Verizon defended the limited range of its 5G deployments in response to criticism from rivals, as it added parts of three new cities to its next-generation network.

Sections of New York City; Panama City (Florida); and Boise (Idaho) were the latest to receive coverage, raising Verizon’s tally of 5G cities to 13.

The operator rolled out 5G service in Phoenix in August, followed by deployments in 13 football stadiums earlier this month.

All of Verizon’s 5G launches so far have relied on mmWave spectrum, allowing it to offer ultra-fast speeds, but only over a small area. In a video, Verizon demonstrated 5G tests in New York City with downloads running at 1.4Gbps.

Though it has received some harsh criticism from T-Mobile US and others for its approach, Verizon VP of Technology Heidi Hemmer said the operator’s initial goal isn’t necessarily broad coverage.

“Providing consumers and businesses with 5G isn’t just about geographical reach, it’s about putting 5G in places where it can do the most good for the most people,” she wrote in a blog.

Verizon CTO Kyle Malady noted in a statement the operator aims to “quickly” expand availability beyond high traffic areas.

In August, CEO Hans Vestberg (pictured) said Verizon had already doubled its footprint in some of its initial 5G cities. But at an investor conference earlier this month, the executive was tight lipped about when nationwide coverage might follow, saying only the operator would “turn that on when our customers are ready for it and the market has the ecosystem for it”.