Verizon’s 5G network is live and fast, if you can find it

In a bid to claim the title of the first consumer-ready 5G network in the world, Verizon surprised us by lighting up its 5G nodes across Chicago and Minneapolis ahead of schedule. Obviously, there was no way we couldn't book a flight to the Windy City and see what this next-gen network was capable of. As usual, though, things weren't quite that straightforward. What actually happened is that my time testing 5G turned into a city-wide scavenger hunt, trying — often in vain — to find stable high-speed connections.
To be clear, when you do find 5G, it's usually as fast (if not a little faster) than the 450Mbps (down) that Verizon claims. And, yes, this is only the second day the network has been live, so the carrier deserves a little slack. For now, though, only people who crave life on the wireless bleeding edge need apply — just about everyone else is better off waiting for Verizon (or its competitors, for that matter) to flesh out their 5G coverage maps first.