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Tag: 5g

Twin Falls to get next generation 5G wireless cell service

map of twin falls 5g coverage
The Magic Valley will now gain access to a higher-speed network for smartphones. Map courtesy of T-Mobile (click to enlarge)

TWIN FALLS – T-Mobile will start providing the next generation of wireless telephone technology here.

“The Twin Falls announcement shows that we’re continuing to build 5G and add markets across the U.S., and we’re excited to bring 5G, and all of its near- and long-term benefits, to Twin Falls’ area wireless consumers, giving them another option for wireless connectivity, accessibility and affordability,” said Joel Rushing, senior communications manager, in an email message.

In December, when the company first announced that it would provide 5G service to Idaho, Twin Falls was on the list of some 80 Idaho cities that were scheduled to get the service.

Different wavelength

Verizon began offering a 5G service, which it dubbed 5G+, in some parts of Boise and Meridian last year that offered much higher speed — up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) — partially because transmitters for the wireless signal could be located as closely packed as one per block.

The service T-Mobile uses runs on a different wavelength. While it’s not as fast as Verizon’s offering, it doesn’t require as densely packed transmitters, making it more suitable for rural areas such as most of the rest of Idaho.

The difference between 5G and 5G+ is the underlying wavelength. Verizon’s 5G+ uses gigahertz (GHz) waves. T-Mobile’s 5G uses 600 megahertz (MHz) waves, a spectrum the company paid $8 billion to acquire in 2017 that was previously used by television stations for broadcast.

Gigahertz waves hold more data, but they’re more likely to be stopped by buildings and even leaves.

600 MHz could provide transmission speeds of up to 30 to 50 megabits per second (Mbps), which could improve over time.

Different phones

Taking advantage of the new service also requires that users have a T-Mobile 5G-enabled smartphone.

T-Mobile offers five 5G-capable smartphones: the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G, the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Those smartphones will continue to work on the legacy 4G LTE network, which T-Mobile expects to continue to expand and improve, Rushing said. The 5G-enabled smartphones automatically default to the 4G protocol whenever 5G isn’t available.

“In some places, 600 MHz 5G will be a lot faster than LTE,” Rushing said. “In others, customers won’t see as much difference. On average, customers with a 600 MHz 5G phone should see a 20% download speed boost on top of what T-Mobile’s advanced LTE network delivers, and they can expect that to get exponentially faster over time, just like we saw when 4G was first introduced.”

So, why Twin Falls?

“We’re focused on deploying our 5G network where we have clear spectrum, specifically 600 MHz, and the Magic Valley is one of those areas,” Rushing said, noting that the majority of the Magic Valley would have access to the service. “In some locations, other organizations — like TV or radio broadcasters — are still working to move their traffic off of our 5G spectrum (600MHz), and as soon as those airwaves are clear, we’ll be adding 5G.”

The company also announced on April 1 the completion of its merger with Sprint, making the combined companies better able to compete with market leaders Verizon and A&T, as well as a CEO transition from John Legere to Mike Sievert. Rushing did not have any information about what specific effects the merger would have on Idaho.

However, because Sprint offers “mid-band” and “high-band” 5G — as opposed to the “low-band” 5G T-Mobile offers — the merged companies should be able to offer improved 5G service in the future, the company said in a statement.

“In the coming months and years, New T-Mobile will build upon this foundational 5G layer with mid-band and high-band spectrum that will add capacity, or more ‘lanes,’ using the invisible highway analogy, for greater speeds and better coverage.”

T-Mobile offers 5G service to rural Idahoans

map of T-Mobile 5g service
T-Mobile is adding 5G to smaller Idaho cities as well as its existing 4G cellphone service. Map courtesy of T-Mobile

T-Mobile has announced 5G service for thousands of cities and towns across the U.S., including more than 80 in Idaho.

