'Fake 5G' feud falters as Sprint, AT&T settle suit over 'misleading' label

US network operators Sprint and AT&T remain coy about the details of a 5G ceasefire they have just agreed. According to a report, the two have settled their feud over labelling faster LTE as "5G E", but the terms of the settlement have not been made public. We requested corroboration and details, but did not hear back. …

[hellwig]

Korea and US

I suppose no European carrier has the balls to challenge the EU the definition of 5G? Now AT&T has 5G+? They know exactly what they're doing, confusing poor old grandmothers, and stupid millenials, who are going to see that the competitors only have "5G" and they want AT&T's "5G+".

I really am surprised it's not illegal, or at least civilly actionable. Doesn't the 5G consortium have anything to say about this? If I wired up USB 2.0 and called it Thunderbolt, they'd revoke my license.

[Gene Cash]

The FCC will step in...

I'm sure Ajit Pai at the FCC will... oh wait. Never mind.

[fishman]

Honesty

I've explained the 5GE scam to quite a number of people, using it as an example of AT&T's "honesty".

[Kevin McMurtrie]

Terms of the settlement

Did AT&T allow Sprint to use the terms 5GE and 5G+ too?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry but

While the "5GE" thing is a stupid marketing exercise, a 5G "industry consortium" deciding that the current 5G standards aren't "real" 5G and you need to wait for release 16 part 2 for "real 5G" is a far, far greater level of bullshit. If the 3GPP calls it 5G, it is 5G, and no industry consortium can claim otherwise!

They could have prevented this by not calling it "5G" but instead giving it a proper name like GSM and LTE had. But since 5G is the only name it will ever go by, and you can't trademark that, we will be treated to an endless array of 5G "enhancements" dreamed up by marketing. I'm waiting for 5G XTREME, personally.

[ecofeco]

Re: I'm sorry but

5G PLAID!

[jonmorris]

Re: I'm sorry but

I'm holding out for 5G Plaid +.