Sprint today revealed that it plans to launch a "5G mobile smart hub" at some point during the first half of next year. The device will be made by HTC. Sprint did not share the device's name, features, specs, or launch timing, but did say it will "deliver multimedia and connected data capabilities in a compact and portable design." This implies the device may be something more than a mere mobile hotspot. It will be fast, says Sprint. The device will rely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X50 5G modem, able to deliver multi-gigabit 5G and gigabit LTE 4G when 5G isn't available. This unnamed HTC mobile smart hub will join a forthcoming 5G smartphone from LG in Sprint's initial lineup of mobile 5G devices. Sprint plans to deploy 5G in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., during the first half of 2019. More markets will be announced over time. Sprint competitors AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless are all following similar timelines for their own 5G launches.


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