Red Chalk Group, a Chicago based telecommunications consulting firm, tells us that 5G wireless is nearly ready and that it will mean major changes in the way people consume media on their mobile devices. If you have a teenager in your house, you probably find they prefer using their smartphones to tablets or laptops. While you and I may not be happy watching a major motion picture on a 2.5” x 4.5” screen (and that’s about the largest cellphone screen out there), the folks who will soon be young adults are very happy to do so. These people will also be very happy to learn about 5G because it will change the way their smartphones, and other mobile devices, interact with the entertainment world.
and from a technical standpoint (although exact technical standards have yet to be determined), it means a greater number of mobile broadband users will be able to user the same network at the same time, with each having much greater download and upload speeds.
Although we are still waiting for exact tech specs, Nelson Granados of Forbes believes that we will be seeing dramatic advances:
“Download speeds are bound to increase at least tenfold compared to 4G, and for true 5G standards, it could be up to 100-fold. So, if an HD movie takes six minutes to download in a 4G network, with 5G it could take a handful of seconds. Also, in the era of user-generated content, photo and video upload speeds will improve, fueling social media content.”
In addition to faster download speeds, with 5G wireless the quality of streamed media will also see a huge boost, which is a big plus for live events of all types, including concerts and sports. It is expected that the quality you will see on your mobile device will be the same as you get at home, and buffering will be a thing of the past.
But while better video quality while steaming is a big plus, the super-fast download speeds will also make downloading and saving movies, TV shows, etc., more practicable. Since you will be able to download in six seconds what it would have taken six minutes, and with increased storage capacity, why risk streaming, especially while traveling, and worrying about erratic coverage? Expect streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon and Netflix to offer more downloading purchase and rental options.
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