5G trials will start in 2016, with gigabit speeds

AT&T has unveiled its 5G roadmap, which includes trials in collaboration with Ericsson and Intel in 2016.

It aims “to bring customers the next-generation of super-fast, flexible wireless connectivity”.

Technologies such as millimeter waves, network function virtualization (NFV), and software-defined networking (SDN) will be the key ingredients for future 5G experiences.

“We expect field trials of 5G technologies to provide wireless connectivity to fixed locations in Austin before the end of this year,” said AT&T.

The trials set the stage for widespread commercial and mobile availability once technology standards for 5G are established.

The company said it expects 5G to deliver speeds 10-100 times faster than today’s average 4G LTE connections.

“Customers will see speeds measured in gigabits per second, not megabits.”

Customers will also see much lower latency with 5G, which is expected to be in the range of 1-5ms.

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