But it’s different from the high-speed 5G+ Verizon announced earlier this year for parts of Boise and Meridian, said Christopher Mitchell, director of community broadband networks for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a 44-year-old Minneapolis nonprofit focused on community development policies.

That said, 5G, even without the +, is still likely to be a big improvement.

photo of christopher mitchell
Christopher Mitchell. Photo by Glenn Ricart

“For a lot of people in more rural areas, 5G is basically going to bring what 4G brought to more urban areas,” Mitchell said.

However, to use it, residents need different cellphones, which, as with 5G+, use 4G when 5G isn’t available. T-Mobile will be selling two cellphones for its 5G network, a OnePlus for $900 and a Samsung Note 10 for $1300, though pricing and payment plans are available. They can be pre-ordered now, or bought in a T-Mobile store as of Dec. 6.

T-Mobile expects to sell 15 new models of 5G cellphones next year, the company said. 5G service will cost the same as 4G, the company added.

“As we see more rollout, I think you’ll see more device manufacturers develop devices capable of running across multiple spectrum bands and carriers,” said Joel Rushing, senior communications manager.

Because of the different spectrum bands used, 5G cellphones on T-Mobile’s network won’t work on Verizon’s and vice versa, Rushing said, noting 4G had a similar situation when it started.

But it’s 5G modems that offer the most promise to rural Idahoans because a 5G modem on the side of a house or business could replace a slow DSL connection, Mitchell said.

T-Mobile hopes to merge with Sprint, which offers 5G service in the “midband,” or 2.5 GHz, Rushing said. The spectrum assets Sprint has is a key component for building a nationwide 5G network supporting both rural and urban customers, he said.

Such a merger would also give T-Mobile more ability to raise rates nationwide, Mitchell said. Ultimately, that tradeoff disappoints him, as do other actions intended to help promote 5G, such as reducing the regulatory barriers to adding 5G transmitters, particularly in cities.

“I’m excited about the technology improvement,” Mitchell said. “I’m worried that the market structure will change from four providers to three because we will all end up paying a lot more. I’m frustrated that the change from 4G to 5G is being used to remove local property rights and government authority. But this is definitely a win for people, I think.”

Nationwide, T-Mobile’s 5G service now covers 5,000 cities and towns, 200 million people and more than 1 million square miles.

Verizon’s 5G+ service recently brought unprecedented service speeds to the Treasure Valley.

The difference between 5G and 5G+ is the underlying wavelength. Verizon’s 5G+ uses gigahertz (GHz) waves. T-Mobile’s 5G uses 600 megahertz (MHz) waves, a spectrum the company paid $8 billion to acquire in 2017.

Gigahertz waves hold more data, but they’re more likely to be stopped by buildings and even leaves, Mitchell said.

“Anywhere you could get a TV signal, you can get 600 MHz,” he said.

600 MHz could provide transmission speeds of up to 30 to 50 megabits per second (Mbps), which could improve over time, he said.

Idaho cities that will have T-Mobile 5G

Aberdeen

American Falls

Arbon Valley

Arco

Arimo

Bellevue

Blackfoot

Boise City

Buhl

Carey

Challis

Chubbuck

Coeur d’Alene

Council

Crouch

Dalton Gardens

Dover

Downey

Eagle

Emmett

Fernan

Lake Village

Fort Hall

Garden City

Garden Valley

Georgetown

Glenns Ferry

Gooding

Hagerman

Hailey

Hansen

Hayden

Hayden Lake

Hazelton

Hidden Spring

Homedale

Horseshoe Bend

Idaho City

Irwin

Island Park

Jerome

Kimberly

Kootenai

Kuna

Lewiston

Mackay

McCall

McCammon

Melba

Meridian

Middleton

Montpelier

Mountain Home

Mountain Home AFB

Murphy

Nampa

New Meadows

Oakley

Parma

Payette

Pocatello

Ponderay

Post Falls

Preston

Rathdrum

Rexburg

Rockland

Rupert

Salmon

Sandpoint

Shelley

Shoshone

Soda Springs

St Anthony

St Charles

Stanley

State Line

Twin Falls

Tyhee

Weiser

Wendell

Wilder

Need for speed? New maps show where you can find 5G in the Treasure Valley

map of downtown boise 5g service
Here’s where you can find 5G cell phone service in the downtown Boise area. Map courtesy of Verizon

Verizon has released maps of its 5G coverage in Idaho showing exactly where in Boise and Meridian people can expect to get the high-speed wireless service.

