MWC 2016: Intel works with Verizon and Nokia to usher in 5G age

Intel hopes to speed up the development of 5G by partnering with industry giants like Verizon and Ericsson.

The chipmaker has also partnered with KT, Nokia, SK Telecom and LG as it hopes to deliver the new networking speed by 2018, according to CEO Brian Krzanich.

This would be two years ahead of Ofcom's prediction that the technology will arrive in 2020.

Intel believes 5G will underpin the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), which holds the potential to develop smart cities and billions of connected devices that will help improve healthcare and driverless cars.

"Billions of increasingly smart and connected devices, data-rich personalised services, and cloud applications are driving the need for smarter and more powerful networks," said Aicha Evans, corporate vice president of Intel's communication and devices group.

"The transition to 5G brings communications and computing together and is a fundamental shift for the industry. It is essential to lay the foundation for future 5G networks now to make amazing experiences of the future possible."

To this end, Intel and Ericsson are running 5G trials with mobile operators to come up with various tools, while Intel will start 5G trials with KT in 2018 to focus on standardisation.

It will work with Nokia to make it easy to implement 5G mobile client and wireless infrastructure when the technology is available, and is working with Verizon to prove how millimeter wave spectrum, which is capable of supporting a higher data capacity than existing networks, can deliver high-quality and fast wireless connectivity to homes and businesses.

Intel will perform these experiments on its own 5G mobile trial platform.