• by Sara Guaglione , February 25, 2019

PCMaghas created a new hub to track the top four wireless carriers’ “Race to 5G.” Intel is the launch sponsor.

“5G is the next generation of wireless networks. It's not just faster — lower latency and more flexibility mean it could start an era of augmented reality, self-driving vehicles, and other applications we haven't dreamed of yet. It's going to take years to realize 5G's potential,” reads the landing page’s description.

According to a post on the "Race to 5G" hub by Sascha Segan, PCMag.com’s lead mobile analyst, the impact of 5G is best understood by looking at how 3G and 4G "transformed society."

Over the next two years, PCMag.com will update the hub monthly with data on the telecoms companies’ move to adopt 5G from the current 4G system, based on coverage, device availability and speed.

PCMag is tracking AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

“There is a ton of misinformation in the 5G space and it is only going to get worse as competition heats up," Dan Costa, editor-in-chief of PCMag and senior vice president of content of parent Ziff Davis, told Publishers Daily. "We wanted a way for consumers and businesses to know how fast 5G is and exactly where it is being rolled out."

PCMag will follow the rollout "until the entire nation has 5G coverage," Costa added. 

PCMag.com will give points to each carrier that makes strides in the move to 5G: One point for each 5 million covered. Three points for each device model launched and points for download speeds and low latency.

So far, AT&T and Verizon are tied, with three points in the “devices” category. AT&T is testing a Netgear Nighthawk 5G mobile hotspot with a limited release. Samsung recently announced its Galaxy S10 5G phone will be available for all four US carriers, starting with Verizon, in the second quarter.

The hub also offers links to available 5G products, as well as the latest PCMag news and reviews on 5G, such as “Sprint shows the first real 5G coverage maps” and a link to the Netgear Nighthawk 5G.

Costa said PCMag's data-driven journalism and testing experience "help our readers make better purchase decisions."