When was 5G introduced?

5G technology is anticipated to change the future of technology as we know it: from augmented reality and autonomous vehicles to smart cities and remote surgery, the potential for 5G uses is almost unfathomable. With Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, today users can enjoy near real-time experiences with high throughput, ultra-low latency and massive capacity. That means downloading movies in seconds versus minutes and supporting mobile workforce applications. 

History of 5G

Verizon led the way in developing and deploying 5G and accelerating 5G innovation. In 2015, we created the 5G Technology Forum (5GTF)—bringing together key partners like Ericsson, Qualcomm, Intel and Samsung—to move the entire 5G ecosystem forward. We used this 5G TF standard to launch our 5G Home service in the US in LA, Sacramento, Houston and Indianapolis last year. This standard set the foundation for the global standard. The 5GTF work helped accelerate the release of the 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR) standard in December of 2017.

On April 3, 2019, of we introduced 5G mobile service in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis. Customers in those cities were the first in the world to have a 5G-enabled smartphone connected to a 5G network.

Since then, Verizon has been able to introduce a number of 5G phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, LG V50 ThinQ™ 5G among others.

Where Has Verizon Introduced 5G?

Verizon introduced 5G in 2019 in parts of many cities in the first part of the year with plans to have 5G in more than 30 U.S. cities by the end of the year.

Chicago – launched April 3, 2019

• The Loop (West Loop and South Loop, near landmarks like Willis Tower, Union Station, The Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park, and The Chicago Theater)
• Magnificent Mile (around the Verizon store)
• The Gold Coast
• River North
• Old Town

Minneapolis – launched April 3, 2019

• Downtown West and East, near landmarks like the Minneapolis Central Library, the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Mill City Museum, Target Center, First Avenue venues, The Commons, and U.S. Bank Stadium
• Elliot Park
• Mall of America (in the Verizon store)

Denver – launched June 27, 2019

• Highlands, South of 37th between Tejon and Navajo Streets
• LoDo
• Around Coors Field
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts
• Sculpture Park
• Paramount Theatre
• Areas around Capitol Hill
• Northern sections of The Denver Tech Center

Providence – launched July 1, 2019

• College Hill
• Federal Hill
• Mt. Hope
• Around landmarks like Brown University (Erickson Athletic Complex, Wriston Quadrangle), Rhode Island School of Design, and Providence College

St. Paul – launched July 18, 2019

• Downtown
• Lowertown
• West Seventh neighborhoods
• Around landmarks like the Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, the Fitzgerald Theater, Cathedral Hill Park, and the Alexander Ramsey House

Atlanta – launched July 31, 2019

• Downtown, Midtown, and Tech Square
• Around landmarks such as The Fox Theater, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Home Depot Backyard, Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Aquarium, and World of Coca Cola
• Parts of Renaissance Park

Detroit – launched July 31, 2019

• Dearborn
• Livonia
• Troy
• Areas around the Oakland-Troy Airport

Indianapolis – launched July 31, 2019

• Arsenal Heights, Bates Hendricks, Castleton, Crown Hill, Fountain Square
• Grace Tuxedo Park, Hawthorne, Historic Meridian Park, Lockerbie Square, and others
• Around landmarks and public spaces such as Garfield Park and Indiana University School of Medicine

Washington, D.C. – launched July 31, 2019

• Foggy Bottom
• Dupont Circle
• Cardozo / U Street
• Adams Morgan
• Columbia Heights
• Le Droit Park, and others

Phoenix – launched August 23, 2019

• Around landmarks like Phoenix Convention Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena, The Orpheum Theatre, CityScape, and Chase Field
• Tempe, on the Arizona State University campus
• Boise – launched September 26, 2019
• Downtown Boise, West Boise, West End, Meridian, Boise Junction
• Around landmarks like the Idaho State Capitol, St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center, Fort Boise Park, Capital City Event Center, and Boise Town Square

Panama City – launched September 26, 2019

• Downtown Panama City
• Forest Park
• Lower Grand Lagoon in Panama City Beach

New York City – launched September 26, 2019

• Manhattan: Midtown, Financial District, Harlem, East Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, and Washington Heights
• Downtown Brooklyn
• The Bronx: Pelham Bay, Fordham Heights, and Hunt’s Point
• Landmarks: Bryant Park, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Madison Square Garden, Trinity Park (Brooklyn), the Lincoln Tunnel (Manhattan Entrance), Javits Center on 11th Ave between 36th and 37th, and the Theatre District on Broadway between 49th and 52^nd

Dallas – launched October 25, 2019

• Knox/Henderson
• Downtown Dallas
• Uptown
• Medical Center Area
• Deep Ellum
• Landmarks: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Children’s Medical Center, Jade Waters Pool, Dallas Comedy House, Dallas Theological Seminary and Turtle Creek Park

Omaha – launched October 25, 2019

• Downtown Omaha
• Landmarks: Old Market, Omaha Children’s Museum, The Orpheum Theatre, The Durham Museum, Heartland of America Park, Central High School and Creighton University

Houston – launched November 19, 2019

• East Downtown
• Uptown
• Greenway Plaza
• Museum District
•  Rice Village
• The Galleria Mall
• NRG Stadium
• BBVA Compass Stadium
• Rice University Stadium

Boston – launched November 19, 2019

• Fenway
• Brookline Avenue near Beth Israel Hospital
• Fenway Park
• Emmanuel College
• Northeastern University
• Simmons College
• Harvard Medical School
• Sioux Fall – launched November 19, 2019
• Downtown Sioux Falls
• Levitt at the Falls
• Orpheum Theatre
• Washington Pavilion
• State Theatre
• US Federal Courthouse

Looking for more information about 5G? Before you go, read about Verizon 5G and what 5G is. Don’t forget to check out our selection of 5G phones.