5G has angry beginnings in the United States

The beginnings of 5G are far from peaceful in the United States. If operators compete for ads in their race to cover, the public is often disappointed, the network is sometimes accessible only in a neighborhood or a few streets, and compatible phones are rare.

Officially, thirty cities already have a network: most major cities like New York or Los Angeles, but also test cities like Chicago and Minneapolis, chosen by Verizon to be its first cities covered, at the beginning of the year .

5G has generated enthusiasm in the United States, where flows remain very uneven on the territory. It promises to be 30 times faster than fourth-generation networks and ten times more than an average American connection at home. A two-hour movie, for example, can be
downloaded in about ten seconds

   .

Apple, the key market?

The four major American operators are now launched into the race. It is estimated that by next year, they will have invested $ 100 billion in updating their networks. AT & T was the first to unveil its commercial offers and now offers services in twenty cities.

The goal is to offer national "5G" subscriptions in the first half of 2020. Verizon is not left with a dozen cities covered and subscription extensions at $ 10 per month for access to the 5G. The merger between T-Mobile and Sprint,
longer to be finalized than planned

   , has delayed both operators, but Sprint has just launched its counterattack, bringing to nine the number of cities covered by its offer.

However, most of these networks remain virtual: the number of compatible phones can be counted on one hand, and only Verizon offers models for the general public. At AT & T, for example, you need a professional account to access it.

It will probably take a year to see the market take off: the new generation of iPhone, which will be presented next week, should not be compatible. Not to mention that the AT & T network is not yet a "real 5G", but a 5Ge, which is closer to an improved version of 4G … The first consumer feedback and tests of the trade press are therefore far from being dithyrambic.

Safety and health

This is not the only concern of operators. In recent weeks, they must also face the sling of some associations and local communities, who oppose the installation of antennas 5G, for health reasons. The grumbling was born in California but spread from New York state to New Hampshire. US authorities stepped up to deny any danger, but that did not stop four states from proposing laws requiring additional studies.

Above all, the development of 5G could be curbed in the United States by security considerations. "The main driver of global 5G growth will be the arrival of cheap Chinese hardware Recently mentioned a report by IDC. However, Washington blocks any attempt by Huawei and ZTE to penetrate its home market on 5G and would even consider
extend the ban to any material made in China

   . For a while, some local authorities have had to find other solutions.