The company made the service available in the Treasure Valley on Sept. 26 after installing the small but ubiquitous 5G transmitters in various downtown Boise locations for several months. However, it hadn’t even included Boise on its list of planned sites.

Previously, Verizon had said only that 5G service would be available in parts of Downtown Boise, West Boise, the West End, Meridian, Boise Junction around such landmarks as the Idaho State Capitol, St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center, Fort Boise Park, Capital City Event Center and Boise Town Square. The new maps add more nuance to those descriptions.

In downtown Boise, service is available as far east as Broadway, including large areas of the downtown parks – though not including Bronco Stadium – and generally as far north as Washington Street. It is also available in the Boise Bench around Saint Alphonsus Hospital and points east and in the shopping areas of West Boise, though not in the buildings themselves.

In Meridian, service is available along Pine as far west as 3rd Street and as far east as Eagle Road, including downtown. There is also coverage on Franklin Road, including Storey Park, and Fairview Ave. between Locust Grove and Eagle Road.

A Verizon spokesman had said when the service was announced that more coverage areas could be added over time.

What is 5G?

5G is the next generation of wireless data, which has higher speed and less delay than existing 4G.

Unlike today’s 4G cellphone service, which features a tall tower every couple of miles, 5G uses smaller transmitters at much shorter wavelengths. That’s what makes it so wicked fast. That also means the signal is more fragile, necessitating many more transmitters. Because of the transmitter density required, it is likely that high-speed 5G service will be available primarily in metropolitan areas.

Due to 5G’s short wavelength, service can be interrupted by something as minor as a leaf, and people shouldn’t expect to be able to receive it in buildings. When 5G isn’t available, it automatically defaults to the previous 4G service. In many cases, other than parks, the service is indicated on the new maps as available only in the street itself. People away from the street shouldn’t count on being able to gain access to 5G service.

photo of 5G service
When you can pick it up, 5G is wicked fast. Photo courtesy of Paul Ulreich of Verizon

When it’s available, typical download speeds are 450-700 megabits per second (Mbps), with bursts faster than 1 gigabit per second, meaning a Netflix episode, or even a full movie can be downloaded in less than 10 seconds, according to Verizon. In comparison, download 4G speeds in the Treasure Valley can be less than 100 Mbps.

In addition, taking advantage of 5G features requires that you have one of the scant handful of high-end cellphones that support 5G transmission, which start at around $1,000.

There has been some concern about the health effects of 5G because of the high frequency of the transmission and ubiquity of the transmitters. According to a webpage on the subject from the CTIA – which is, admittedly, a trade association representing the wireless communications industry in the United States – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health haven’t found any indication that 5G service increases cancer risk in humans. It is comparable to Bluetooth devices and baby monitors, according to the CTIA.

5G service became available in Boise and Meridian at the same time as New York and Panama City, Florida, where the company invested $25 million to help the city recover from Hurricane Michael. With the new cities, Verizon’s 5G service – dubbed Ultra Wideband – is available in 13 cities, with 30 expected by the end of the year.

OK, now Boise has 5G cellular service

photo of 5g installation
Verizon has been installing 5G transmitters in downtown Boise since earlier this year. Photo by Sharon Fisher

Portions of the Treasure Valley – including unspecified parts of Meridian as well as a number of locations in Boise – now have access to 5G cellphone service through Verizon.

