What Is 5G UW?

The term 5G UW is an acronym for 5G Ultra Wideband. This is the name Verizon has given its enhanced 5G coverage, which boasts faster speeds, lower latency, and better reliability than its standard 5G signal.

Each major carrier has a version of this faster kind of 5G, with a different name. AT&T has 5G+, and T-Mobile has UC (Ultra Capacity). In this article, we'll tell you what makes Verizon's 5G UW different, and explain how it relates to the kind of coverage you can expect.

What is 5G UW?

The "UW" in 5G UW stands for Ultra Wideband. This is specific to Verizon – it’s the company’s marketing term for their fastest 5G spectrum.

5G UW make use of millimeter wave (mmWave) technology for  faster data speeds and lower latency than standard 5G. With regular 5G, speeds can reach up to speeds five times faster than 4G, but 5G UW with mmWave networks can go even faster than that.

As long as your smartphone is equipped with 5G, you’ll be able to connect to a 5G or 5G UW tower where available. However, just because your phone is capable and there's a 5G or 5G UW symbol in the top corner of your screen doesn't mean you're on a 5G network. All it means is that you're in the vicinity of a 5G tower. While the carriers are required by law to display 5G availability in this way, they are not required to reveal your current connection. Wireless carriers are free to use their discretion to determine which cell tower to connect you to at any given time.

How 5G Ultra Wideband Works

As mentioned, 5G UW uses mmWave technology that relies on a higher band frequency. These high-frequency networks promise much better performance, but there are challenges to implement 5G UW on a massive scale.

The mmWave frequencies that 5G UW uses have a much shorter range than standard 5G. So, when this was first rolled out, it was difficult for customers to get their full capabilities. They needed to be inside the 5G UW coverage areas, which was often only in major cities.

Lower band frequencies travel much farther than mmWave, but the increased speed and performance made the shorter wave frequencies more ideal for users when available.

To expand their network, Verizon purchased C-Band frequencies from the FCC to enable greater customer coverage, expanding the network to over 1,700 cities and millions of customers as of 2023.

Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband Coverage

Verizon's 5G UW network is small, but growing fast. The carrier has been particularly aggressive in building 5G UW nodes along both the East and West coasts, not to mention the Upper Midwest. You can use the map above to check coverage in your particular area—the "5G Enhanced" button is synonymous with 5G UW.

5G vs 5G UW

Is 5G UW really that different from standard 5G? And, given that only two Verizon unlimited plans include it, is it worth springing for it?

5G UW does offer greater performance. But the benefit to you depends on your needs and uses. If you’re satisfied with your existing wireless coverage, standard 5G or even 4G LTE may be all you need for the moment.

The benefits of 5G UW vs 5G include:

• Increased capacity: more devices can connect to the network simultaneously.
• Better performance: you’ll have the same responsiveness no matter where you are or the time of day.
• Faster speeds: Fewer delays if you’re downloading or uploading material for work or play; you don’t get frustrating lags.

Customers may notice a heightened difference in speed, especially during high-traffic hours. Legacy networks often get bogged down when many people in a location are using them simultaneously. This means fast speeds, decreased latency, and higher bandwidth for users.  However, the average phone user probably won't be able to tell the difference—especially since it's so difficult to figure out which network you're on in the first place. For this reason, Navi suggests that most people evaluate a carrier's overall wireless coverage in their area rather than focusing on 5G alone.

Exploring Other Kinds of 5G

Most of this article discusses 5G UW, which is only available through Verizon.

But other wireless carriers also offer mid-band networks for 5G service. Let’s do a quick overview of other options.

These three versions are basically each carrier’s fastest 5G offerings. They all rely on the same basic mid-band and high-band frequencies to deliver increased speeds, and the performance is comparable, but coverage area varies between carriers.

T-Mobile 5G UC

T-Mobile’s mid and high-band 5G is called 5G Ultra Capacity, or 5G UC. You need to purchase a phone equipped with the feature to have the UC option. Older phones may not have the option, and T-Mobile didn’t begin rolling out their 5G UC until 2021.

5G UC uses both mid-band and mmWave frequencies, so users get all of the coverage of the 5G standard, but the increased speed is associated with the higher band of UC. This service also uses C-band frequencies to extend the coverage areas for their customers.

AT&T 5G Plus

AT&T offers 5G and 5G+, but there is no extra charge for the faster mmWave technology of their 5G+ level of service. To access 5G+, you just need to have a phone that supports 5G+ and be in an area with coverage for the service.

Like the other providers, AT&T’s 5G+ uses C-Band and mmWave frequencies. This is especially advantageous for users in high-traffic areas, like stadiums or airports.

Which One is Best? 5G UC vs 5G UW vs 5G Plus

The big three wireless carriers are all actively expanding their networks to include wider availability for their fastest 5G offerings. For now, which one is best really comes down to which one is more widely available where you use your cell phone. As for speed, for the highest bands, T-Mobile and Verizon are pretty comparable. AT&T lands somewhere in the middle on both speed and coverage.

The Bottom Line

The wide world of 5G UW is available to you, but only if you have a 5G-enabled phone and you're on Verizon Unlimited Plus or Verizon Unlimited Ultimate. Maybe you're more intrigued by T-Mobile cell phone plans, or your area is better covered by AT&T. Or maybe you don't know where to start. As you're tying to make sense of your wireless options, Navi can help you find the best phone deals in seconds, and our free, unbiased Plan Finder below makes it easy to compare cell phone plans from major wireless carriers based on your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 5G Ultra Wideband?

5G Ultra Wideband (UWB) is a term used by Verizon Wireless to describe their high-performance 5G network technology. It represents a specific implementation of 5G that utilizes advanced radio frequency bands to deliver ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and high capacity.

What is the difference between Verizon 5G UWB and 5G?

The difference between Verizon's 5G UWB and 5G comes down to speed and latency. Verizon's 5G UWB, or Ultra Wideband, makes use of millimeter wave technology to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, and better reliability than the company's standard 5G.

Is 5g UW better than LTE?

Yes, 5G UW is better than LTE. LTE denotes 4G LTE, which is slower than 5G, not to mention 5G UW which is Verizon's enhanced spectrum.