Verizon 5G Mobile Service Arrives in Denver and Providence

Verizon on Thursday announced its next two cities getting super-fast 5G mobile service, Denver and Providence, as the pace of the rollout of the new technology accelerates.

Wireless subscribers in parts of Denver who buy a compatible 5G phone, such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, can start using Verizon’s fastest system immediately, while those on the Providence area will get service on July 1, the carrier said. Verizon first turned on its mobile 5G service in parts of Minneapolis and Chicago in April. It’s aiming to offer 5G in at least 30 markets by year end.

The announcement follows rival T-Mobile’s debuting its first 5G mobile service in parts of six cities this week, as the wireless industry races to upgrade its networks with the technology that speeds can reach download speeds 10 to 50 times faster than with current 4G LTE networks. As the number of new wireless customers levels off, the carriers are looking for more ways to woo switchers, like rewards programs and free video and music streaming services. Verizon offers free Apple Music subscriptions, for example. But over the next few years, as coverage improves, 5G could be the big draw.

Last week, AT&T unveiled its first 5G phone service for some businesses customers, but not for consumers. The service is online in “very limited” parts of 19 cities, and will be expanded to 30 or more cities by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Sprint introduced its 5G service last month in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City, with plans to add six more cities soon.

Still, the 5G services can be hard to find even in the cities where carriers say they are online. In Denver, Verizon said 5G connections would be concentrated in areas of Highlands, South of 37th between Tejon and Navajo Streets. Other neighborhoods getting access included LoDo, around Coors Field, Capitol Hill, and northern sections of the Denver Tech Center, Verizon said. But unlike rival T-Mobile, Verizon has not provided typical coverage maps showing the extent of its 5G network in any city.