5G Wi-Fi connections are set to be about three times faster than 4G, starting with 450Mbps in single-stream, 900 Mbps (dual- stream) and 1.3G bps (three-stream). Atlanta, Dallas and Waco, Texas, will be the first of 12 markets in the US that should get AT&T’s mobile 5G by the end of the year. The 5G that AT&T is rolling out this year will only use millimeter-wave spectrum, which means that it will function very differently to the current LTE cell networks. Millimeter-wave spectrum only works in nearby, which means users will have to be standing close to a 5G access point to get a signal.
5G applications perspectives
The devices available at launch will also be limited. Possibly the first 5G devices will be hotspots, rather than mobile devices. Smartphones aren’t expected until 2019. “After significantly contributing to the first phase of 5G standards, conducting multi-city trials, and literally transforming our network for the future, we’re planning to be the first carrier to deliver standards-based mobile 5G – and do it much sooner than most people thought possible,” said Igal Elbaz, senior vice president, Wireless Network Architecture and Design. 5G will cost more to implement and old mobile phones will be out of date.
