AT&T launches 5G Evolution, to usher in the “next generation of faster speeds”

AT&T claims to be paving ''the way for the next generation of faster speeds'' with something called 5G Evolution, which is actually not the much hyped successor to 4G, according to Gizmodo, which said it was only a re-branded 4G offering.

The roll out will start in certain parts of Austin, Texas, and only work with Samsung Galaxy S8 devices. AT&T also promised to offer the new service in 20 metro areas by the end of the year. The company had also promised that that 5G Evolution would offer speeds ''up to twice as fast'' as 4G LTE connections on its network. However, there was a warning with the claim that said the press release contained ''forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially.''

According to Gizmodo's Michael Nunez, 5G networks depended on an entirely different type of technology than 4G or 4G LTE, which was partly the reason why it had been so difficult for telecom companies to set up new 5G networks.

AT&T customers with a Samsung Galaxy S8 who happened to live in one of the same neighbourhoods where AT&T was offering 5G Evolution would see their phone get a bit faster soon. But users elsewhere in the US will not be missing out on a new lightning fast 5G network.

Meanwhile, the carrier announced that Samsung's new Galaxy S8 and S8+ will have access to faster speeds on AT&T's network across more than 20 cities by the end of the year.

Users in the cities using a compatible device, could see improvements like reduced lag while playing internet-connected mobile games and less buffering for streaming video.

However, like other carriers, AT&T was also working on building and testing a true 5G network.