Where the 5G Data Storm Will Hit First

Smartphone data addicts shouldn't hold their breath for speeds of 10 gigabits per second. To provide the kind of 5G coverage consumers will expect, carriers will need to install as many as 20 access points per square kilometer, an expensive endeavor that will take years. Until then, we'll have to accept that 5G is here, but it's unevenly distributed. Here are some places to watch for it in the (nearish) future. 1) The folks who are gunning to make cars drive themselves are itching for 5G connectivity. Why? The faster you can get data into and out of a rolling robot, the better the experience. 2) Surgery goes wireless. 3) A new kind of assembly line may someday put many humans out of a job. Virtual reality may become the new reality.