Maybe it's me. Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but given how fragmented 5G is starting out in the USA I'm not exactly buying into the hype. Yes, it will be game changing, but that impact won't be beneficial until 5G networks are ubiquitous, the way LTE has almost become.
For those on the wrong side of the digital divide who are just getting 3G coverage, finding that there's more to connectivity than dial-up and that for DSL users, speeds can break the 10 meg barrier when cable modems arrive, so much of the hype behind 5G is all about driving selling in. The selling through will come later.
Most of what you're reading from the mobile operators is all a baseline setup to get Wall Street to buy in, buy the stock, and hold the stock in the companies. This helps them go to the banks to borrow so they can support the build-outs.
Next comes the major players who make the chips like Qualcomm,, and Intel. They need to foster the climate to be 5G will change the game, so mobile operators, handset manufacturers, radio access network technology providers all begin to build 5G into their hardware.
Part of the problem I'm having is that when 5G starts to gain steam, it won't be a coast to coast thing. Like what we have seen with 3G, 4G, and LTE, the buildouts will be here, then there, then the next market area. But the problem is that there will be 5G coverage, and then poof, you'll be back to LTE or worse, 4G.
What we need is a national plan for 5G. Where roaming between operators is a given, and where the customer doesn't need to think about anything except about being connected. When that day comes, and I don't see it happening soon, we'll really have the information superhighway we all want to have. But just like our Interstate highway system, it's going to be years to happen.
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