New 5G Moto Mod will arrive in early 2019, connect Moto Z3 to 5G network (Updated)

The Big Four wireless carriers in the United States are all touting their plans for a future 5G network. However, no phones currently on the market will be able to connect to that 5G network due to antenna limitations.

However, Motorola has a way around that limitation: a 5G Moto Mod. The Mod will snap onto the Motorola Moto Z3 and allow connection to Verizon’s future 5G network.

Motorola unveiled the 5G Moto Mod at its event in Chicago today after hyping the Mod as “a whole new way to connect, stream, download, video chat, and more.”

The Mod will launch sometime in “early 2019” and be sold separately from the Moto Z3, which it also announced at today’s event. The Mod will replace the battery Mod that comes with the Motorola Moto Z3 Play; but don’t worry, the 5G Moto Mod has a 2,000mAh battery incorporated into it.

We also know that it somehow incorporates the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 modem, which enables the 5G connection.

Motorola says that the 5G Moto Mod will only work with the Moto Z3 at first, and only on Verizon’s network. Eventually, it will bring compatibility to other devices and networks.

The 5G networks of the future will enable incredibly fast data speeds for mobile devices, far outpacing the current 4G LTE networks most of us rely on in the United States. A few different device manufacturers have already claimed that they will be the first to release a 5G-capable smartphone, with Huawei being one of the more vocal companies on the topic.

But if this 5G Moto Mod can beat the others to the punch, it may be Motorola users who get first access to 5G on a smartphone.

NEXT: Qualcomm’s first 5G antennas are here: Here’s what you need to know