AT&T provides 5G coverage through low-band, mid-band, and high-band spectrums[1][2]. AT&T's 5G network uses these three components to create a reliable mobile network, especially in rural areas[1].
Types of 5G coverage:
* Low-band: AT&T's low-band 5G network operates at 850MHz, providing coverage to over 300 million people across more than 26,100 cities in the United States[1][3]. It utilizes Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), re-using spectrum currently used for 4G, for both 4G and 5G access[1]. Speeds are similar to that of LTE[1].
* Mid-band: The mid-band 5G spectrum, similar to Verizon's C-band, operates primarily around 3.7GHz[1]. As of today, the mid-band spectrum covers over 230 million people across the United States[1].
* High-band (mmWave): AT&T's mmWave technology uses a high-frequency spectrum above 24GHz, allowing for very fast speeds and high capacity[1]. It is available in densely populated cities and high-traffic areas like stadiums and airports[2][3].
To access AT&T's 5G or 5G+ networks, you need to be in a 5G area and have a 5G-compatible device[2][8]. All of AT&T's unlimited plans include 5G access via nationwide, mid-band, and mmWave spectrums[1].
AT&T 5G covers 43.3% of the U.S[4]. However, the company's network is generally slower than T-Mobile's network[4]. According to data from a crowdsourced speed test map, AT&T's median download speeds are 61.17 Mbps, while T-Mobile's median download speeds are 152.34 Mbps[4].
Citations:
[1] https://www.androidcentral.com/5g-att-wireless
[2] https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/blog/att-5g-network-bands-coverage-5g-vs-5g-plans-and-more/
[3] https://about.att.com/pages/5g-plus.html
[4] https://coveragemap.com/coverage-map/att
[5] https://www.highspeedinternet.com/providers/5g/att
[6] https://www.att.com/5g/coverage-map/
[7] https://www.att.com/wireless/what-is-5g/
[8] https://www.att.com/wireless/5g-cell-phone-wireless-service