Marketing pitches in the US are bullish on superfast 5G telecom networks, but they remain more of a promise than reality.
Promoters of the technology say it will bring such innovations as fast-thinking self-driving cars and rapid-fire video downloads.
And nationwide coverage with 5G could add $1.5 trillion to GDP in the next five years. But actually deploying it here is "very fragmented" given the maze of local regulations and agencies that telecom companies have to navigate across 50 states, said Jefferson Wang, head of 5G strategy at Accenture.
Approvals need to be sought and, typically, hearings held when it comes to where on streets, buildings, or other structures antennae can be mounted to relay telecom signals.
The first smartphones adapted for 5G were released by Samsung and Huawei in mid 2019, AFP reported.
Apple introduced its first 5G iPhone late last year, spurring telecom operators here to talk it up despite such speedy service not being widely available.
Gadgets and services synched to 5G networks were a major theme at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that wrapped up Friday after its first online-only event.
People using Verizon can get 5G connections, provided they are in the right city and in line of sight of antennae.
Verizon invested in a part of radio bandwidth where high-frequency signals move fastest but sacrifice travel distance and can be blocked by things such as walls or rain.
Rivals AT&T and T-Mobile have been investing in medium and low frequencies, which travel further but at relatively slower speeds.
Making 5G wireless service ubiquitous and affordable in the US would be transformative when it comes to remote learning, telemedicine and more, Penney maintained.
Applications of 5G are expected to shine early in manufacturing, with private networks used to run "smart" factories.
It will be tougher to impress consumers accustomed to video games, 4K films streamed on demand, and virtual assistants at their beck and call.
But 5G could free people from reliance on smartphones, infusing software smarts and internet capabilities into more objects in a step toward "ambient computing."
For example, security cameras will be able to scan thousands of faces in real time to identify wanted criminals and alert authorities, suggested Holcman.
Watches, headphones, eyeglasses or other accessories synched to powerful computing in the internet cloud could tend to needs or tasks now done on smartphones.
"What if we are able to find new devices that actually unlock ourselves from our smartphone," Wang said.
"Like my glasses telling me 'Hey, that's Melissa,' we spoke three years ago at CES and she's from Boston.
