Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL owners, it looks like your phone is about to get a bit better.
Google recently sent a letter to the FCC to request a change to the Pixel 3. Specifically, Google wants to roll out an update to enable LTE Band 48 connectivity. The filing was made back in November but was only made public today.
According to the document, Google will update the G013A, which is the international variant of the Pixel 3 that's sold by Verizon and the rest of the world, save for Japan. However, the document doesn't say when the update to enable LTE Band 48 will be released.
LTE Band 48 is also known as the CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) spectrum. These airwaves were primarily used by the U.S. government for radar systems, but in 2016, the FCC authorized use of CBRS with wireless small cells.
Verizon said in 2018 that it planned to use CBRS to add capacity to its network, giving it more capacity, higher peak speeds, and faster throughput. Toward the end of 2018, Verizon got permission to test CBRS in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, FL, but we haven't heard much else about the rollout yet.
The addition of LTE Band 48 support is great for the Pixel 3. It's unexpected, and for folks on carriers that use it, it'll help make their LTE connectivity better. Hopefully Google pushes out the update that enables LTE Band 48 soon.