The good news is that 5G – the future of wireless broadband – is on its way and will eventually provide us with a network that moves at lightning speed – heralding amazing potential uses for emerging technologies and revolutionising mobile communications.

Sounds great. But can it really be that simple?

Well, yes, it is much faster, and yes it will replace 4G eventually, but nothing ever really is that simple. The first question is how ready for it are we – not to mention how ready are our devices? At the moment, 5G is available in only a few cities across the USA and just like 4G before it, its availability will expand over time until it becomes the new standard for connected homes and devices.

 So, what does all this actually mean?

The 5G band is the next generation of broadband connection being introduced by wireless mobile carriers to replace 4G worldwide. Obviously, carriers will have to upgrade existing network equipment to 5G, so it will exist concurrently with 4G mobile wireless services until it has evolved enough to become a stand-alone network.

When we eventually get to that point, wireless network speeds will be at or above 10 Gbps. This is quite breathtaking given that 4G currently gives us around 100 Mbps. It will provide outrageously quick, low-latency internet wherever you are. And lower latency means faster and more reliable downloading, media streaming, voice and video chat just to start with. Imagine downloading a 4K, two-hour film in under five seconds.

It could also be used for home internet connections. You could have a 5G wireless router in your home that gives connected devices access to incredible speeds – meaning all your devices could be on at the same time and a slow speed or reduced experience would be nothing but a distant memory.

But that’s not all. 5G connections will be able to accommodate more devices at once – important because of the growing number of internet-connected devices released every year. And it will provide a reliable, fast constant wireless signal for smart devices both in the home and out – like a smart thermostat and fridge or smart cars and cities. Likewise, emerging medical technology, VR and self-driving vehicles will all use 5G to reach their full potential.

So when will we get it?

Realistically, it’s going to be quite a few years before it’s widely available. And, as is often the case, if you live in a well populated urban area, you’re going to see 5G earlier than if you live in a rural area – a familiar story for rural dwellers. Also, we have to bear in mind that our devices are not 5G enabled and the technology won’t be built into them until the technology itself is much more mainstream, plus the fact that they’ll be very expensive to start with.

In conclusion then, 5G is on the way. It’ll take time, it’ll be expensive and there will be glitches. But it’s an incredibly exciting technology too. The possibilities are not even fully imagined yet. And when it finally comes, the future comes with it.