Verizon may have been the world’s first major carrier to launch a commercial 5G network, but a new report suggests that its 5G Home service isn’t practically scalable — its short-range 5G “small cells” are expensive to install, reach too few customers, and might not be economically feasible for a nationwide rollout.
That’s the harsh conclusion of research analysts at MoffettNathanson (via MultiChannel), whose “Peek Behind the Curtain of Verizon’s 5G Rollout” report and followup conference call today questioned whether the carrier will be able to scale and make money on its fixed 5G network. The researchers focused on findings in Sacramento, one of the first 5G cities, roughly six months after Verizon launched 5G Home there.