The future of 5G is getting a lot cheaper. The new Samsung Galaxy A32 5G cleared the FCC with support for the upcoming C-band 5G networks from AT&T and Verizon, which promises a real plummet for C-band-compatible phone prices—from the current $699 to more like $300.
C-band, a range of frequencies that carriers just spent more than $80 billion on, promises to boost citywide 5G speeds on AT&T and Verizon into the stratosphere. Our recent test of CBRS 4G on Verizon, a technology similar to C-band 5G, showed speeds up to 815Mbps and range up to half a mile from a tower.
Until now, it's only been available on the Apple iPhone 12 series; Samsung's Galaxy S21 phones; the Pixel 5, and the LG Wing—none of which cost less than $699. But the FCC clearance for the Galaxy A32 with C-band (along with the rest of AT&T and Verizon's 4G bands) promises a flood of more affordable C-band phones coming between now and the fall.
FCC documents for a C-band-compatible Samsung Galaxy A42 5G, and C-band clearance for the Galaxy S21, also came through this week, but the A32 is the most interesting because it'll probably crop up at around $300. That will almost certainly become "free with a new line," pushing fast 5G (and CBRS 4G) into many more hands.
A version of the A32 5G is already out in other countries, but I'm not confident that the model we see here will be the same phone. The global A32 5G uses a MediaTek Dimensity 720 processor, and Samsung has a strong preference for using Qualcomm here in the US. As we've seen on the top-of-the-line S models, Samsung has no problem splitting processors across countries. Other features on the international mode include a 6.5-inch screen, 48-megapixel main camera with an ultra-wide camera but no zoom, and a big 5,000mAh battery.
C-band capabilities are pretty easy for manufacturers to put into phones, so they should become a lot more common pretty fast. The frequency is very similar to what European countries have been using for 5G; the logjam until now appears to have been FCC testing and clearance protocols.
Samsung is planning to announce various new A-series phones at 10 a.m. ET on March 17.