Verizon is all set to usher in a new era with an aggressive roadmap for fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless technology. By nearly all accounts, 5G technology should be introduced in the U.S. sometime after 2020, but Verizon is accelerating the expected rate of innovation. By working closely with key partners Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm and Samsung have established working teams to ensure an aggressive pace of innovation. Verizon aims to launch field technology trials next year in 2016.  

The expected benefits of 5G, as described during Verizon’s inaugural forum, include about 50 times the throughput of current 4G LTE, latency in the single milliseconds, and the ability to handle exponentially more Internet-connected devices to accommodate the expected explosion of the Internet of Everything.

In addition to working with communications and technology leaders, Verizon’s 5G Technology Forum also includes a group of leading east- and west-coast venture capital groups focused on a variety of emerging technologies.