Verizon wants 5G to replace home Wi-Fi in 5 cities next year

By now, even if not everyone and not all areas have it, 4G is more or less old news. 5G is the thing that service providers and chipset makers are going for or even fighting against. Some from the Wi-Fi market might not be so keen on the spread of this technology, and Verizon’s latest announcement might be one reason why. The carrier has just announced its plans to offer 5G services in residential areas in three to five cities before 2018 is over, possibly changing the way some households connect to the Internet.

4G or LTE is a wireless network technology that is often associated with phones or at least mobile hotspots. While 5G is naturally still wireless, Verizon wants to prove that it is fast and reliable enough to replace your existing broadband service. So instead of getting your connection from copper or fiber optic cables, 5G will arrive at your doorstep via radio signals.

5G’s list of improvements don’t just cover speed, however. It is being touted to be the network for even connecting IoT or smart home devices. Its low latency, thanks to the use of millimeter wave technology, is said to even be good enough for wireless VR connections. In other words, things that you normally use Wi-Fi or, worse, wired connections for.

Other than a declaration of intention, Verizon is very thin on the details. It does says that the first commercial launch will be in Sacramento, California. That, however, will take place in the second half of 2018 at the earliest, so those other unnamed two to four markets will have to wait a bit longer.

SOURCE: Verizon