What’s in a name? 5G wireless claims, but no real network

By Mae Anderson, The Associated Press

NEW YORK — AT&T has drawn ridicule by relabeling the network used by some of its phones as “5G E” to signal that the next-generation wireless network is here.

Problem is, phones capable of connecting to 5G aren’t coming for another few months, and a national 5G network won’t be deployed until 2020 or 2021.

But Verizon, which complained Tuesday about AT&T’s move, did something similar when it launched a residential wireless service with the 5G moniker using its own proprietary standards.

A new generation of wireless network comes along every several years, so the stakes are high for carriers to establish their dominance. When it’s fully deployed, the “5G” network is expected to give mobile users faster speeds for video, self-driving cars and connected devices at home.

Mae Anderson, The Associated Press

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