With all the hype over 5G, consumers risk disappointment

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“The telecoms industry is gearing up for 5G, the next generation wireless networks which could enable new technologies such self-driving cars and robot surgeons. But it may be raising expectations too early,” Agence France-Presse reports. “As industry leaders gather at the Mobile World Congress trade fair in Barcelona this week, some warn consumers risk disappointment because the benefits 5G’s much faster speeds and vast data capacity can provide are still a long way from becoming reality.”

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“For example while 5G will bring near-instantaneous connectivity for smartphones and can virtually eliminate latency — the lag-time when data is sent or received — this ‘will only be a reality in 2023-2025,’ said Yannick Sadowy, the director for telecoms and media and consulting firm Accenture,” AFP reports. “Analysts don’t expect 5G compatible smartphones to be become widely available until the second half of 2019 and the first models will be expensive. And it will take even longer for the geographical reach of the 5G networks which are starting to be rolled out this year to be extensive enough to let you use your 5G phone without having to rely on current 4G wireless standards for most of the time.”

“Mobile communications industry body GSMA, which represents nearly 800 operators, forecasts 4G will still account for 45 percent of worldwide mobile subscriptions in 2025, while 5G would only be at 15 percent,” AFP reports. “Telecoms operators in Europe appear to have learned from the mistake of overpromising when 3G networks were first introduced in the continent in the early 2000s and have not played up 5G, although the same can not be said for operators in the United States.”

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