Though many people are still getting accustomed to 4G LTE speeds, it’s never to early to start dreaming of an even faster mobile future. That’s right folks, we’re talking about 5G network speeds.
Though not slated to roll out until 2020 or so, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) just recently disclosed what type of speed will constitute 5G. Suffice it to say, the mobile experience of today may soon feel like an old 56k dial-up modem in just a few years.
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According to The Korea Times, 5G will be defined as a network “capable of transmitting data at up to 20 gigabits-per-second”, a speed which would enable users to download HD movies in just a few seconds. By way of contrast, peak 4G speeds top out at 150 megabits per second, though most people never enjoy that type of speed anyhow.
“The 5G network will also have a capacity to provide more than 100 megabits-per-second average data transmission to over one million Internet of Things devices within 1 square kilometer,” the report adds.
Ahead of a planned 2020 commercialization timeline, the ITU will soon start accepting technologies to be considered for the 5G standard. Which is to say, there’s still a whole lot of work to be done to make 5G more of a reality than an idea.
On this note, Re/Code writes:
One of the big challenges facing 5G is standardization. There are already multiple groups working to come up with standards around interoperability, backward compatibility with older technologies (4G, 3G), and making sure the network will be future-proof. While many companies agree that a global standard is needed, whether they’ll be able to come together and agree on one is another story.
Still, Korean officials — who know a thing or two about blazing fast Internet — have indicated that they plan to demo 5G network speeds at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
