Spectrum Mobile’s Nationwide 5G Claims

Spectrum Mobile advertises that consumers can switch carriers and “get 5G included.”

“You get unlimited data and 5G included, and you get the most reliable service, coast to coast,” says the actor in the Spectrum Mobile TV ad above.

Notice how the actor (who you might recognize as the Bud Light king) doesn’t say from coast to coast? The reality is there are a lot of gaps in Spectrum Mobile’s “nationwide 5G” coverage, especially in rural areas despite images of a countryside in the ad.

One of the places where Spectrum Mobile’s 5G isn’t available is Henderson, Kentucky, where a TINA.org reader who switched to Spectrum Mobile after seeing the ad lives.

“With my other carrier, I had 5G service. With Spectrum, I don’t,” she said. “I called and they say they don’t have 5G service in my town. So how can they say their 5G service is nationwide?”

Of note, fine print in the commercial discloses, “To access 5G, 5G compatible phone and 5G service required.” But the fine print appears on screen for a total of three seconds and as the actor is seen power walking from left to right so it’s almost impossible to read.

It’s important to remember that U.S. carriers are still in the process of rolling out 5G, which promises a host of improvements over 4G beyond faster download speeds. Before you switch carriers based on 5G claims, check that carrier’s coverage map to make sure it’s available where you live.

Find more of our coverage on wireless carriers here.