Like clockwork, ten years following the release of 4G, or Fourth Generation network, 5G is gearing up to become the new staple of network connectivity. Better, faster, stronger: 5G will replace 4G as the principal source of wireless connectivity at the end of this year and will allow data to transfer at a maximum speed of 20 gigabytes per second, a speed vastly more efficient than its 4G counterpart, which has download and upload speeds that level out at just one gigabit per second. Experts predict this upgrade will be revolutionary, allowing a plethora of new possibilities for virtual reality, eSports, cell phones and more.

Companies such as AT&T and Verizon, as well as Sprint, are expected to release phones with access to 5G networks before the latter half of 2019, but this doesn’t mean that current cell phones won’t be able to operate. In fact, they’ll function the same as ever, with 5G phones also having access to 4G networks as 5G becomes more common. Despite the advances of the 5G network, many members of the general public may not even need that capability, as connectivity speeds today are leaps and bounds faster than what was available ten years ago. Streaming movies and TV shows doesn’t require such high speed but will likely still be appreciated by the average consumer.

Some experts are, however, concerned about security involving new 5G networks, stating that people may be open to having their digital data stolen when their phones connect to fake cell phone towers masquerading as real ones in order to secretly swindle consumer’s online information. This rather large issue is expected to be resolved by the time that 5G is unveiled, though.

While the public may not need these astronomical speeds, other industries will be making great use of these developments. The eSports industry, for example, is expected to grow even larger than the American basketball and football industries due to more effective, up-to-date information transfers to audiences in real time. Virtual reality is predicted to become more smooth and comfortable for users by decreasing their nausea occurrences and expanding potential to virtually attend their favorite sporting event or preferred artist’s performance. Self-automated cars and smart homes are also expected to explode in popularity and efficiency.

Overall, 5G will revolutionize the electronics industry as a whole and allow for more feasibility in expansion of digital projects. The possibilities are greater than ever would have been expected 20 years ago, and its generating of expanded bandwidth and data transfer speeds will likely be felt in companies and productions around the world.