Don't feel bad if you don't really know anything about 5G wireless networking because, by most standards, it doesn't actually exist yet. The cross-pollination of codified specifications, new products, and technological innovation required hasn't yet brought 5G to fruition.
What there has been, however, is a lot of hype. Samsung grabbed attention in May with its announcement of a 1Gbps wireless connection it referred to as "5G," saying it would bring the capability to its production smartphones by 2020.
The European Commission's Horizon 2020 plan, announced late in December, includes roughly $172 million for 5G research and development, and South Korea's Yonhap News announced that country's government would spend $475 million on developing a national 5G network, to be completed by 2020. Both proposals cite the transformative effects and massive economic benefits of 5G technology.
The problem, however, is that no one seems to agree on precisely what the term 5G even means. Sathya Atreyam, a research manager at IDC, says that it's become a buzzword at this point.
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