It is becoming one of those technological advancements that gains more hype with each passing month. There is no doubt that we are going to get better internet performance when 5G networks are matured. But it does appear that such a moment is coming sooner than later. Companies in the United States are already building their 5G networks in major cities, while mobile phone companies are ready to launch 5G phones.

Samsung and 5G

The latest flagships from Samsung will be the S10 lineup. While it does appear that most of those phones will NOT have 5G, the company is said to be launching a special 5G version of the S10. It will be available around the world, with either the Qualcomm X50 5G modem or Samsung’s own Exynos 5100 modem.

It is big news for anyone who is living in an area where 5G is promised in the coming year. And it seems as though Samsung is promising that 5G will be available on Verizon by June, through this high end S10 device.

What is unclear is whether the special version of the S10 would be available unlocked or through other carriers in the United States. It would be possible for Americans to buy the international version that will be up for sale in other countries, but that would be a workaround that not everyone enjoys.

When is 5G Arriving?

Many people are wondering when 5G will be mainstream. And the answer is that it depends heavily on where you live. Major networks such as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have already said they are working on their 5G infrastructure.

These companies have put out press releases indicating the cities where they will have 5G active by 2019 or 2020. If you see your city in the lists, then you will know that 5G is happening very soon in your area. And you may want to make sure that your next phone has a 5G modem.

But if you do not live in those major cities and you do not plan to move there – you are not in any rush to get a new phone that will have 5G capability. It is likely that you will not see a mature 5G network in your area until late 2020 or even 2021, as these things can take a lot of time.

Customers should also remember that when we went from 3G to 4G, there were some growing pains. Phones had very poor battery life due to the 4G signal they had to grab through the modem and antennas. We are not sure if such issues will be present in the first 5G modems, but it is likely there will be some negative impact on battery life.

So should you be looking at the first 5G phones from Samsung, One Plus or other such companies? The answer is that it depends on your situation. If you live in an area where 5G is promised in the coming 12 to 18 months, then you may want the new phones. You will have much faster data speeds and lower latency.

But if you live in areas where 5G is not imminent, you can wait another generation or two of phones before desiring 5G compatibility.