FCC Proposes 5G Connection After Net Neutrality Win

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is on a role. After its big win with Net Neutrality, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is about to lay down the foundation for 5G wireless connection in the immediate future. At blazing speeds, this kind of wireless service would put a lot of streaming and download issues to rest.

Right now, the proposal is only in its initial stages and there’s no guarantee that it will even be approved. However, Wheeler is intent on making the U.S. the first country to unveil 5G technology on a wide scale, according to The Verge.

"If the Commission approves my proposal next month, the United States will be the first country in the world to open up high-band spectrum for 5G networks and applications," he said. "And that’s damn important because it means US companies will be first out of the gate."

The proposal is also not meant to define what 5G technology should be. As a matter of fact, Wheeler is emphatic that there is no set definition for the technology right now and anyone who says otherwise simply has no idea what they are saying.

What Wheeler hopes to achieve is simply to outline various applications and open avenues in order to allow tech companies to have a general idea where 5G technology can go. The FCC will essentially just open the door and allow the market to choose their own path, much like what they did with 4G wireless connection.

The Wall Street Journal outlines some of the biggest areas that 5G technology could benefit, including autonomous driving, the Internet of Things, and virtual reality. All of these areas require vast amounts of computing power and high-speed internet connection in order to work properly, and this is where the limitations of the current wireless connection speed is a problem. A faster connection means shorter gaps in wireless communication, thus leading to smoother performance.