Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

General Motors and AT&T teaming up to launch 5G connected vehicles

General Motors is partnering with AT&T to launch 5G connected vehicles over the next decade. The updates aim to provide better connectivity, helping users navigate routes more accurately, download updates faster, and access seamless entertainment through uninterrupted streaming.

Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC vehicles coming out in 2024 will be equipped with 5G connectivity supported by AT&T’s infrastructure. Users in the United States owning 4G LTE-capable model year 2019 and newer vehicles can migrate to the new network once it’s available in the market. The current 4G LTE-equipped model year 2019 and newer vehicles will also have improved connectivity and smoother performance until the 2024 updates are fully rolled out. 

GM and AT&T started working together in 2014 when they launched in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots and this partnership stemmed from GM and AT&T’s two-year collaboration.

“By connecting millions of GM vehicles to our nationwide 5G network, we will improve the customer experience for existing services while laying the groundwork for the next wave of innovation including autonomous driving,” said Gregory Wieboldt, senior vice president, Global Business, Industry Solutions, AT&T. “We now connect more vehicles than any other carrier and GM has played a critical role in our success. We’re honored to work alongside GM to usher the next chapter of connected driving.”

AT&T is additionally working with Microsoft to improve the network’s speed and reliability through the company’s scalable and secure cloud services.

“This strategic alliance provides a path for all of AT&T’s mobile network traffic to be managed using Microsoft Azure technologies,” a statement in June read. “By using Microsoft’s hybrid and hyperscale infrastructure, AT&T can substantially reduce engineering and development costs. Early access to Microsoft’s cloud, A.I., and edge technology will provide AT&T with the flexibility it needs to rapidly innovate and launch new services and customer experiences enabled by 5G.”

AT&T and GM also collaborated with WarnerMedia last year by rolling out its premium content for entertainment in GM vehicles.

All these changes aim to improve the overall customer experience and make faster connectivity more accessible. The 5G connectivity will also help build a strong infrastructure for future updates including Super Cruise and the Vehicle Intelligence Platform.

This collaboration is just one of AT&T’s many partnerships as it works to roll out 5G. One of the more recent rollouts included the announcement of 5G+ — more commonly known as mmWave 5G — at major airports nationwide. 

“This rollout demonstrates our commitment to growth through software-enabled services and reimagining every customer touchpoint by enabling faster connectivity speeds to power in-vehicle voice-enabled services, navigation, and apps that our customers have grown to love,” Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president of Global Connected Services said in a statement.

Sakshi Udavant
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sakshi Udavant is a freelance journalist and marketing writer covering technology, business, wellbeing and lifestyle. She…
T-Mobile is buying one of the largest carriers in the U.S.
Cell phone tower shooting off pink beams with a 5G logo next to it.

If you were impacted by T-Mobile's latest price hike and were looking for an alternative carrier, we have some bad news — T-Mobile is buying US Cellular. For those unaware, U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest carrier in the U.S. despite being a regional carrier based mostly in the Chicago area. Unlike mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) like Metro by T-Mobile or Visible, which piggyback on a parent carrier’s network, US Cellular has its own towers and stores.

The deal would see T-Mobile pay $4.4 billion to take over US Cellular’s wireless customers, stores, and 30% of its spectrum assets. It includes a combination of cash and T-Mobile assuming $2 billion of U.S. Cellular’s debt. US Cellular will keep control of 4,400 of its towers and 70% of its spectrum portfolio, but T-Mobile will extend its leases for 600 US Cellular towers and sign new long-term leases on 2,015 more towers. In a conference call about the deal, T-Mobile also committed to hiring a significant number of U.S. Cellular associates.

Read more
Your next T-Mobile bill might be more expensive
The T-Mobile logo on a smartphone.

We have bad news for you if you have an older T-Mobile wireless plan. According to internal company documents obtained by The Mobile Report, rates for your plan are going up by $2 to $5 per month.

Customers with a legacy Simple Choice, ONE, or Magenta plan will likely experience price increases. The increased price applies to each line, meaning that if you have four lines, you could potentially see a monthly increase of up to $20 per lmonth. CNET also corroborated the report with its own sources.

Read more
What is 5G? Speeds, coverage, comparisons, and more
Someone using the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

For years, 5G mobile networking has been the golden goose egg that many mobile device manufacturers and carriers have been striving for. And now more than ever, that dream is very much a reality. 5G connectivity can be found on everything from iPhones to Android hardware, and even some third-party mobile devices. But is there really that big of a difference between 5G and 4G/LTE? The simple answer is yes, but nothing’s ever just black and white, especially when we’re talking about consumer tech. 

Not to worry though: We’ve been researching and working with 5G devices for a long time here at Digital Trends. To help you through the weeds on the subject, we’ve put together this 5G guide to give you all the mobile know-how you’ll need. 
What is 5G?

Read more