As market after market switches on 5G

As market after market switches on 5G, we are at a truly momentous point in time. No previous generation of mobile technology has had the potential to drive economic growth to the extent that 5G promises. It goes beyond connecting people to fully realizing the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”—The opening paragraph of the June 2019 Ericsson Mobility Report

Almost every significant technology advancement now goes through what Gartner calls the “hype cycle.” These days, Everyone expects new technologies to be met with gushing optimism and dreamy visions of how it’s going to change the world in the blink of an eye. After a while, we all come to expect the vendors and the press to go overboard with excitement, at least until reality and disappointment set in when things don’t pan out exactly as expected.

Even with all that in mind, though, Ericsson’s whole-hearted embrace of 5G in its Internet Mobility Report is impressive. The optimism is backed up by lots of numbers, but they can be hard to tease out of the 36-document. So, let’s recap some of the most important top-line predictions (with my comments at the end).