US mobile giant Sprint intends to introduce the ‘first mobile 5G smartphone in the US’ in the first half of 2019, alongside LG Electronics USA. Dr. John Saw, Sprint’s CTO, commented: ‘Sprint is moving fast on the road to 5G and we are thrilled to announce the first 5G smartphone with the innovative team at LG. LG has done tremendous work developing technical designs that enable us to be among the first movers in mobile 5G.’ Device specifications and the exact timing of the launch will be announced in due course, Sprint notes.
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, Sprint named Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington DC as its initial wave of 5G markets, as it seeks to launch commercial 5G services in the first half of 2019. Subsequent target markets will include New York City; Arizona’s largest city, Phoenix; and Sprint’s hometown of Kansas City.