5G coverage expands in the US as T-Mobile announces latest network upgrades

With Apple officially ready for 5G connectivity, most major networks are scrambling to upgrade their systems. During the iPhone 12's launch, the manufacturer even welcomed Verizon's CEO Hans Vestberg to the stage to talk about coverage. Meanwhile, those who are with other mobile service providers might be hesitant to make the upgrade. However, T-Mobile just announced that it has completed the initial expansion of the company's 5G networks. This means close to 410 cities in the United States can now enjoy faster mobile broadband speeds.

On the other hand, subscribers should be informed that mmWave 5G is still difficult to implement due to its poor range. This means any form of interference such as tall buildings and thick foliage could hinder the quality of its connection. T-Mobile's network, on the other hand, sticks with mid-band, which is also referred to a Sub5-6 GHz. While it is considered as 5G, its download speeds cannot catch up to others.

Nevertheless, T-Mobile's 5G network availability might become a boon for the smartphone industry. Similar to when 4G (LTE) was initially introduced, implementation was slow at the start until the majority of service providers eventually caught up to the trend. According to The Verge, the "un-carrier" – as labelled by their marketing slogan – already prepared the infrastructure that supports low-band 5G last year.

"In just one short month, T-Mobile has nearly doubled the number of cities and towns that have the Un-carrier's supercharged 5G experience (mid-band 2.5 GHz). The Un-carrier has plans to reach 100 million people with mid-band 5G by end of the year," said the company in their press release.

"Mid-band 2.5 GHz 5G is the "goldilocks" 5G spectrum, delivering a perfect mix of coverage and speed, and T-Mobile has more of it than anyone in the US. Un-carrier customers with capable 5G devices immediately see benefits when a tower gets upgraded in their area," it added.

The full list of cities and towns that can now enjoy the new service is viewable on T-Mobile's official website. Apple might be late compared to most Android OEMs when it comes to 5G, but its popularity among consumers can potentially push other networks to rush their adoption.