5G Report:
Deployments today
for technologies of
tomorrow
May 2020
Table of contents
In this report you will learn how 5G will
benefit consumers and enterprises and
how the technology is being deployed
in the U.S. market. Using maps that
show signal power and site locations, we
provide you with a closer look at how
some U.S. operators are building their 5G
networks in two different cities.
1. Introduction
2. High data rates and low latency
3. Low, middle and high —
Why spectrum matters
4. What does 5G look like?
5. Where is 5G today?
6. Chicago — An early 5G market
7. Dallas — Comparing two
5G mmWave deployments
8. Conclusion
Introduction
5G is a new mobile network technology that is currently being offered
in some countries around the world and also in the United States.
Here in the U.S., wireless operators are in the process of expanding the
service to hundreds of cities around the country this year.
5G is still in the early stages of deployment but as operators increase
their 5G network footprints over the next few years, they will also be
improving the technology and adding more capabilities with each
new upgrade. Experts describe the path to 5G as not a sprint but
instead a marathon that will continue to evolve over many years.
Introduction
According to Ericsson’s October
2019 Mobility Report, by the
end of 2025 there will be about
320 million 5G subscribers in
North America.
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High data rates and low latency
Some of the benefits of 5G is that it delivers higher data
speeds (it’s expected to eventually reach speeds as high as 10
Gbps) while also having very low latency — which means users
should experience very little delay — the 5G specification calls
for less than 10 milliseconds of latency.
Cisco estimates in its 2020
Internet Report that
5G speeds will be 13 times
higher than the average
mobile connection by 2023.
These high speeds and low latency, coupled with a much greater amount of
bandwidth will make it possible for users to stream 4K movies with almost
no buffering, play multi-player games with very little delay in the action and
download large files in seconds. 5G will also make new applications such as
real-time augmented and virtual reality a possibility.
5G is expected to enable machines to communicate more efficiently with each
other without the need for human intervention. While LTE networks today can
support many use cases for cellular Internet of Things (IoT), with 5G’s enhanced
capabilities new use cases such as using video surveillance to provide real-time
With 5G’s extreme low latency
and ultra-high reliability,
new use cases such as virtual
medicine that connects
doctors and patients around
the globe or autonomous cars
will be possible.
monitoring and other advanced applications will be possible.
High data rates and low latency
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The 5G network is designed to support these types
of connected devices and provide different levels
Some of the most promising 5G applications
are those that are intended to help make
industrial processes automated or more
efficient. In fact, some experts refer to 5G
as the technology that will usher in the next
industrial revolution.
of service depending upon the amount of data that
needs to be transmitted and how quickly it needs to
be received. It is also expected that 5G will prompt
many new digital services that have not even been
conceptualized yet and prompt new business models.
Just as the 4G era created the mobile app ecosystem,
which in turn prompted the rise of the gig economy and
new businesses such as Uber, Grubhub and AirBnB, 5G
is expected to do the same with a whole slew of new
services and businesses.
Because 5G will offer ultra-reliable low-latency
communications (URLCC), it will be a key enabler for
things like time-critical factory automation that are
required by many different industries including food
and beverage, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, or
electrical assembly.
The technology also will be able to support
communications between vehicles, drones and even
robots. Factories might be able to make use of industrial
robots to help on assembly lines and make factories
more automated than they are today.
High data rates and low latency
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Low, middle and high —
Why spectrum matters
Spectrum, of course, will play a key role in the type of 5G service that wireless
operators will be able to provide to their customers.
High-band spectrum will give customers blazing fast speeds and lots of capacity —but only if
you are close to the cell site. Low-band will provide excellent coverage because the signal can
propagate a longer distance but the network performance may only be a small step up from
4G. And mid-band spectrum is considered the sweet spot, where operators will be able to
deliver both decent coverage as well as faster speeds and more capacity.
