It looks like 5G Phones will go mainstream sooner than predicted

Qualcomm's CEO Steven Mollenkopf has just given an interesting insight stating that the first 5G phones will be ready to meet next-generation mobile standards and be available for the mass market in 2019 in several Asian countries and the United States. The CEO's statement confirms the debut of 5g phones a year ahead of most predictions.

Mollenkopf has said that rising consumer and business demands were forcing the telecom industry to accelerate its previous 2020 timeline to upgrade to new networks and devices. "You will see it (5G) in real devices, on the shelf, in 2019. And if I were to answer that same question a year ago, I would have said 2020", Mollenkopf said in an interview on the sidelines of the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Besides, commercialization of 5G seems to have become vital to grow the revenue of network equipment makers like Huawei, Nokia, and Ericsson, as well as device makers like Samsung Electronics and Apple by enabling demand for new features and equipment upgrades.

The benefits of moving to new networks promise new mobile services and even whole new business models. Besides, 5G standards will deliver not just faster phone or computer data but link up cars, machines, cargo and crop equipment to the Internet.

But again this new change could pose challenges for industries unable to invest in the change.

Mollenkopf has also revealed that South Korea, Japan, and the United States already have network operators working in each market preparing mainstream network launches for 2019. China will likely join the trend as well.

Further, "You will see robust demand in all of those locations, meaning that there are multiple operators wanting to be first and not be left behind. (Most) will have a different deployment strategy or goal," he said, fuelling competition for new users.

China, far and away the world's largest market for phones, has traditionally lagged behind these early adopters, but Mollenkopf has forecasted that they will likely join the first movers to 5G.

"What we are seeing in China is a real desire not to be a follower and to launch with everyone else. That's new this time. From a geopolitical perspective, certain regions of the world just don't want to be late to that game," he said.

The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February 2018 is expected to be the first widespread public showcase for 5G services.