What will 5G mean for consumers, businesses, and the Internet of Things?

Over the past few decades we have seen enormous improvements in mobile data connectivity, and it’s about to get even faster. Verizon Wireless recently announced that it will begin field testing its new 5G network technology in 2016.
This is great news for consumers and businesses alike. The phenomenal speed and enhanced bandwidth of 5G means that users will soon experience lightning-fast downloads, hold ultra-real HD video chats on the move and perform other amazing feats with their tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices.
Verizon predicts the network will be commercially available, on some level, in 2017, putting the company significantly ahead of its competitors, most of which estimate that their 5G networks will not be up and running until 2020. In this article I’ll examine the realities of this new 5G technology, and the effects it will have on both consumers and businesses.