Verizon to Start Testing 5G in 2016The company is going to start experimenting with the upgraded tech in California and Massachusetts
This story originally appeared onCNBC
Did you just upgrade your cell phone to take advantage of fast "4G" network speeds?
You're going to need a new phone.
Verizonsaid on Monday it would start field trials next year of 5G technology, offering a 50-fold increase in data capability over current networks.
While 5G networks were expected to launch in the United States after 2020 (10 years following the commercial launch of 4G networks), Verizon said it wanted to speed up adoption of the technology.
The company is setting up testing environments in Massachusetts and San Francisco to begin experimenting with higher-speed networks.
It is working with vendors includingAlcatel-LucentandEricssonon developing 5G, which is a shorthand reference to the fifth generation of mobile networking technology.
