T-Mobile US Introduces America's First 5G RedCap USB Device

T-Mobile US has become the first carrier in North America to offer a commercially available 5G RedCap device: the TCL Linkport IK511 USB dongle. The device connects to T-Mobile's 5G Standalone (SA) network and is designed to deliver 5G access in a simple, cost-effective form factor.

Under the hood is Qualcomm's Snapdragon X35 modem, tailored for Release-17's RedCap specification, which balances efficiency with performance. The device targets customers who want to upgrade devices like WiFi-only tablets, PCs, or other underconnected gear to 5G without replacing the whole device.

Performance specs include a peak download speed of 220 Mbps and upload speeds up to 100 Mbps — enough for streaming, cloud access, social apps, and consistent connectivity for everyday computing needs.

T-Mobile is positioning the dongle as a flexible option for both consumers and enterprise users — perfect for scenarios where replacing hardware isn't ideal. It launched the device at an introductory price of $96, which is a 50% discount off the expected MSRP.

Because it uses RedCap over a 5G Standalone network, the dongle also opens doors to more advanced network benefits, such as network slicing and enhanced secure connectivity features like SIM-based Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).

Use cases for RedCap dongles are expected to span surveillance, smart wearables, industrial devices, and fixed wireless access (FWA). While speeds aren't rivaling top-tier 5G smartphone performance, the balance of cost, power consumption, and simplicity makes RedCap devices a promising bridge between LTE IoT tech and full 5G deployment.

Market analysts predict RedCap connections could approach 963.5 million by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of about 66%. The form factor of dongles may represent only a fraction of those, but this move signals growing momentum.