AT&T Enhances 5G Network with New Spectrum Frequency

AT&T has made a significant leap in its 5G network performance with the recent acquisition of $23 billion in spectrum licenses from EchoStar. This strategic move has introduced new midband frequencies to the network, boosting performance across the continental United States.

According to the report from CNET, subscribers with a 5G capable phone or an AT&T Internet Air home internet plan are starting to experience remarkable increases in speed. Customer download speeds can rise by as much as 80% in upgraded spectrum areas, while AT&T Internet Air users are seeing improvements of up to 55%.

This enhanced capacity opens up new possibilities for activities that require high data throughput, such as gaming and streaming, and it is particularly beneficial for rural customers who lack access to traditional home fiber internet options.

Notably, the upgrade has been implemented without a price increase for existing customers. This contrasts with Verizon and T-Mobile, who have set price locks for their customers in the coming years. The report indicates that the expanded spectrum also improves AT&T's internal operations, making the network more efficient and reducing the need for new cellular towers.

This development is expected to encourage subscribers to utilize both mobile and home internet services. Additionally, the upgrade enhances the capabilities of AT&T’s FirstNet program, which guarantees communication for first responders during capacity-restricted situations like natural disasters.

Over a period of a few weeks, AT&T has deployed hardware to 23,000 cell sites, enabling the midband 3.45 GHz spectrum across more than 5,300 cities in 48 states. Midband frequencies are particularly significant because they strike a balance between speed and coverage, offering faster speeds than low-band signals while maintaining broader coverage than high-speed millimeter-wave signals.

For customers, this means more consistent and faster network access. AT&T users will notice the designation '5G+' in their status bar when connected to a millimeter wave or midband network, and '5G' in low-band areas.

In a practical example from Seattle, an AT&T-connected phone achieved download speeds nearing 500Mbps and upload speeds around 80Mbps, comparable to many home internet services. This performance is not only impressive but also reflects the potential of the upgraded AT&T infrastructure to meet the rising demand for high-speed telecommunications.