Low-band
Low-band spectrum is any spectrum that is lower than 1 GHz on the
spectrum chart. Early wireless networks, often referred to as analog
cellular, were deployed in low-band 800 MHz spectrum. This lowband spectrum was considered very desirable because wireless
operators could serve thousands of customers within a large area with
just one tower.
In a 5G world, low-band spectrum will make it possible for operators to
provide a wide-swath of coverage, but it also means that the speed
and latency of the 5G network will probably only be incrementally
better than what is delivered with 4G networks. However, low-band
spectrum does make it easier for the wireless signal to penetrate
windows and walls.
Low, middle and high — Why spectrum matters
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Mid-band
Spectrum in the 1 GHz-6 GHz range is mid-band spectrum.
This spectrum is considered ideal for 5G because it can carry
plenty of data while also traveling significant distances.
Many countries around the globe have designated this spectrum
in the 3.3 GHz to 3.8 GHz range for their 5G deployment.
However, some operators in U.S. and Canada are planning to
use (or are already using) the 2.3 GHz and the 2.5 GHz-2.6 GHz
spectrum for 5G. In addition, some operators are planning to
re-use some mid-band spectrum (such as the 1800 MHz) that
they are currently using for 3G services and use it for 5G.
More mid-band spectrum is also becoming available in the U.S.
later this year. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
plans to hold a public auction of 70 MHz of the 3.5 GHz CBRS
spectrum beginning July 23, 2020. The FCC also has proposed a
plan to auction 280 MHz of C-band spectrum (spectrum between
the 3.7 GHz and 4.2 GHz bands) in December.
High-band
The third bucket of spectrum where wireless operators are
deploying 5G is in the millimeter wave spectrum (mmWave).
This is in the 24 GHz band and higher spectrum band.
mmWave spectrum is limited because signals can’t travel very far
— in some cases the signal will travel less than a mile depending
on transmitter power and antenna gain — and they are also
susceptible to signal attenuation from things like trees and
buildings and even glass. But the benefit of mmWave spectrum
is that if the signal is unencumbered users can get connection
speeds from 1 Gbps to 3 Gbps or higher.
Low, middle and high — Why spectrum matters
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What does 5G look like?
Despite the fact that 5G is much more powerful
than 4G, its infrastructure is not that different.
Like 4G and 3G, 5G consists of towers and cell
sites with antennas. However, depending upon
the spectrum band being used for 5G, operators will likely need more cell sites. In particular,
those using high-band mmWave spectrum will
need more cell sites because the signal can only
travel a short distance.
Many operators are using
light poles or other existing
infrastructure to help
expand their 5G footprint.
What does 5G look like?
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Antennas are an integral part of 5G, just as they were with 4G and
3G. However, in the last five years the functionality of antennas
has been refined to meet today’s higher capacity requirements.
For example, antennas today are
more adaptable and smarter.
Many operators are deploying
multiple array macro antennas
that contain technology able to
increase throughput.
Throughput is also increased by using technologies such as massive multipleinput, multiple-output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation. These technologies
can enhance network capacity and also allow operators to increase the
data rate per user by dedicating beams to users and by accessing multiple
spectrum frequency blocks.
Another key part of 5G deployments are small cell antennas. These low-power
antennas are deployed to increase cellular network capacity. Small cells are
different from macro cells because they are shorter in height and are often
camouflaged to blend into their environment.
Some small cells are shared by different operators to help reduce costs.
What does 5G look like?
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Where is 5G today?
T-Mobile & Sprint
T-Mobile is currently offering 5G service nationwide in the 600 MHz spectrum
band. The network currently covers approximately 200 million people,
according to T-Mobile. The wireless operator is also supplementing its lowband 5G coverage by deploying 5G using high-band spectrum in the mmWave
frequency band.