The announcement was expected. Verizon has been installing the small but ubiquitous 5G transmitters in various downtown Boise locations for several months, but hadn’t even included Boise on its list of planned sites.

But on Sept. 26, the company announced the service in Boise, as well as in New York and Panama City, Florida, where the company said it has invested $25 million to help the city recover from Hurricane Michael. With the new cities, that makes Verizon’s 5G service – dubbed Ultra Wideband – available in 13 cities, with 30 expected by the end of the year.

“In Boise, 5G Ultra Wideband service will initially be concentrated in parts of the following neighborhoods: Downtown Boise, West Boise, West End, Meridian, Boise Junction around such landmarks as the Idaho State Capitol, St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center, Fort Boise Park, Capital City Event Center and Boise Town Square,” the company said in a press release.

Like 5G access in other cities – where not even an entire football stadium can get it – the service is spotty, and falls over to 4G when it’s not available.

But where it’s available, it’s hella fast.

“Typical download speeds over 5G are 450-700 mbps, but users will see bursts faster than 1 gbps,” said Paul Ulreich, communications manager for the Verizon customer group, in an email message. “That means a Netflix episode, or even a full movie can be downloaded in under 10 seconds!”

The company is likely to continue adding transmitters in the Boise area, said Ulreich, who was in town from Schaumburg, Illinois, to demonstrate the service. He couldn’t provide specifics such as locations or timeframes. For example, while 5G is currently available in at least parts of a number of NFL stadiums, that’s due to a contract Verizon has with the NFL. Ulreich couldn’t say whether 5G might be available on the Boise State University blue football field.

Verizon is also offering the service at fire-sale prices, at least for now. 5G is included on three out of Verizon’s four unlimited plans that offer unlimited data, and it’s $10 a month for the entry-level unlimited plan, Ulreich said.

However, that’s assuming you have one of the scant handful of high-end cellphones that support 5G transmission, which start at around $1,300.

Field-testing Boise’s 5G service

photo of 5G service
When you can pick it up, 5G is wicked fast. Photo courtesy of Paul Ulreich of Verizon

Unlike today’s 4G cellphone service, which features a tall tower every couple of miles, 5G uses smaller transmitters at much shorter wavelengths. That’s what makes it so wicked fast. That also means the signal is more fragile, necessitating many more transmitters.

So how well does 5G in Boise actually work?

8th and Jefferson: The closest transmitter is at 8th and Bannock, in front of the post office. And, sure enough, the 5G phone used by Paul Ulreich, communications manager for the Verizon customer group, picked it up with no problem, demonstrating a download speed of 1.6 gigabits per second (gbps) and an upload speed of 20 megabits per second (mbps).

In comparison, a typical 4G cellphone shows 25.3 mbps download and 13.9 mbps upload.

But as anyone who’s tried to get a cellphone signal during a sold-out Boise State Broncos game knows, access also depends on how many people are using the service at a time. Ulreich said he didn’t know whether anyone was using 5G service from that transmitter besides him.

Mid-block, 8th between Jefferson and State: Uh oh. No 5G connectivity; the phone now displays much more pedestrian speeds. Ulreich blamed the trees – something as small as a leaf can block the 5G waves. Sure enough, on the other side of the trees, the phone picked up 5G service again.

In the City of Trees, this could be a problem.

8th and State: Two blocks away, Ulreich could still pick up 5G signal – on the other side of the trees.

8th and Washington: Three blocks away and there is still a 5G signal – standing in the crosswalk. Even Ulreich seemed impressed by the reach and peered around to make sure there was not another transmitter at the intersection.

No, Boise doesn’t have 5G wireless service yet. Maybe soon?

photo of 5g installation
Verizon has been installing 5G transmitters in downtown Boise since earlier this year. Photo by Sharon Fisher

Todd Krautkremer can look out of his Boise office at Cradlepoint and see a 5G antenna, but he can’t pick up 5G service here yet, and neither can the rest of us.

