Gigabit 5G is millimeter wave but the reach is closer to 100 meters than 1000 meters. To get the gigabit speeds reliably, you need a heckuva lot of cells, perhaps every block. Paul Baran showed the way years ago with Richocet but he was ahead of his time.
LinkNYC has just installed its first 32 foot kiosk in the Bronx, designed for Wi-Fi and 5G from up to 4 carriers. True 5G gigabit will usually reach 100-250 meters.
The Mayor, Bronx Borough President, and NYC CTO were in attendance, applauding. There are 2,000 more kiosks coming, 90% in the Boroughs and north of 96th Street (Harlem.) All will have free Wi-Fi and other services.
CTO Fraser emphasized that the Wi-FI will get more New Yorkers online, which is true. The demand is uncertain. The free 100 Mbps federally-subsidized cable offering is a very attractive alternative.
Update August 20 ZenFi, the main support for LinkNYC, was acquired by BAI Communications in July, 2022. With funding from Canadian pension plans, ready to invest heavily in infrastructure.