AT&T previously said upgrades to its 5G network were progressing faster than expected. For proof, look to Houston.
The Houston Chronicle reported that 100% of the greater Houston area now has access to AT&T’s expanded 5G coverage, which uses C-band spectrum that the company spent billions to acquire in 2021.
Houston is the latest example of how AT&T has leveraged additional so-called mid-band spectrum to boost the speed and capacity of its 5G network.
In August, AT&T said it would complete the upgrade four months ahead of schedule in December because the satellite companies completed the release of remaining C-band spectrum faster than expected.
That means AT&T gained access to the spectrum much sooner than expected and was able to put the company’s available C-band spectrum to use more quickly.
“We have since retuned our previously deployed C-band across the original 46 locations, resulting in significant capacity and speed increases and ultimately an improved customer experience with fast, reliable and consistent performance,” AT&T said, according to CNET.
Locations where you can expect faster speeds, fewer delays, better data capacity and less congested cell towers include Austin, Texas, Boston, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. More than 175 million people have access to AT&T’s mid-band 5G network, and another 290 million have access to a low-band 5G connection.
AT&T could not comment on which cities will be completed next.
In 2021, AT&T spent $27.4 billion on C-band waves and another $9.1 billion to purchase complementary mid-band spectrum the following year. AT&T, along with Verizon and T-Mobile, had to wait for the satellite internet providers to move out of the spectrum so that those terrestrial services could use the bands they purchased.
Customers with 5G-ready phones can connect to C-band coverage without upgrading their devices. However, AT&T has not yet commented on whether some current customers will need to purchase a new phone to access all of the Spectrum’s features. Anyone who sees the “5G+” symbol on their phone is already connected.