The OnePlus 10 Pro gets its third piece of the 5G triforce today. Company spokesperson Spenser Blank says that the device “is now officially authorized on AT&T’s 5G network,” so it’s now compatible with the next-generation wireless networks of all three major US carriers.
That’s kind of an important feature on a phone that’s meant to compete with the Galaxy and Pixel flagships of the world, which offer full network compatibility right out of the gate. Now, the 10 Pro and the more recent 10T work with all of the 5Gs, and that’s a real step in the right direction.
This whole 5G certification wasn’t a problem until a couple of years ago because, you know, there wasn’t a 5G network to connect to. Things started to change once Samsung and Apple flagships brought 5G support on board, and likewise, the networks evolved from more than just rebadged LTE service. When OnePlus launched the 9 and 9 Pro in 2021, they arrived on the market with only T-Mobile and Verizon 5G certification. The 10 Pro followed suit when it launched earlier this year, too.
This isn’t to say that using AT&T 5G is a life-changing experience right now, but it’s improving, and it’s likely something you’ll want to have a few years down the line as the network gets better. That’s what made the omission strange on the 9 and 10 Pro, and OnePlus appears to be making it a priority to complete the 5G picture on its US devices. The OnePlus 10T gained AT&T 5G authorization earlier this month, and now the flagship model joins it. That’s good news for the 10 Pro — if OnePlus wants to compete against the dominant Android phone brand in the US, it needs to cover all of its bases.
Correction September 20th, 11:00AM ET: A previous version of this article attributed the announcement incorrectly, this has been corrected to identify Spenser Blank as OnePlus’ company spokesperson.
Update September 20th, 11:00AM ET: Updated to clarify that the OnePlus 10 Pro is authorized on AT&T 5G rather than certified.