Sprint offers 5G coverage in nine cities using its 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum. In
addition, T-Mobile, which just acquired Sprint on April 1st, recently launched
5G service in Philadelphia using Sprint’s 2.5 GHz spectrum. While Sprint’s 5G
coverage doesn’t extend to every corner of those cities, its footprint is larger
than some of its rivals because the mid-band spectrum allows it to cover a
bigger area than high-band spectrum. The company estimates that its 5G
network is available to approximately 16 million people.
But Sprint’s 5G service isn’t as fast as the mmWave 5G service deployed by
Verizon and AT&T because it uses mid-band spectrum that means the signal
travels further from the cell site or tower, but speeds are not as fast. However,
it is faster than 4G and may also be faster than the low-band 5G offerings from
T-Mobile and AT&T. In addition, the company augmented its 4G deployment
by using massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas that will
support the operator’s 5G network as well. The massive MIMO antennas help
improve network speed and throughput.
As mentioned above, T-Mobile acquired Sprint on April 1st, 2020 and the
combined company has more than 100 million customers and is the third
largest operator in the U.S. after Verizon with 150 million customers and AT&T
with 141 million subscribers.
T-Mobile has said it will likely take up to three years to integrate Sprint’s
network with its own network. T-Mobile also has promised to invest $40 billion
in infrastructure over the next three years.
Where is 5G today?
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AT&T
AT&T also has deployed 5G Plus, which is the brand name for its mmWave 5G
that is deployed in high-band spectrum. That service was available mainly to
enterprise customers that had to use a hotspot to access the network. It was
available in about 25 cities as of April 2020. But the company recently started
selling the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphones
that make it possible for consumers to use the 5G Plus network with those
devices. In addition, AT&T also has 5G deployed in its 850 MHz low-band
spectrum in about 190 markets nationwide covering 120 million people. That
service is more widely available to consumers with 5G-ready phones.
Verizon
Verizon also has high-band spectrum 5G deployed in about 34 cities and in
several stadiums in the U.S. with more to come this year. However, Verizon’s 5G
service, which it calls Ultra Wideband, is really very limited in its coverage for
now, but the company hopes to expand its coverage to more areas and also
indoors.
Verizon initially launched a 5G Home service in the fall of 2018 which used
the operator’s proprietary 5G transmission standard and not the official 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard. The 5G Home service is only
available in five markets and is sold as a fixed broadband service intended
to compete with existing cable and wireline broadband services. Verizon
relaunched the service in 2019 using the 3GPP 5G New Radio standard and
equipment consumers could self-install instead of relying on a technician. The
company is currently developing a new customer premises equipment (CPE)
and plans to expand the service to more markets in the second half of 2020.
Where is 5G today?
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Chicago — An early
5G market
We analyzed a segment of Chicago, which was
one of the first U.S. cities to receive 5G service,
to provide an example of the depth and breadth
of coverage here. Aurora Insight’s proprietary
technology uses a network of sensors to measure
radio frequency spectrum and create dynamic
coverage maps. Our technology extracts
detailed information at the cell site level and can
identify weak spots in the network.
We conducted our analysis of this market
in March 2020. At that time AT&T had not
deployed 5G in Chicago so it is not included in
this analysis.
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Verizon
T-Mobile
Sprint
In the example above, we measured 5G coverage
The example above shows T-Mobile’s 5G signal
The example above is of Sprint’s 5G deployment
data using our driving method as opposed to our
power in the 600 MHz spectrum band in the
in the Chicago area. Sprint deployed 5G in the
general aviation method of collecting data. We
Chicago metro area. As you can see, T-Mobile’s
2.5 GHz spectrum band. We have used yellow
measured Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband service in
signal power, which is depicted by the magenta
hexagons to indicate strong signal power from
the 27-28 GHz mmWave spectrum. Verizon’s 5G
colored hexagons, is much more pervasive in
Sprint while the grey hexagons indicate low
signal power is depicted by the red hexagons —
the Chicago area than Verizon’s mmWave 5G.
signal power. Sprint’s coverage is much stronger
the darker red hexagons indicate strong signal and
Because T-Mobile is using low-band spectrum for
in Chicago’s city center but the company also has
the grey hexagons indicate weaker signal power.
its 5G deployment in Chicago it is able to get a
expanded its 5G reach into the suburbs. Sprint is
As you can see, Verizon’s strongest signals are
much wider swath of coverage. In addition, it also
using the mid-band 2.5 GHz spectrum for its 5G
concentrated around Chicago’s West and South
appears to have more cell sites deployed away
deployment and is also making use of massive
loops, where there is a lot of business and tourist
from the city center into the Chicago suburbs.
