AT&T has officially launched the Galaxy S10 5G on its network but there's a major caveat. The company is only offering the device to business customers and developers. What that means is that you, the retail customer, isn't going to be able to buy it just yet.
The Galaxy S10 5G was launched in the United States on Verizon exclusively. Only Big Red's customers can buy it in markets where Verizon's 5G service has gone live. AT&T isn't extending that same courtesy to customers on its network though that might have something to do with Verizon's exclusivity.
AT&T's Galaxy S10 5G launch isn't for retail customers yet
AT&T will only sell the Galaxy S10 5G to members of its developer program and those who are an AT&T Business customer for $999 starting June 17. Developers will be able to get it for free at AT&T's Shape Conference in Los Angeles on June 22. They will only be tasked with one-point agenda: to “push the limits of 5G” and present their ideas for innovation during AT&T's first 5G hackathon in Los Angeles later this year.
AT&T doesn't say in its announcement today when retail customers will be able to purchase the device or how much it will cost when they finally can. It also points out in the press release that developers and business customers will only be able to experience the 5G network in “limited parts” of its launch markets.
This entire exercise might just be to test out the carrier's 5G network before it's opened up to retail customers with the Galaxy S10 5G. The data that AT&T gets from this test will help it in doing just that. Samsung did say that the Galaxy S10 5G will eventually be available from other carriers in the country. So it may be a few months before we see carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint start selling it as well.
