Indianapolis will be one of the first cities to begin testing 5G. The new step in wireless communication promises faster internet speeds and the ability to handle more online traffic.

IU’s senior lecturer Matt Pierce, who is also a part of Indiana’s legislature, says there is a lot of ‘hype’ around 5G, but there is still a lot of investments and infrastructure necessary before it pays off.

“The truth is, it’s going to take a long time to get the system built out and technology perfected to the way that it’s being described,” says Pierce.

He anticipates it will take at least another five years before 5G will be implemented, and possibly even longer before it lands in self-driving cars, smart houses and even smart cities. Pierce describes the capabilities of 5G as ‘wifi on steroids’ that will make streaming faster.

By October, Indianapolis, just 60 miles north of campus, will roll out the testing stage. According to Pierce, the testing may involve putting up a few towers, or using a demo neighborhood to run through the logistics of 5G.

Verizon is testing the new service in Houston, Los Angeles and Sacramento in addition to Indianapolis. The service will cost $50 per month for Verizon customers, and $70 for those without a Verizon wireless plan.