“I’m sitting here looking out my window at Boise Plaza,” on Idaho and 11th, reported Krautkremer, chief marketing officer for Cradlepoint Inc., which makes 5G products. “It’s a 5G antenna right on the stop sign pole at the intersection.”

Verizon has been installing transmitters throughout the city, and the Ada County Board of Commissioners made it easier for mobile network providers to install the transmitters earlier this year. But service hasn’t been announced for Boise yet.

5G is available in 10 cities thus far — Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Phoenix, Providence and Washington, DC — with more announced: Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Houston, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Salt Lake City and San Diego.

When Boise does get 5G, the service isn’t likely to blanket the city, especially at first. Even cities that already have 5G service have it only in particular neighborhoods.

For example, Denver has 5G only in the Potter Highlands Historic District, the Highland District, LoDo, the Central Business District, Capitol Hill and the Denver Tech Center. And those neighborhoods have caveats.

“Service will be concentrated in areas of Highlands, such as South of 37th between Tejon and Navajo Streets,” noted the Verizon website.

Verizon has also provided 5G service to 11 NFL stadiums, including the homes of the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. But even a stadium won’t have complete 5G coverage, Verizon noted.

“Service is concentrated in the lower seating area but could be available in other locations in and around the stadium as well,” according to the website.

Verizon has said it intends to announce a total of more than 30 cities by the end of the year. It isn’t clear, though, whether Boise will make that list. Several of the stadiums are in cities where Verizon hasn’t already announced service, including Baltimore; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Seattle.

photo of todd krautkremer
Todd Krautkremer

However, Krautkremer is hopeful.

“The fact that they’re getting to a secondary market like Boise is a sign overall that 5G is continuing to proliferate,” he said. “Boise overall is the type of market that players like Verizon find very interesting for 5G.”

The spotty coverage is a sign of both 5G’s advantages and disadvantages, Krautkremer said. Advantages of the new generation of wireless technology include higher speed and reduced latency.

“It’s like a six-lane freeway that’s very short,” he said. “With 5G, you practically need an antenna on every intersection to get the kind of coverage that’s required. That’s what makes the buildout take more time.”

Once 5G service is available in Boise, people will need a phone supporting 5G to take advantage of it. Only a few offer it now, and they’re pricey — on the order of $1,300.

Even Krautkremer doesn’t have one yet.

“We’re a pretty cost-conscious organization,” he said. “I could get a corporate phone, but that doesn’t run 5G.”

Once 5G is more broadly available, Cradlepoint is positioning itself to provide 5G service in businesses.

“Certainly in 2020 we will be introducing some products in that arena,” Krautkremer said.

Currently, Cradlepoint provides similar services using the existing 4G wireless network. Businesses such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, Redbox and Target use the company’s products. When the business’ wired internet connection fails, the Cradlepoint connection steps in and sets up connectivity over a 4G LTE link, Krautkremer said.

It’s going to take a long time – at least five years – for 5G to reach the same level of proliferation as 4G, Krautkremer said. However, until then, 4G and 5G will coexist. For large companies, such as some Cradlepoint customers with 1,500 locations, “you don’t have to wait for every site to have 5G to take advantage of it,” he said.

Catching up with Cradlepoint, as it forks into public safety

photo of cradlepoint router
Finding out that first responders were wiring Cradlepoint routers into vehicles themselves, the Boise company released it as a product. Photo courtesy of Cradlepoint

Cradlepoint, one of Boise’s most venerable startups, has created an arm focused on the company’s public sector and public safety products, geared toward first responders.

photo of estee woods
Estee Woods

While the public sector has been one of Cradlepoint’s four main markets for some time – the company makes mobile data network and wifi hardware and software – interest in public safety has ramped up recently, and not for a happy reason. Active shooter situations are among the primary drivers for the move, said Estee Woods, marketing director.

