Verizon Wireless will be testing its 5G network in 2017 and it is expected to be as fast as Google Fiber that offers download and upload speed of up to 1Gbps.
Internet speed on PC's as well as mobile devices has increased rapidly over the last few years. Industry experts suggest that Internet speed is expected to increase further in the coming years. Google's Internet connection called Google Fiber currently offers one of the fastest Internet services in the U.S.; however, it is available only in limited regions.
Google suggests that Google Fiber will be available in more regions in the near term.
"Planning and building a new network from scratch takes time - and we want to work closely with every city to map out and understand all possible local needs and challenges," per Google.
During a recent Business Insider IGNITION conference, Lowell McAdam - the CEO of Verizon - said that the company will be testing 5G at Verizon's headquarters soon and is also planning for the rollout of the service in select areas as early as 2017. McAdam says Verizon is very optimistic about 5G and the carrier is very serious about the upcoming services.
"I showed my board the service in November, and you don't ever go to a board with something that's not real," said McAdam.
Along with the company's headquarters, the 5G services will also be tested in New York, San Francisco and Boston. McAdam also noted that Verizon's 5G network will offer Internet speeds of up to 1Gbps, which is around 200 times faster in comparison to its current services of about 5Mbps.
Reports suggest that an average wireless subscriber in the U.S. uses about 2.4GB of data every month. However, this is expected to increase to up to 14GB per month by 2020. Majority of Verizon's network traffic is due to high video streaming by customers. Video streaming is also expected to grow by up to 55 percent in the coming five years.
McAdam notes that 5G is aimed mainly to cater video streaming on its network. Faster Internet speed will result in attracting more customers on the network and give the carrier an edge over its rivals.
However, wireless customers on Verizon will have to wait a few more years to see if 5G services, as promised by Verizon, will be made available in the next few years.
Photo: Mike Mozart | Flickr
