5G is big. Also known as 5G New Radio (NR), this new wireless technology will ultimately impact everyone in the electronics and telecommunications industries, not to mention the effect that it will have on us individually. 5G NR has been under development now for several years, and while progress is being made to finalize the standard, it is still years away before becoming what we call mainstream. Most estimates say 2020 is when we will ultimately see some real 5G deployments on a scale that will we will notice. In the meantime, companies are firming up their plans for whatever 5G products and services they will offer. Considerable hype still abounds, but real progress is being made. Here is a fresh assessment of 5G status.
What’s the Hurry? LTE is Great
Do we really need 5G right now? Our current 4G cellular standard Long Term Evolution (LTE) is adequately serving most of us right now. Are conditions so bad that we are anxious for the next generation to come along and relieve our suffering? I don’t think so. Virtually all cellular carriers now implement LTE that is delivering megabit speeds over most of the developed world.