COMMUNICATIONS

AT&T will roll out its fifthgeneration network to customers in a dozen U.S. markets later this year.

The Dallas-based company announced Thursday that it expects to be the first U.S. company to widely offer mobile 5G service. The company said it will launch the next-generation network and a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, that’s designed for it by the end of 2018.

But the announcement was light on specifics. AT&T did not name the U.S. markets or describe the new mobile device.

The announcement is AT&T’s latest move as it races toward 5G with all major U.S. carriers. The much-awaited network will support the speed, reliability and bandwidth that’s needed for popular and emerging technologies, from smartphones to virtual reality and self-driving cars.

Verizon announced it will launch 5G in three to five U.S. markets in 2018, starting with Sacramento, Calif. Sprint will roll out 5G by the end of 2019.

And T-Mobile will begin offering 5G in 2019, with nationwide coverage by 2020.

AT&T has had 5G trials across the country, including some in Austin and Waco.

Many of them have focused on a fixed wireless application of 5G — super-fast internet that’s delivered to a designated area through the air instead of fiber that’s laid in the ground. In Austin, it tested 5G at an Intel building, a car wash, a church and residential apartments.

AT&T is also testing 5G fixed wireless at Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco.

The retail complex, started by HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, has become a busy tourist destination and draws about 5,000 visitors each day.

Gordon Mansfield, AT&T’s vice president of network architecture and device design, said the announcement shows AT&T is focused on mobile uses of 5G, not just fixed wireless applications. He called 5G “the next building block on the work we are doing.”

3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, an international industry group, has already set some of the 5G standards for equipment.

Common standards ensure all companies’ smartphones and network equipment work together.

The Olympics have also pushed the pace of 5G development.

South Korea and Japan, the hosts in winter 2018 and summer 2020, respectively, want to use the global games as a showcase for 5G.

It’s expected to make a big splash at the Pyeongchang Olympics next month.

AT&T’s announcement sends a signal to employees, investors and customers about its ambitions, said Roger Entner, founder and lead analyst of Recon Analytics. He said AT&T may be fueled by years of playing catch-up to Verizon’s network. Verizon beat out other carriers in building earlier generation networks.

“AT&T said, ‘We’ve seen this movie before and we know how it ends. Let’s not repeat this for 5G,’” he said.

5G will lead to a wave of new smartphones, tablets and other 5G-compatible devices.

Entner said he anticipates AT&T’s new 5G-compatible device will be a smartphone made by Samsung, HTC or LG that launches this fall.

“You need a network and a device for someone to walk out of a store and be amazed by the experience they have,” he said.

Etner said Apple will probably follow with an iPhone for 5G in fall 2019.

Twitter: @melissa_repko