While 4G wireless technology is still not available in some parts of the world, it seems that 5G will become available commercially in a matter of at least 2 years. Verizon, one of America's major wireless networks, gets to test the new technology some time in 2016, making it the first company to employ and deploy 5G technology.

According to Verizon's chief information and technology architect , Roger Gurnani, there should be "some level of commercial deployment" by 2017 once the field tests are successful. Apparently, the wireless network is way ahead of the original 2020 target date.

The new 5G data speed is expected to deliver up to 50 times the speed of the present 4G LTE, with latency faster than that of Google Fiber. This will theoretically enable users to download full-length movies in just seconds, and significantly increase the interconnectivity of mobile devices.

Aside from Verizon, South Korea is also looking forward to its wireless carriers to do field trials with 5G network in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The same is for Japan for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. As for China, thry're also planning for the aggressive deployment of 5G technology.

Verizon's first 5G tests will be within two of its research labs. It will be working with known electronics manufacturers like Samsung, Qualcomm, Cisco, Nokia, Ericsson, and Alcatel-Lucent in order to be supplied the nacessary hardware to make the 5G tests successful. Obviously, the new 5G technology will need to have the facilities from the cell tower to the electronics inside smartphones.

Verizon took a couple of years working on 4G before it could make it availble commercially. Apparently, the 2017 target is an aggressive deadline in commercializing 5G technology. Then again, Verizon's language suggests that 2017 will barely be the start.