Technology giant AT&T has announced it will launch mobile Fifth Generation technology in San Francisco and San Jose starting early in 2019.
The technology, also known as 5G, translates to possibly faster wireless internet for residents in the two Bay Area cities.
Earlier this year, AT&T announced that it would roll out 5G in other large U.S. cities such as Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Atlanta, and Waco, Texas, starting sometime this year. AT&T has added Austin, Houston, Jacksonville, New Orleans, and San Antonio to that list.
The company initially said that it was deliberately launching the technology in a “mix of big and mid-sized cities,” because “all Americans should have next-gen connectivity to avoid a new digital divide.”
In addition to the rollout in early 2019 in San Jose and San Francisco, other U.S. cities where AT&T plans to launch mobile 5G in 2019 include Las Vegas, San Diego, Orlando, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
“We’re at the dawn of something new that will define the next decade and generation of connectivity,” Andre Fuetsch, AT&T Communications chief technology officer, said in a statement.
“Future smart factories and retailers, self-driving cars, untethered virtual augmented realities, and other yet to be discovered experiences will grow up on tomorrow’s 5G networks. Much like 4G introduced the world to the gig economy, mobile 5G will jumpstart the next wave of unforeseen innovation,” he said.
In order to build the mobile, nationwide 5G network, AT&T has selected mobile companies Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung as its technology suppliers.
