CTO of Verizon claims it will be the first to launch 5G

Hans Vestberg, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of US telecommunications giant Verizon has stated in a conference at CES 2018 that the company will be the very first to launch 5G.

When asked at the CES 5G panel if there was a race between companies to launch 5G, Vestberg answered by stating that, regardless of any competition, Verizon will be the first to launch such a network.

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“It’s a great opportunity when 5G is coming into the market right now and we have already announced that later this year we are going to have the first lights on 5G,” Vestberg said.

Telecommunications firms are putting such a large emphasis on 5G due to the potential that it harbours, with the market expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

In a recent report, SNS Research stated that 5G networks are forecast to account for 40% of wireless network infrastructure spending by the end of 2025.

The claims from the CTO have come shortly after Verizon announced that it would be recruiting Ericsson ahead of its 5G launch, with the Swedish company set to provide networking equipment in aid of this, including a 5G core network, a 5G radio access network, and other related services.