The 2020 debut of 5G cellular connectivity is looking more probable than ever before, with Ericsson having confirmed it is already well into the testing phases of a system 250-times faster than regular LTE.
So here’s the good news if you’re still finding 4G LTE too slow for your liking – 5G is coming and perhaps much sooner than you’d think. LTE-Advanced may have only just started making its mark and many major markets like the UK only adopted 4G LTE as standard pretty recently, but attention has nonetheless turned to the next big/fast thing…and it’s seriously fast.
With the way things are going and the advances being made, it’s looking probably that 5G will make its first outing in 2020, which might sound like an eon away but really isn’t far ahead at all. As for those fronting the charge, reports from CNET suggest that Ericsson is already neck-deep into the project and is currently testing the pants off a preliminary 5G network prototype.
“The telecommunications gear maker said Tuesday it had conducted a test that achieved a connection speed of 5 gigabits per second over the air, part of its plans for 5G wireless technology,” CNET reported.
“The 5Gbps benchmark, which is 250 times faster than today’s standard LTE connection, marks a record for the wireless industry and is an indication of speeds to come. Such speeds are beneficial for smartphones, of course, but also for cars, medical equipment, and other devices.”
Highlighting the need for and the importance of super-fast cellular connection speeds, Ericsson’s network business head insist it goes far beyond connecting people.
“If LTE was about getting everyone connected, 5G is about getting everything connected,” said Johan Wibergh in a CNET interview.
“We don’t put out tests we can’t achieve in real life,”
“We know what it takes to bring it to a real high-performing network.”