All the major carriers in the US have already launched 5G networks and are working hard to expand them across the country. Some are relying more on millimeter wave (mmWave) technology for higher speeds, while others favor the use of low-band spectrums for better coverage. In this post, we take a look at all the 5G cities in the US by carrier and talk a bit about speeds, frequencies, and more.
Verizon
Verizon’s 5G network uses 28GHz and 39GHz bands, both of which are high-band millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies. That means the network can produce high speeds but isn’t the best when it comes to coverage and building penetration — making it difficult if not impossible to use 5G indoors.
Our very own Eric Zeman tested Verizon’s 5G network last year in Chicago and was able to reach a maximum peak download speed of 1.256Gbps. To put this into context, the speed allows you to download a 50-minute episode of Stranger Things in about 12 seconds.
However, those results were achieved by practically standing under the 5G nodes. Across the city, the average download speed was a lot slower (but still fast) at 594Mbps.
Verizon has deployed 5G in 34 cities across the US so far, with more joining the list soon. You can check out these cities below and click on any of them to see exactly which parts of the city are covered.
Verizon’s 5G cities:
T-Mobile
Whereas Verizon relies solely on millimeter wave technology for its 5G network, T-Mobile has a different approach. The carrier is using its collection of 600MHz spectrum as the foundation of its 5G service. The 600MHz band — sometimes referred to as Band 71 — is much better at penetrating buildings and works well over longer distances. However, it isn’t as fast as mmWave.
T-Mobile’s 5G signal is available across the country. The carrier switched on the “nationwide network” back in December that covers around 5,000 cities and 200 million people. You can check out the map on T-Mobile’s website to see exactly where 5G is and isn’t available at the moment
However, the carrier also offers millimeter-wave coverage (39GHz and 28GHz), although it’s only available in parts of the six large cities listed below. We tested it out and New York City — check out the download speeds achieved here.
T-Mobile’s 5G cities (mmWave):
- Atlanta
- Cleveland
- Dallas
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- New York
AT&T
AT&T offers 5G access in over 100 markets across the US. The company is using the term 5G to describe its 850Mhz network and the term 5G Plus for its mmWave service. 5G is available in around 100 cities, while 5G Plus is live in parts of 35 cities.
5G Plus is the faster of the two options because it uses the mmWave technology, but that also means it offers less coverage and doesn’t penetrate buildings that well — you’ll have a hard time using it indoors. 5G, on the other hand, offers better coverage but slower speeds. You can check out all the cities both services are available in below.
AT&T’s 5G cities:
- AL: Birmingham, Huntsville
- AZ: Gila
- CA: Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Madera County, Modesto, Mono County, Obispo, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Vallejo
- CO: Denver
- CT: Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven
- DC: Washington
- DE: Kent County, Wilmington
- GA: Albany, Athens, Chattooga County, Hancock County, Liberty, Macon, Whitfield County, Worth
- IL: Washington County
- IN: Brown County, Indianapolis
- KS: Topeka, Wichita
- KY: Lexington-Fayette, Louisville
- MA: Boston, New Bedford, Worcester
- MD: Baltimore, Frederick
- MI: Detroit, Kalamazoo, Newaygo
- MO: Kansas City, Springfield, St. Louis
- MT: Beaverhead County, Lincoln County
- NJ: Atlantic City, Hunterdon County, Long Branch, New Brunswick, Ocean County, Sussex County, Trenton
- NM: Las Cruces
- NV: Las Vegas, Reno, Storey County
- NY: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, New York, Orange County, Otsego County, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica-Rome
- OH: Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Hamilton, Hancock County, Ross County, Sandusky County, Springfield, Tuscarawas County
- OR: Portland, Salem
- PA: Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, North East, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, State College, York
- RI: Providence
- UT: Provo
- VA: Madison County
- WI: Milwaukee
- WA: Spokane
- WV: Raleigh County
AT&T’s 5G Plus cities:
- AZ: Phoenix
- CA: Los Angeles, Menlo Park, Oakland, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, West Hollywood
- FL: Jacksonville, Miami, Miami Gardens, Orlando
- GA: Atlanta
- IN: Indianapolis
- KY: Louisville
- LA: New Orleans
- MD: Baltimore, Ocean City
- MI: Detroit
- NC: Charlotte, Raleigh
- NV: Las Vegas
- NY: New York City
- OH: Cleveland
- OK: Oklahoma City
- PA: King of Prussia, Philadelphia
- TN: Nashville
- TX: Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Waco
Sprint
Sprint is using the 2.5GHz spectrum to deliver 5G, which is considered mid-band when compared to Verizon’s high-band mmWave spectrum. Our very own Eric Zeman tested out the network in Dallas, Texas, and found that the average download speed was around 190Mbps. The maximum speed achieved was 690Mbps.
This is slower than what you get with Verizon (see the Verizon section above), but the 5G experience offered by Sprint is more reliable, delivering consistent speeds when you’re on the move. However, the number of cities Sprint’s 5G network is available in is limited.
Sprint’s 5G cities:
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Houston
- Kansas City
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Phoenix
- Washington, D.C.
These are all the 5G cities in the US at the moment. Carriers will be expanding their 5G coverage throughout the year, so more cities will join the list soon.
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