The world of information technology is growing in leaps and bounds — and is predicted to grow even faster as telecommunications firms rush to get ahead before the introduction of a next-generation mobile network that could serve as "the foundation" of an increasingly internet-connected future.
Firms are gearing up by developing new mobile technologies ahead of the communications ministry's goal of commercializing the fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless network by 2020 — a time frame that would put Japan "ahead of other countries," the ministry said.
"The leap that 5G will bring to our society is going to be even more revolutionary than what we experienced after the advent of 1G, 2G, 3G or even 4G," Akira Matsunaga, senior director with telecom giant KDDI Corp.'s R&D Strategy Division, said during a news conference last month. "We believe 5G will indeed become the foundation of our future society."