“Interoperability, and speed to resolution, is at the forefront,” she said.

Consequently, last year the company created a public sector and public safety team. The team has its own sales staff to focus on global public safety, which comprises about 30% of the company’s business overall.

“Within the last year, we’ve grown our customers by 200%,” Woods said.

Cradlepoint got involved in public safety through hacks by its first responder customers.

“Five years ago, our products weren’t really built for in-vehicle deployment,” Woods said.

Then, customers such as the Boise Police Department started wiring the company’s networking routers into police cars themselves, and Cradlepoint saw an opportunity, releasing an in-vehicle router in 2014, Woods said.

Now, Cradlepoint’s public safety products include routers with dual modems and dual Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards so one device can communicate with four different public safety carriers at once, including AT&T FirstNet, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular, Woods said.

That breadth of coverage is needed in rural Idaho, Woods said, noting that the Caldwell Fire Department covers 135 square miles.

“It’s not like the old days where they’d pull a book off the shelf and someone would navigate with a map,” she said. “Younger recruits don’t know how to use maps. They have tablets to look up where they’re going.”

Tablets also give first responders access to building plans and schematics, she added.

In addition, support for multiple public safety networks allows first responders to configure their networks to switch between them automatically based on performance.

“You can set routing protocols that say, ‘If network 1 degrades by 50%, go to network 2,’” Woods said. “We’re not a carrier, we’re a conduit.”

In emergencies, a first responder vehicle can even act as a wifi hotspot for other first responders, she said, describing one police car in Indiana that had 128 devices connected to it.

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Travis Spencer

Now, Cradlepoint has more than 3,000 public safety customers worldwide, across five continents, Woods said.  For example, Payette County switched to Cradlepoint equipment, said Travis Spencer, a paramedic in the Fruitland-based organization.

“A previous agency had Cradlepoint, so I had a little bit of experience with their product,” he said.

The product Payette was using wasn’t as efficient in heat and weather, while Cradlepoint could withstand those conditions, Spencer said.

The public safety sector will start being able to take advantage of 5G, the next generation of mobile data, which is also another of Cradlepoint’s product lines. 5G offers faster speed and lower latency because it has denser transmitters, typically in a city.

“You probably won’t see a mobile solution for public safety for a year or so,” Woods said.

Boise is starting to get Verizon 5G transmitters now but no carrier has announced service for Boise yet, let alone anywhere else in Idaho. A number of cities, though, either have 5G or have 5G service announced by at least one carrier. Such services are primarily available in the more densely populated cities, or what Woods calls “NFL cities.”

But unlike the transition to 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE), which is what most smartphones use now, 5G won’t supplant 4G entirely, Woods said.

“4G LTE solutions are going to be a backhaul to 5G as well,” she said. “They’re going to work together.”

5G comes one step closer to Boise

photo of small cell transmitter in Boise
Verizon has already begun installing small cell transmitters in Boise, such as this one at Bannock and 8th. Photo courtesy of Verizon.

While nobody has announced 5G mobile networks in Idaho yet, Ada County has taken a step that could bring them closer, by making it easier for mobile network providers to install the transmitters they need.

The ordinance, which was passed by the Ada County Board of Commissioners earlier this month, updates zoning regulations for communication towers, antennas and base units, said Brent Danielson, associate planner with Ada County Development Services. It covers the installation of “small cells,” which can be used by 5G mobile technology as well as current 4G technology. In addition to being smaller than current cell phone towers, they are also closer together and intended for an urban environment, he said.

“Distributed antenna systems, or ‘DAS’ networks, and other ‘small cell’ systems use components that are smaller structures,” Danielson said. “The small antennas work in conjunction with existing macrocell antennas. The macrocell antennas provide coverage to an area, and the DAS and small cell system increases the capacity and quality of service within the coverage area. The small cell covers a smaller area than the macrocell antennas and puts out a smaller radio frequency. The small cell systems will typically be located on light poles, traffic signal poles, utility poles, buildings and water tanks, etc.”

