Verizon is positioning itself to be the first U.S. carrier to offer 5G service, and its first set of customers will be in Chicago.
Verizon announced Wednesday that its 5G network will launch on April 11 in Chicago and Minneapolis. The service will cost $10 extra per month on top of its existing data plans.
However, there's a catch. To take advantage of Verizon's 5G next month you have to own a Moto Z3 and attach a 5G Moto Mod, which Verizon is currently offering for $50. Motorola's Moto Mods feature is a modular phone concept that allows customers to attach additional hardware to your smartphone---like a speaker or an extended battery.
The 5G Moto Mod was developed at Motorola's Chicago headquarters in the Merchandise Mart.
The reason the service is available first via a Moto Mod attachment is that there are currently no 5G compatible phones on the market. But other 5G capable phones, like Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G and LG’s V50 ThinQ, are expected to launch later this year.
The news comes as the race for true 5G service heats up across U.S. carriers. Sprint said it plans to offer 5G service starting in May, beginning in Chicago and three other cities. AT&T has made 5G service available to hot spot devices in 12 cities, and T-Mobile announced it plans to begin initial 5G service this year.
In Chicago, Verizon's 5G rollout will cover just a portion of the city. It will be available in the Loop, River North, Gold Coast, Old Town and along the Magnificent Mile.
