EXPLAINING 5G

   Fifth-generation networks, or 5G, are essentially a faster and more reliable version of wireless connectivity. They come after four generations of past improvements. 2G brought us text messaging, while 4G introduced video streaming and other capabilities, which gave us access to a host of new mobile services like Uber and Spotify.
   5G marks a massive leap forward in such wireless technology. Unlike earlier networks, which essentially connected devices through one-way interactions, 5G would have countless points of connectivity, creating something that could be thought of as a grid pattern, or what experts call a “network of networks.”

  It will also be much faster. Users will be able to download a two-hour movie in less than four seconds, down from around six minutes today (or 26 hours under 3G technology).