As expected, Ericsson, along with Samsung, has been awarded a contract to provide radio network equipment -- and more -- for Verizon's initial deployment of fixed 5G in up to five US markets in the second half of 2018.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is gearing up to start providing a fixed wireless alternative to fiber that delivers download speeds of 600 Mbit/s to 1.4 Gbit/s at a distance of 1,000 feet. Verizon will deploy pre-standard 28GHz millimeter wave 5G commercial radio network gear from Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) -- using Verizon's 5GTF specification -- and the 5G core network in select markets in the second half of 2018.

On Monday evening, a spokeswoman for Samsung Corp. confirmed that the vendor is providing fixed 5G gear for Verizon as well. "Samsung has an agreement to provide 5G equipment for Verizon fixed 5G deployments in 2018," she told Light Reading in an email.

Verizon says it will deploy three to five markets by the end of 2018, but the only market named so far is Sacramento, Calif. Verizon has been testing its fixed system in 11 markets, in trials that started in April.(See Verizon Says 'Up to 5' Fixed 5G Markets Will Go Live in 2H18 and Verizon to Start Fixed 5G Customer Trials in April.)

Verizon is using its home-grown spec for the initial 5G markets but expects to move to the standard specification for mobile applications in the 2020 timeframe. It will start testing the 3GPP 5G NR specification next year with Qualcomm Inc. (Nasdaq: QCOM) (See Verizon Migrating From Homebrew 5G, Enlists Qualcomm for Trials and Verizon Says Fixed 5G Will Happen in 2018, Less Clear on Mobile.)

We've asked Ericsson for an update on whether it is working with Verizon on 3GPP-based 5G. The vendor says that its global 5G portfolio does support the 3GPP specification now.

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading