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Sprint commits to 5G services, devices by late 2019

The carrier will work with parent company SoftBank and chipmaker Qualcomm to enter the next generation of wireless technology.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
Roger Cheng
sprint.jpg

Sprint doesn't want to be left out of the 5G game.

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

Sprint is getting into 5G too.

The wireless carriers can't stop talking about the next generation of wireless technology, which promises to be faster, more responsive and able to handle connected devices without breaking a sweat. T-Mobile has committed to building out a nationwide 5G network before anyone else, and Verizon and AT&T are planning to roll out trials of 5G as a home broadband service.

It's no surprise that Sprint wants to get in on the action. The company said Wednesday that it will work with its parent, Japanese carrier SoftBank, and with chip giant Qualcomm to develop 5G technologies using its 2.5 gigahertz band of spectrum and an early version of the 5G standard.

Sprint said it plans to provide commercial services and devices by late 2019.

The carrier is just the latest to tout its move into 5G. While there's a lot of chatter about the technology, analysts warn that it's still years away due to the lack of access to sufficient higher-frequency radio waves, which are necessary to offer super-high speeds.

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