AT&T, Verizon, and T-Cellular 5G testing with 70,000 pals

Final week, when the nice people at AT&T invited me to return all the way down to New Orleans and take a look at one among their catastrophe restoration websites, in addition they included slightly perk: The prospect to attend the NCAA Males’s Faculty Basketball Championship sport. Personally, I’m not a basketball fan, and even much less so a university sports activities fan, however I did see a chance. 5G carries loads of guarantees, which embody elevated velocity and decrease latency. That’s nice, however the third pillar of 5G greatness — bandwidth — has by no means manifested itself for me.

I’ve been carrying 5G telephones because the first U.S. 5G community was inbuilt my hometown of Chicago. Since then, I’ve been to baseball video games, live shows, and theme parks, and the identical factor all the time occurs. My smartphone primarily turns into a paperweight, except I’ve had the forethought to obtain podcast episodes beforehand.

So, when AT&T advised me I’d be sitting in a room with 70,000 of my closest pals, I eagerly jumped on the likelihood to see the place issues stand in 2022. In my suitcase to New Orleans, I packed three Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultras, one every for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Cellular. Two of the S22 Ultras have been unlocked evaluate samples offered by Samsung and AT&T respectively. The third was my private T-Cellular branded S22 Extremely that I bought on launch day.

In the course of the sport, I took all three telephones and roamed the world, from the seats on the ground (thanks AT&T) all the way in which to the nose-bleeds in part 645. I circled the complete enviornment throughout the course of and coated about as a lot floor as one fats man with a nasty knee can cowl within the area of a 40-minute sport (basketball video games have halves, not quarters — who knew?)

So, let’s discuss concerning the journey.

Flooring stage

I began my journey on the ground on the superb seats AT&T offered me. Particularly, I sat in row 24 of the ground. I couldn’t see the divots on the basketball, however it was shut. I questioned what 5G can be like there within the coronary heart of the motion.

That’s a tremendous obtain velocity for AT&T, however the add velocity isn’t nice. T-Cellular and Verizon are mainly no-shows right here. So, I made a decision to hunt 5G elsewhere.

200 stage, KU aspect

I made my approach again to the concourse and headed counter-clockwise for no explicit purpose. I wandered over to the doorway to the not-really-floor, not-really-mezzanine part of the stadium. From right here, you couldn’t see a few third of the sport. I’m wondering if there’s something on Netflix!

Properly, if you happen to’re on AT&T, you’re good to go. Verizon had a greater displaying right here, however not by a lot. T-Cellular nonetheless hasn’t proven up but. Possibly a map will assist us discover 5G.

300 Stage

I discovered a map of the stadium, which confirmed the place I used to be, however wouldn’t it present me the place all of the 5G was? The primary half was winding down, so I needed to begin hustling slightly bit.

Properly, hey T-Cellular! Glad you would be part of us! This was additionally the one place the place Verizon outshone AT&T, although each reported fairly good speeds, all issues thought of. Spoiler alert: T-Cellular would languish within the single digits the complete evening, so don’t get your hopes up.

400 stage

I used to be a few quarter of the way in which across the stadium, and I got here throughout a surprisingly empty bar space. I thought of kicking again and having a chilly one, however I had work to do. Complimentary beads have been in every single place, so I donned a couple of earlier than operating my subsequent exams.

AT&T and Verizon have been on fairly equal footing right here, with T-Cellular nonetheless lagging behind. Possibly the issue is I wasn’t excessive sufficient. That should be it, so I leapfrogged the opposite ranges and went straight to the highest!

600 stage

Approach up right here within the 600 stage, I obtained to soak up a part of the half-time present and treatment a little bit of my acrophobia, which is a pleasant bonus. I sat as excessive as I may with my again in opposition to the surface wall to see if that may assist. For one firm, it did.

Holy Toledo! AT&T actually did 100 occasions higher than its two opponents. That’s stunning. I believed the rafters can be the plain place to place 5G antennas, and subsequently, being near them would assist. That was not the case in any respect. Possibly it’s time to move again down then.

500 stage, North Carolina aspect

I used to be on my approach again down, and about two-thirds of my approach across the Superdome, once I unintentionally stole somebody’s seat to run a fast check on the balcony overlooking the courtroom. He obtained again earlier than I used to be completed, however he was good sufficient to let me end my final check.

It appears Verizon and T-Cellular don’t like heights any greater than I do. AT&T nonetheless appears fairly snug although, in order that’s good to know.

300 stage

Lastly, I arrived at my final cease on my approach again to my seat. I used to be on the 300 stage about three-quarters of the way in which across the stadium in an outer midway. This a part of the  300 stage is reserved for suites, and regardless of my greatest efforts, they wouldn’t let me in. I needed to strive.

As soon as once more, AT&T and Verizon discovered themselves on equal footing, and as soon as once more, T-Cellular didn’t actually present up. That’s disappointing. I returned to my seat on the ground stage simply in time to see Kansas College tie up the sport and pull forward. It was fairly thrilling. I made a decision to run one final check. I fired up Netflix and tried downloading the entire season of The Final Dance from Netflix. AT&T managed the feat in 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Verizon and T-Cellular didn’t transfer the needle.

For reference, I took pictures of my velocity exams that you just’re welcome to peruse under.

Conclusions