This is Verizon's first 5G smartphone

[RV_]

Hey! I was waiting for the Moto z# droid to start to drop in price and now the mid range phone will likely increase in price! Well, no matter I am buying one eventually as I have the Moto Z Droid PLay and bought the mods for the Audio -JBL stereo speakers, Video - The Mot mod projector, as well as the extended battery/charger back cover. All of which will work on the Z3.

Excerpt:

"Verizon's first 5G smartphone didn't start out as a 5G device. But that's what it'll be once the wireless carrier formally launches its next-generation mobile service. 

The first smartphone will be Motorola's Moto Z3, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg confirmed in an interview backstage at the CES 2019 keynote presentation area on Monday. But the catch? It originally launched in August as a 4G phone with the option of a Moto Mod attachment that would eventually give it a 5G capability. 

As it turns out, the 5G Moto Mod will make the Moto Z3 the inaugural phone once Verizon turns on its mobile 5G service. A Samsung smartphone teased by Verizon and Qualcomm at the Snapdragon Tech Summit last month will be the second device. And while AT&T and Sprint have both said they will carry the Samsung phone too, Vestberg reaffirmed that it has an exclusive deal. That indicates the Samsung phone will likely come to Verizon first for an exclusive period before moving on to the other carriers. "

Much more in the CNET article here: Moto Z3

[LindaH]

I've just had a discussion with Verizon about this phone.  It is not 5G all by itself...it requires an attachment.  As far as I could determine from the agent, it fits on the back of the phone and makes it thicker.  That would seem to mean to me that the attachment would preclude me being able to use a cover for the phone.  I currently use an Abacus cover that opens up like a book.  I really like this cover because it protects the screen (I have a Samsung phone with the curved screen which makes it difficult to put a screen protector on it...plus I don't really like the curved screen). 

Do you know if there's any information out there about the Samsung 5G phone that they'll be coming out with?   

[mkc]

Ignore 5G for now

...5G relies on millimeter-wave signals which can't travel as far as those we use for today's 4G networks, so a 5G network requires a greater number of access points. Wireless carriers would need to invest in an entirely new infrastructure in order to roll out true 5G to their customers with any degree of consistency.

Carriers looking to buy themselves the time needed to build that network have been falling back on grand promises, and some muddled messaging about how their new "5G" offerings will take shape....

 

What is 5G?

...Although 5G will undoubtedly change the way we interact with each other and consume media, the change won’t happen overnight. It will be years before 5G is up and running smoothly across the U.S. While it’s ultimately a personal decision, it may be wise to hold off on buying a 5G handset in early 2019. In addition to the fact that coverage will likely be very spotty, the hardware will also be first-gen. With the exception of a phone AT&T plans to release at the end of 2019, most of the 5G smartphones that will come in early 2019 will likely have single-band 5G support.

Telecom giant Ericsson makes a good argument for waiting on a 5G smartphone. It reports a second generation of 5G chipsets will be announced by the end of 2019, featuring enhanced architecture and lower power consumption.

 

[LindaH]

Thanks for that information!  I don't like the idea of having an attachment on a phone in order to make it 5G, so I'll just wait until it's more advanced and the system is actually up and running.

My main concern with any phone is being able to access a useable signal most every place we travel...even now, there are areas where we can't get a signal.  Sounds like it would be more problematic with 5G.

[RV_]

Linda,

I already have these three, and two of the wireless charging mods one each:

Moto insta-share projector: https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-mods/moto-insta-share-projector

JBL https://support.motorola.com/us/en/products/moto-mods/jbl-soundboost-speaker/documents/MS111798

https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-mods/incipio-offgrid-power-pack

I think everyone will have thicker phones because of the larger antennas that wants 5G. Here's a great article about why our phones will be bigger: https://www.androidauthority.com/moto-z3-problem-5g-892055/

I have a case with my mods in it so they are not on the phones except when needed. They have slim style backs or you can just have the glass back and front exposed. We use bumper cases around the aluminum edges so the magnetic (very strong magnets) style shell or mods can snap on and off without having to struggle with removing the case.

Remember when the most expensive phones were the tiniest? Then they got thinner but with larger screens? Now we'll see thick as stylish because they are the premium phones of 2019.

The Moto Mods fit all the Moto Z Droid phones from my first generation Z Play, to the new Z3. So we aren't in a hurry either. And I bought them all like new pre-owned. When someone sells or breaks their phone, if they go to any other phone the mods are worthless.

It will be interesting to see what actually comes of 5G.

[LindaH]

I think I'll be waiting for quite awhile before I buy a 5G phone.  According to all the articles I've read so far, including the above by MKC, 5G will require extensive infrastructure upgrades since the 5G signal doesn't travel as far as 4G...and that could take several years. 

If we stayed in one place 12 months of the year with a good 5G signal, that would be one thing, but we don't.  As I mentioned above, we still run into areas in our travels where we either have no signal, 3G, or even 1X.  I can see where getting a 5G signal in our travels would be even worse for coverage.

[Carlos]

5G devices can still operate on the existing networks also.  Coverage options increase without a penalty.  And 5G doesn't JUST use the higher frequencies, it also works in 600 MHz which has better penetration and range.  It's the best of all worlds combined.  Verizon has 5G licenses from 600 MHz to 86 GHz.

 

[Ray,IN]

Verizon connects MotoZ smartphone to 5G network.https://www.zdnet.com/article/verizon-connects-smartphone-to-5g-network/

[mkc]

On 1/12/2019 at 11:11 AM, Carlos said:

5G devices can still operate on the existing networks also.  

 

True, but basically there is no rush to jump to a 5G phone at this point - the networks aren't there, won't be widespread for years, and the actual specifications haven't been finalized by all the players.

Since this is an RV forum, from an RVer perspective this is a "wait for larger deployment" situation.  

 

[RV_]

As I said, since I already have all the mods, and was planning on upgrading my Moto Z Droid Play to the Moto Z3 Droid play anyway, this announcement came as a pleasant surprise.

I have no need of the 5G until I am in an area where it is used. I will have the Z3 until then.

Like my battery Moto Mod, and projector Moto Mod, I only use it when I need it. I really am not all that and two bags of chips about the JBL original SoundBoost. I have Bose SoundLink and Oontz Ultra Bluetooth speakers I much prefer. I have a little case for all the Mods and the Bluetooth speaker with which I travel.