The goal of the ordinance is to define and simplify the process for reviewing small cell wireless facilities and DAS applications, Danielson said. It also provides general standards for small wireless support structures and small wireless facilities and specifies an application process.

“The big towers (macrocell) are still considered conditional uses and will require a conditional use application, while the small wireless facilities are deemed an accessory use and will require a zoning certificate prior to installation.”

For now, the small cells would be used only to improve the existing 4G service, said Steve Van Dinter, public relations manager for Verizon, which sponsored the ordinance change.

“The small cells in Boise will bring an immediate benefit to our customers as they will be 4G LTE,” he said. “Once deployed, they provide an immediate benefit to our 4G LTE customers, just like adding lanes to a highway. But having a densified network (meaning enough small cells in the community) paves the way for us to bring 5G in the future.”

Verizon is sponsoring similar legislation in a number of other cities and has been investing in small cell infrastructure since 2013, Van Dinter said.

“We’re working with forward-thinking communities across the country to modernize and streamline their processes to allow us to bring the latest technology — small cells— to market,” he said. “Boise is just one of many cities where we are adding small cells and densifying our network.”

The company has also sponsored similar legislation for other Ada County government entities, such as the Ada County Highway District, so that regulations would be consistent across the county, Danielson said. It is not clear whether Verizon is sponsoring similar legislation in any other Idaho county.

While 5G has not yet been announced for Boise, by Verizon or anyone else, it may be coming soon. Verizon has opened a new store in southwest Boise, owned and operated by Victra. “5G will be available around 2019 after all stores go through a trial period with the faster speeds,” said Kelly Martin, a spokeswoman for the new store. “With the new store in Boise, locals will be able to test out 5G as soon as it’s available nationwide.”

5G is intended to be the next generation of mobile phone technology, offering faster speeds and less latency than the existing 4G service. While it is intended primarily for the urban environment, it may also become available over a different wavelength that would make it suitable for use in rural areas as well, though it would be slower.

Verizon has announced 5G in five cities so far: Sacramento, Los Angeles, Houston, Indianapolis and Panama City.

Waiting for 5G? Don’t hold your breath

The next generation of cellphone service is intended to provide speeds 20 times faster than what we have now. It also is expected to reduce the latency that makes videoconferencing so difficult, and to have almost unlimited capacity. It’s called 5G.

And there’s no idea when Idaho will get it. Rural Idaho may not get it at all.

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Lindsay Notwell

“5G sets out to solve all the problems we discovered with 4G,” said Lindsay Notwell, senior vice president of 5G strategy and global carrier operations for Cradlepoint, based in Boise. In the same way that 4G technology let cellphones run applications, 5G will support a new family of applications, such as self-driving cars and other Internet of Things devices communicating using 5G technology and remote healthcare with videoconferencing, he said.

While 5G testing shows results of up to 32 gigabits per second, that’s in a lab setting under perfect conditions, Notwell said. “Realistically, what I believe you’ll see is half a gig per user without breaking a sweat,” he predicted. In comparison, 4G provides download speeds between 5 and 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds between 2 and 5 Mbps, according to Verizon

To be clear, nobody is getting true 5G anytime soon. While all of the major carriers have announced that they intend to support 5G, the technical specification isn’t completely done yet. Consequently, cellphones supporting 5G aren’t likely to come out before 2019 or 2020.

But like existing cellphone service, 5G requires infrastructure. It uses a different type of infrastructure from that used by the existing 4G. Instead of gigantic towers, 5G is built to use small cells — much smaller boxes that are much closer together, such as on utility and light poles. The Federal Communications Commission voted on March 22 to make installing small cells easier, and several states – though not Idaho – have also passed laws taking away cities’ ability to slow down 5G implementation. Cities most likely to get 5G first are the ones that make it easiest to install the infrastructure, such as Sacramento, Notwell said.

