AT&T Won't Allow Older Phones To Access Its Mid-Band 5G Network - InvestingChannel

AT&T Won’t Allow Older Phones To Access Its Mid-Band 5G Network

%ATT ($T) says it won’t allow older %Smartphones to access its new 3.45GHz mid-band fifth generation %5GWirelessNetwork.

The news is a reversal from AT&T’s earlier promise to enable older devices to access all of its 5G networks.

AT&T had previously said that older devices such as the iPhone 12 and Google Pixel 6 would be able to use its mid-band 5G spectrum.

AT&T spent more than $9 billion U.S. acquiring the 3.45GHz mid-band 5G spectrum, which it plans to deploy to better compete against rivals %TMobile ($TMUS) and %Verizon ($VZ).

But now, AT&T is saying that capability will be limited to 2022 or newer smartphones and other internet-connected devices.

People with older 5G phones and tablets will no longer be receiving updates or be able to connect to AT&T’s complete 5G network, the company said.

Devices that will work on AT&T’s brand-new mid-band 5G network include Samsung’s Galaxy S22, iPhone 14, and Netgear’s Nighthawk M6.

Older devices will still be able to connect to AT&T’s other 5G networks, including its C-band system. But the carrier is planning to use both 3.45GHz and C-band to create a stronger mid-band network nationwide in the U.S.

AT&T sells a variety of 5G smartphones, including the iPhone and Google Pixel lines, and continues to offer them on 36-month installment plans.

AT&T’s stock is down 13% this year and trading at $16.77 U.S. per share.

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