for numerous conformal platforms and 5G+ enabled applications.

What is 5G Advanced?

5G networks have become available in almost every part of the world at this point, although service can still be hard to find. There is constant discussion and experimentation surrounding 5G technology and what it can do to help us evolve. 

Just as we’re learning about 5G and all its frequency bands and possibilities, the cellular industry is moving to a new standard they are calling 5G Advanced.  With the environment in mind, 5G Advanced technology promises to improve intelligence and overall performance. 

Much like it was with LTE and LTE Advanced, 5G Advanced is an upgrade on the existing 5G network connectivity. Network coverage should drastically improve, in turn providing you consistent, fast internet speeds. Its capabilities are meant to exceed what is currently offered by the 5G network. We should expect smarter software and an improved end-user experience, but not until 2024. This is when the first release of 5G Advanced is planned. Official rollout won’t happen until 2025. 

Per an article from Ericsson on 5G Advanced:

One key component of 5G Advanced is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) based on machine learning (ML) techniques. AI/ML is expected to trigger a paradigm shift in future wireless networks. AI/ML-based solutions will be used to introduce intelligent network management and solve multi-dimensional optimization issues with respect to real-time and non-real-time network operation.

AI/ML will also be used to improve the radio interface by further optimizing the performance of complex multi-antenna systems, for example. New use cases such as extended reality (XR) communication will use wireless networks to provide immersive experiences in cyber-physical environments and enable human-machine interactions using wireless devices and wearables.

When some people talk about the possibilities with 5G technology they think of the metaverse. 5G Advanced will help to change the way we experience live and virtual events, and even one on one interactions with people in any part of the world. Think of 5G Advanced as a way to get us closer to the reality of the film Ready Player One. 

Another reality we’re getting closer to is autonomous vehicles. Though, automation does not have to be limited to vehicles. Other industries are adopting technologies for using automation in areas like warehouses, power grids, and farming.

Where current 5G networking fails to meet the need, 5G Advanced is there to bridge the gap. It will allow for more efficient use of resources and time for activities. The interlinking of devices makes the connectivity costs cheaper, without compromising on the performance.

As you might have figured, 5G Advanced is the foundation on what is to eventually become the start of 6G technology. The cellular industry is expecting this to be available within the next decade. For a look at the expected timeline, we found this figure from Ericsson below.

What Are Verizon and Live Nation Doing to Improve the Way We View Live Events

Using Ultra Wideband 5G service as the foundation of its partnership, Verizon Wireless and Live Nation will help to evolve the way we experience live events. The companies will work along with artists to create content that allows the fans to be totally immersed in the event, whether it be live or virtual. 

To commemorate this partnership, Verizon Wireless has launched a new “First Access” ticket presale program, which is exclusive for Verizon Up members. Verizon Up is the company’s award-winning customer loyalty program. It is free to join, easy to use and available via the My Verizon app. For more details, visit Verizon Up.

It’s already been announced that “First Access” will be available for some upcoming live tours – this includes The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Dierks Bentley, Rosalía and more. The team will be announcing additional artist tours at a later date.

Verizon has been busy deploying 5G Ultra Wideband in Live Nation clubs, theaters, and amphitheaters across the country. Each iconic U.S. venue is outfitted with connectivity that is built to handle large scale events. This will allow concert-goers to stream, share photos and videos, and download content at speeds up to 10x faster than 4G.

For the virtual events, Verizon and Live Nation will provide exclusive access via Veeps, a streaming platform that is part of the +play, a new platform exclusive to Verizon customers. It will launch later this year.

“The partnership we’re announcing today is a continuation and deepening of Verizon’s long-standing relationship with Live Nation,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO Verizon. “Predicated on technology and our massive consumer base, this partnership will elevate the ecosystem of music – how fans engage, how artists produce and perform, and how venues deliver enhanced in-person experiences and scale them digitally.”

“Verizon has always been a great partner and we’re excited to build something together by integrating their 5G technology into many of our venues,” said Michael Rapino, President and CEO of Live Nation. “With more connectivity than ever, we look forward to seeing what artists and fans create and share as they enjoy live shows together.”

What Can We Expect From 5G at Live Events

Around 380,000+ have already experienced some of what’s ahead at this year’s Super Bowl. In the future, these 5G-powered venues will have real-time innovations. This includes AR filters tied to Live Nation venues and events, integration of 5G multi-cam features for livestream shows, exclusive NFTs for Verizon customers redeemable for in-venue benefits, virtual venues with 5G-captured performances in a 3D world, and more.

“Using the power of Verizon 5G technology in sports and now music, we delivered an experience with an unparalleled level of access for the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, one of the most-watched events of the year,” said Diego Scotti, CMO, Verizon. “This partnership with Live Nation opens the door for artists to enhance fan engagement and participation, and shape the future of live events.”

Wondering where you might be able to experience 5G-enabled events? You can find them in several major cities including The Wiltern in Los Angeles; The Fillmore in Miami, and Silver Spring; the House of Blues in Anaheim, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Diego, and more. Verizon is also making a big change at the iconic Irving Plaza in New York City. It will be renamed Irving Plaza Powered by Verizon 5G. The newly renovated club will offer special access to Verizon Up members and provide an interactive experience for fans.

First Access

“First Access,” is the new presale ticket access for Verizon Up members. It gives special access to Live Nation tours before they are opened to the general public. The program kicked off in early March with a presale for The Weeknd “After Hours Til Dawn Tour.” 

Per Verizon Wireless, “First Access” will continue to provide access to millions of presale concert tickets for top Live Nation tours throughout 2022 and beyond. They promise to deliver access and special entry to some of the most anticipated shows now and in the coming years.

What U.S. City Has the Fastest 5G Speeds?

Even though it’s constantly talked about these days, it’s still interesting to hear about what carriers are rolling out more 5G coverage, what we can do with the faster 5G speeds, and most importantly, what those speeds are in different locations. OpenSignal recently ran some tests on 5G C-Band services and their overall speeds. Now it’s RootMetrics’ turn to run some tests and they’re focusing on what city has the fastest 5G in the US – at least within 2H 2021.

Surprisingly, the winner is one you may have never guessed – Shreveport, LA. This city not only beat out larger cities in Louisiana, but they also beat Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, and Modesto. The tests looked at aggregate 5G median download speed. The winning score of 145.3 Mbps was registered in the final six months of 2021.

It’s interesting to note that Shreveport has the smallest population in comparison to the 109 cities tested by RootMetrics. They of course only tested in cities where all three major US carriers offered 5G service. Considering how difficult it is to get adequate coverage and faster speeds out of 5G than LTE, the differences in population and terrain may play a factor here. After all, you might argue that it’s easier to deliver higher average download speeds to a small city like Shreveport than it is to the 2.7 million population we have here in Chicago. 

Just check out the figure below. 5G users in Chicago are not just capable of downloading stuff faster than folks in most other big US cities, but the 5G signals are also more widely available.

You might be wondering where the results are for New York and Los Angeles. Neither city was anywhere near the top of 5G speed or 5G availability. Same goes for Miami and Philadelphia.

5G speeds have however risen everywhere from New York to LA, Miami, and Philadelphia (as well as Chicago) between the first and second half of 2021. On the flip side, New York and Philadelphia’s aggregate 5G availability figures actually declined between H1 and H2 2021, and the same happened in Washington, D.C., where speeds exploded from an average of 65.2 Mbps to 134.7 Mbps.