President Donald Trump on Thursday said he wants U.S. companies to more quickly implement what’s called 5G wireless technology, the latest and greatest tech when it comes to mobile broadband.
“I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible,” tweeted Trump, who went on to imply the U.S. was falling behind due to policies preventing the adoption of wireless technology from companies abroad. While 6G doesn’t yet exist, 5G is just starting to be deployed around the U.S. and elsewhere.
What’s 5G, and What Does Trump Mean By 6G?
5G is simply the name given to the next generation in wireless cellular technology. Like the jump from 3G to 4G, 5G will bring with it considerably faster speeds, lower latency, and increased support for more devices. Compared to 4G LTE, the wireless cell technology used in smartphones today, 5G promises speeds up to 100 times faster and a response time up to 20 times faster.
5G promises to unleash a wave of new technologies that could benefit from its blazing-fast speeds and low latency. Smartphone owners will be able to stream games lag-free and watch 4K content with zero buffering. Autonomous vehicles could use 5G’s lower latency to respond quickly to changes in traffic and communicate with other connected equipment. And since 5G will be capable of helping low-power devices communicate with one another as coverage grows over the next decade, it could enable all sorts of new smart home tech, too.
