This year we have an election, social media and digital transactions are everywhere, and we are all determined to stick to our new exercise plan. 2020 has a lot to live up to, and wireless is going to play a huge role. Here are 3 trends in 2020 to watch and the role of wireless in each:
Election 2020 and Top Gun’s Sequel Have Us Feeling the Need for Speed
It’s an election year and more than ever we want, and need, information fast. We want to know what a political candidate said, and we want to know the real facts. The good news is in 2020, faster isn’t just around the corner, it’s here. Last year, the first 5G networks deployed in thousands of communities across the nation. This is giving us access to information at speeds up to 100 times faster than we’ve ever seen, right at the tips of our fingers. Don’t have 5G yet? New 5G rollouts are already starting this year, including in Iowa and Wisconsin. Tom’s Guide offers this U.S. Cheat Sheet for network rollout, and a look at what we can expect with faster speeds and lower latency.
Side note: The Top Gun sequel, “Maverick” is slated to be released in June 2020, which has us feeling the need for streaming speed too! With 5G, you could download a two-hour movie in just 3.6 seconds versus 6 minutes on 4G.
Big Data is Getting Even Bigger
With this in mind, there is no better time for Congress to address consumer privacy by setting a national standard. Concerns are growing about who has access to our personal information and how that information is, or can be, used. We are experiencing an astonishing rate of exciting and beneficial technological progress. Today we have wireless devices that can help monitor and test our blood sugar, connected cars that can help navigate and park, and banking apps that help us monitor our accounts. All of this means a potentially tremendous amount of personal information online. With even more innovation around the corner, (just check out this baseball cap that could control your TV by thought alone), Congress needs to act now to pass a national privacy law to protect all of us, no matter who we are or where we are located.
This is the Year We Can Keep Our Resolutions
This year, it’s particularly easy to keep your new year’s resolution. Why? There is an app or a technology that can help. There are apps to help track exercise and diets, apps to help save money, and apps to learn a new skill or hobby. This connectivity requires large bandwidth for all of our many devices to stay connected, and that bandwidth comes from the backbone of the wireless network: spectrum. In 2019, the President and the FCC took great steps to auction spectrum, marking the first time in history that three major spectrum auctions have been held in one calendar year. But, the fact remains that demand for mobile data continues to surge, so bureaucrats must continue to make access to spectrum a priority in order to support our wireless future.
It’s a fresh year and a fresh decade, and wireless is sure to play a major role. Be sure to follow ACTwireless on Facebook and Twitter for the latest in trending technology and wireless policy news as we track 5G, privacy, spectrum, and more.
