Cell Service – What’s Next?

There’s something new coming. It’s creating quite a stir among anyone who has an interest in connectivity and speed, including many major smartphone companies and manufacturers. The fifth generation of connectivity, or 5G, will be making its debut later this year. This is exciting news! What exactly is 5G and what sort of impact might this have for you and your daily reliance and relationship to technology?

What is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of connectivity and it will surpass the 4G you’ve become accustomed to using on your smartphone, at home, and in business.  A company known as Qualcomm made something called mmWave antenna modules. They have now made these antenna modules available to its smartphone partners, and this is a big deal because 5G-capable smartphones that use these antennas will be able to use millimeter-wave frequencies. What does all that mean for me and you? That means much faster speeds and less latency in usage. 5G is the next new thing in technology and it’s headed our way.

How does it compare?

5G technology could bring much faster mobile data speeds that exceed today’s fastest home broadband networks that are currently available. Claiming speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second, 5G can be as much as 1,000 times faster than 4G. 5G will increase download speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. How does that measure up for us? Put simply, an HD movie can be downloaded in a matter of seconds on a 5G network. Pretty impressive! Imagine being able to stream your favorite shows without all the buffering or the ability to download files much more quickly. 5G will bring greater user satisfaction, taking the smartphone era to a whole new level.

How much will it cost?

This is where it gets tricky. The cost all depends on what carrier you use and what devices you choose. If you want 5G, you will certainly have to buy a new phone. Your monthly bill will most likely be higher, possibly quite a bit higher. Exactly how much? No one can say right now. What I can say is with any bad there is a good. 5G is projected to contribute $3 trillion to real GDP, produce up to $12.3 trillion worth of goods and services by 2035, and support nearly 22 million jobs.

When can we expect it?

5G is rumored to be ready to party later this year in the form of mobile hotspots, although the first 5G-capable phones won’t start to appear until early next year. What is certain is 5G, when ready, will bring forth change. It will change our devices and how they work, it will change the speed at which we access information, it will change how we stream, share, and download.

Ready or not, 5G is coming and it’s going to take some adjustment. Change always does. But it also brings forth great opportunities!