Not sure what 5G will be all about? Here's pretty much everything you need to know

A much-hyped network upgre called “5G” means different things to different people.

To industry proponents, it’s next huge invation in wireless internet. To U.S. government, it’s backbone techlogy of a future that America will wrestle with China to control. To many aver people, it’s simply a mystery.

techlogy is one of issues expected to take center st at MWC mobile conference in Barcelona, Spain, this month. interest goes well beyond engineers: In Washington, re are fears that China could take le in developing techlogy and sell equipment that could be used to spy on Americans.

What, exactly, is 5G wireless — and will you even tice when it comes online?

What is 5G?

5G is a new technical standard for wireless networks — fifth, naturally — that promises faster speeds; less lag, or “latency,” when connecting to network; and ability to connect many devices to internet without bogging it down. 5G networks will ideally be better able to handle more users, lots of sensors and heavy traffic.

Before we can all use it, wireless companies and phone makers have to upgre. Phones need new chips and rio antennas. phone you have today won’t work with a 5G network.

Wireless companies have been getting rey. y’ve been revamping ir network equipment, buying up chunks of rio spectrum for carrying 5G signals, and installing new 5G antennas on cellphone towers, utility poles and streetlights. Wireless providers will invest $275 billion in 5G-related networks in U.S., according to CTIA, an industry tre group.

When will it be available?

A true U.S. mobile rollout will start in 2019. It will take a few years to go national, and even n more rural areas of country will t be covered in “millimeter wave” frequencies that promise highest data speeds and capacities, said Michael lander, CEO of wireless consultancy Signals Research Group.

lander predicts that China may lag U.S. by a year in its initial rollout, but will ultimately have biggest deployment, while European countries will build out more slowly.

Beware of confusion, though. Wireless carriers have a history of rushing to slap latest-and-greatest label on ir networks, and this time is different. AT&T has alrey applied name 5G on a service that’s t really 5G. (Sprint, upset, n sued its larger rival.)

Once network is rey, you’ll need a 5G-enabled phone to connect to it. first ones should be available in first half of 2019, but a 5G iPhone isn’t expected until 2020. 5G phones will most likely be more expensive than current 4G phones. Don’t worry, even when 5G turns on, you can keep using 4G phones, just t at 5G speeds.

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What can 5G do?

re’s a considerable amount of hype over promise of 5G. Industry groups say it will promote smart cities by connecting sensor networks that could man traffic and quickly identify streetlight outs. 5G could connect self-driving cars and fuel new applications in virtual and augmented reality. Its high-speed connections could enable better remote surgery and or telemedicine, help companies automate ir factories and offer businesses dedicated high-speed internet lanes.

“5G speeds, and ever-faster home broband, will mean that existing applications will get richer, and also that new applications will emerge — new Flickrs, YouTubes or Snapchats. We don’t kw what yet,” Benedict Evans, a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, wrote in a January blog post .

most immediate impact on consumers will be faster downlo speeds for movies and or video. lander says your phone’s internet will work better in crowded locations such as stiums.

What are security concerns?

5G network is one front in rising tensions between U.S. and China. U.S. government has warned U.S. companies t to use Chinese telecom techlogy in communications networks due to security concerns, and is pressing or countries to ban Huawei, a Chinese telecom company, from 5G network buildouts.

U.S. officials have suspected for years that Chinese government could use Huawei network equipment to help it spy. Huawei has rejected such accusations.