As the world is moving forward in smart technology and the internet of things, so are internet providers moving forward with reliable, fast internet availability. If the internet of things is really going to be a possibility, then we need faster speeds from the wireless carriers, and reliability has to make huge advances as well.
What is the internet of things?
The internet of things is the idea of connecting everything in your life to the internet in order to make things easier. This includes everything from your thermostat in your house to a self driving car to a smartwatch. Anything that keeps you connected and allows for complete control via the web is included in the internet of things. The idea is that we will eventually get to a point where we live in smart houses and work in smart offices and drive in smart cars, all things that you can easily control from your smartphone. Though we aren’t quite there yet, the technology is starting to emerge, and wireless networks are working to get ready for it.
Building up 5G speeds
Wireless carriers have been building the 5G networks up and testing them in order to determine where they fall short and to make improvements. Though these speeds likely won’t be rolled out until 2020 or even later if there are any major hiccups, the carriers have been testing what they do have ready. These tests have shown one very important thing: T-Mobile’s 5G speed is significantly better than Verizon’s is, according to CNET. Verizon was the first to announce a venture into 5G speeds, but T-Mobile claims to be getting 12 gigabits per second on its most recent test, which is 3 times what Verizon claims to have gotten. AT&T might be ahead of the game too claiming to have gotten 14 gigabits per second. Really, at the end of the day, they will likely all roll in around the same speeds because they have years to catch up to one another and the wireless community has to agree on standards before 5G can be officially released to the public.
What your business should know
As a business owner, it is important that you are keeping an eye on the major technology advances in order to determine what you need to be doing to stay on top of your game. One thing that is most important to note is that even when the internet of things becomes a real possibility, it will still all be managed through smartphones. People are becoming more and more dependant on their mobile devices, meaning your company needs to take advantage of that. It is essential that you have a website optimized for mobile, that you are using text communications, and that your business can be easily accessed and researched from a phone.