MIMO antennas, which help the operator improve
traffic. There are a few hot spots of coverage to the
However, it is important to remember that when
its network speed and reach.
north of the city.
5G is deployed in the low-band spectrum its speed
Our sample reveals that Verizon’s mmWave-based
5G network coverage is concentrated in the
upgrades are more modest than 5G deployed in
mmWave spectrum.
densely populated and urban area of Chicago. This
is not surprising because we know that mmWave
5G, while providing very high speeds in the 1 Gbps
and higher range, doesn’t propagate very far from
the cell site.
Chicago — An early 5G market
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In our analysis of the Chicago 5G
deployments, T-Mobile currently
appears to have the strongest
coverage footprint based upon the
strong signal power measurements
throughout the city.
Once the operator completes its
network integration with Sprint
(which it has said could take
three years) it will have a very
compelling 5G network in Chicago
because of its combination of
mid-band (2.5 GHz) and low-band
(600 MHz spectrum).
Chicago — An early 5G market
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Dallas — Comparing two 5G mmWave deployments
In addition to Chicago, we analyzed a segment of Dallas to compare the different mmWave deployments of Verizon and T-Mobile.
We conducted our analysis in Dallas in April 2020.
Verizon
T-Mobile
The example below shows Verizon’s 5G mmWave deployment in Dallas.
The example below is T-Mobile’s 5G mmWave deployment in Dallas.
The red pins are Verizon’s 5G cell sites. Verizon’s transmitter sites are
Similar to Verizon, T-Mobile has focused primarily on Dallas’s downtown
deployed quite heavily in the city’s downtown area and in the Uptown
area around the city’s Arts District and the Uptown neighborhood.
neighborhood as well as along Interstate 35E. Our analysis shows that
However, our analysis shows that T-Mobile has only deployed 55 sites,
Verizon has deployed 85 sites in the Dallas area.
which is 35% fewer than the number of sites that Verizon has deployed.
For now, Verizon’s mmWave network has more coverage than
T-Mobile’s mmWave network. But it’s important to note that
T-Mobile plans to augment its mmWave deployment with its 600
MHz deployment to strengthen its 5G coverage in many markets.
Dallas — Comparing two 5G mmWave deployments
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Conclusion
Although 5G is still in the early stages of deployment, Aurora Insight’s
analyses of 5G in Chicago and Dallas illustrate the important role that
spectrum plays in the type of 5G service that operators will be able
to offer to their customers. It’s also important to note that different
operators have very different deployment strategies for 5G that is based
upon their spectrum holdings and other factors:
• High-band spectrum may provide blazing fast speeds and lots of
capacity, but coverage is very limited.
• Mid-band spectrum can provide faster speeds and more coverage but
mid-band spectrum is not as readily available to U.S. operators.
• Low-band spectrum can provide much more coverage, but the
network performance is only a slight upgrade over 4G because there
isn’t as much available bandwidth.
Over time, we expect to see U.S. operators improve and expand their 5G
networks by taking advantage of new spectrum made available through
upcoming auctions and by investing in new technologies such as dynamic
spectrum sharing (which makes it possible to use spectrum currently
used for 4G and use it for 5G too) that will make their 5G services
stronger and more pervasive. Aurora Insight will continue to measure 5G
deployments by operators in major markets across the U.S. and globally.
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Discover more insights by scheduling a demo.
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