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Peter Rysavy

“You won’t see a nationwide footprint of small cells for five years,” predicted Peter Rysavy, president of Rysavy Research, in Hood River, Oregon. “It’ll be a five to ten year process to get out the million-plus small cells that we’re going to need.”

The four major carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon – have all committed to supporting 5G, but none would make any commitments about when and where. “We will see commercial launches in 2018,” Notwell predicted. “Both AT&T and Verizon are in a death match to be first.”

The carrier most likely to provide 5g to Idaho first? T-Mobile. “Their stated intention is to light up the nation,” Notwell said. “That will include Idaho.” While that might happen in 2018, 2019 is more likely, he said.

But for rural areas? Not so much. The fact that 5G typically requires the small cells closer together also makes it less likely, not more, that rural Idaho will be able to take part in the 5G revolution.

“5G is really focused on improvements in wireless for the urban environment,” said Christopher Mitchell, director of community broadband networks for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a 44-year-old Minneapolis nonprofit focused on community development policies. “There are a lot of lobbyists pretending that 5G will solve rural problems. If you do not have good wireless today, 5G is not going to be much better.”

There is one way in which rural Idaho might be able to take advantage of 5G – eventually. While most 5G is expected to travel over very short waves, some carriers might offer 5G over much longer waves as well (see box). While the short waves used in cities can be stopped by something as simple as a leaf, the long waves can travel much further without interference.

T-Mobile, in particular, has been purchasing access to spectrum – not just in metropolitan areas such as Boise and Twin Falls, but also in places like Swan Valley, near the corner of the state closest to Jackson. Then again, T-Mobile might have acquired spectrum in that region just for testing or for providing better 4G service in that area, said Brian Goemmer, president of AllNet Insights & Analytics, a Seattle consultancy. A T-Mobile spokesman who asked not to be named said that the lower spectrum could be used as a basis for providing 5G – including in rural areas – by 2020.

The other problem with 5G? Because the waves are so short, not only can they be stopped by something as simple as a leaf, but they aren’t so good at going through buildings, either. If you have to cuddle up to a window in your office now to be able to use your cellphone, that’s even more likely with 5G. This is where Cradlepoint comes in: it hopes to sell boxes that help transmit the signals within buildings, Notwell said.

Finally, there’s the question of price. Will it be affordable? “That’s the million-dollar question,” Notwell said. “Pricing is always one of the last things.”

The nerdy part of 5G

What makes 5G so much faster? Part of it is that the frequency is so much faster, with much smaller waves. Moreover, with so many more small-cell transmitters, fewer people will be sharing a single one. “A wireless access point will only be shared by tens or hundreds of devices, rather than thousands,” said Christopher Mitchell, director of community broadband networks for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a 44-year-old Minneapolis nonprofit focused on community development policies.. “The whole point of 5G is to reduce the number of people sharing.”

But there is another option. Some carriers are looking at using 5G over other frequencies, such as 600 MHz and 800 MHz. “T-Mobile won an auction last year for $8 billion on the 600 MHz frequency,” said Lindsay Notwell, senior vice president of 5G strategy and global carrier operations for Cradlepoint. “That’s where the old UHF television stations were.” And when using 800 MHz spectrum, transmitters can be up to 35 miles apart from each other, and are much less subject to interference. “They may not be super super fast – not fiber-like speeds you might get in the urban core – but they’d still be plenty fast, a couple of hundred megabits per second,” he said.

“If you could get analog television, you could get this,” Mitchell said.

Some people also worry that, because the waves used by 5G are so short, they could cause more damage to people. While testing of radiofrequency radiation released earlier this year from the National Toxicology Program showed increased tumors in male rats, those tests used 2G frequencies and didn’t cover the spectrum to be used by 5G, so it’s not clear whether 5G would be more or less dangerous.