5G and Real Estate -- Will 2020 Be the Year 5G Goes Big in CRE?

The telecommunications industry is in the beginning stages of rolling out its fifth-generation (5G) standard for mobile service. It promises download speeds 100 times faster compared to the current 4G system, which will allow for increased connectivity between mobile devices. Because of that, it will be a game changer for our increasingly data-driven society. As a result, the rollout of 5G, which will become more pronounced in 2020, will have major implications for the commercial real estate sector. That's because instead of primarily utilizing macro cell towers like the current 4G system, it will rely on smaller antennas spaced closer together since the wave signals don't travel as far. This shift in infrastructure will affect commercial real estate operators, who will need to adapt to this new technology.