Chicago and Minneapolis turn on 5G as San Diego lays groundwork

Telecommunications company Verizon has switched on its 5G network in select areas of Minneapolis and Chicago.

Customers of the company can access the network using a Verizon 5G-enabled smartphone–touted as the world’s first to be made commercially available. Users can expect download speeds of 450 Mbps, with peak speeds of nearly 1 Gbps, and latency of less than 30 milliseconds.

In Chicago, 5G coverage is concentrated in areas around landmarks like Union Station, Willis Tower, The Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park and the Chicago Theatre. In Minneapolis the coverage is provided in parts of the downtown area.

The company announced plans in February to launch its 5G service in...