While smartphones have shifted their internet usage patterns in favor of mobile access, it's still dependent on network capacity and anyone stuck in a crowded city or sports stadium can tell you just how slow their speeds are. We sat down with Verizon Wireless Consumer Group CEO Ronan Dunne at CES 2020 to explain how Verizon 5G should expand enough bandwidth to dramatically improve download speeds, even for customers stuck in areas teeming with active 5G users. “In the context of the general bandwidth available, this idea of congestion will become a thing of the past. Because a lot of the traffic is going to be in the millimeter wave environment," Dunne said. "So think about something like Times Square at 5 pm, going from single-digit throughput speeds to 50 Mbps at the edge and 200 Mbps at the the middle of Times Square".
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This is great news for anyone who has spent time in crowded places where they just don't seem to be texting, let alone uploading a tweet or photo to Instagram. Obviously, this could seriously appeal to live broadcasters and other content creators, but it could also benefit anyone who relies on quick access online. Dunne suggested that faster 5G uplink speeds in a sports arena include less lag in things like fantasy sports and/or sports betting. This could be better used by commercial interests, such as 5G motion cameras at sporting events or backpack 5G hubs.
While 5G promises much faster speeds than 4G LTE networks, you'll actually need to own a 5G phone to get it. This is undoubtedly true, but 5G networks have hidden advantages that will benefit everyone, even those who haven't bought phones capable of accessing next-generation networks. Verizon's 5G High Speed Small Area Wave (mmWave) strategy is to expand coverage in high-traffic urban areas where the majority of traffic is located. Simply put, there is more infrastructure and more bandwidth to manage it. And since all broadband users will be sending data over the 5G part of the network, there's more to 4G LTE with lower bandwidth for people who haven't upgraded. Increasingly savvy networks will be able to prioritize content that should get bandwidth first; not, Dunne pointed out, as a violation of net neutrality, but to give slower demands, slightly slower speeds. If your email arrives eight milliseconds late, it won't have any impact, he suggested. This leads to a more efficient global network, which will only get better as we move into 2020.