AT&T is not often praised for its 5G rollout strategy by industry pundits and analysts closely following the evolution of the nation's top mobile networks, but the carrier is definitely stepping things up while continuing to shine when it comes to average download speeds thanks primarily to a blazing fast 4G LTE signal.
That's because the newest 5G-enabled device scheduled to be added to AT&T's product portfolio on Friday, September 18, is a good old fashioned mobile hotspot rather than a "modern" smartphone. Of course, the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro easily stands out from the crowd with both 5G and 5G+ support, as well as a super-advanced Snapdragon X55 modem under the hood, a large 5,040mAh battery, and a far from affordable $509.99 retail price.
For what it's worth, you will obviously be able to split that in 30 monthly payments of $17 a pop with 0 percent APR, which doesn't change the fact that this bad boy is significantly costlier than the $250 Nighthawk LTE model.
Technically, the Nighthawk 5G Pro's predecessor is a non-Pro 5G variant originally priced at around 500 bucks as well, but curiously enough, that particular hotspot was never released widely by AT&T, mainly targeting the operator's business customers. That thing also supported mmWave 5G technology only, which is the fastest and most restrictive flavor of 5G out there.
Dubbed 5G+ for marketing purposes by the third-largest wireless service provider stateside, this is currently available in small "parts of 35 cities across the country", unlike the "regular" nationwide 5G network built on the same kind of low-band spectrum also used by T-Mobile to blanket the US with a cellular signal that's barely faster than a traditional LTE connection at the moment.
Apart from 5G and 5G+ capabilities, the AT&T-exclusive Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro has Wi-Fi 6 connectivity going for it too. Believe it or not, you can use this thing to connect up to 32 devices, phones, tablets, and laptops included, to the Internet at once. And in addition to the generous aforementioned battery, the feature-packed hotspot can also hug a wall thanks to a bundled quick charge power adapter. Oh, and the device even comes with its own touchscreen.
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The only problem is AT&T's wireless plans don't include a lot of hotspot data, capping off at 30 gigs per line if you're willing to pay $85 and up for the Unlimited Elite option.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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