The 2020 Internet Trends Expected to Impact You

With a new year and decade now upon us, the Internet world continues to change. What 2020 Internet trends are expected to impact your usage? 5G looks to begin entering the tech mainstream this year. Are any other transformative innovations slated for 2020?

The planet is enjoying faster Internet speeds. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Let’s take a closer look at the 2020 Internet trends potentially influencing your family’s online activity. Understanding what’s coming down the pike helps ensure you get the devices needed for great performance.

5G Begins Entering the Technology Mainstream

It appears 2020 is the year 5G wireless begins to make an impact on the Internet world. We covered 2020 5G trends in detail in a separate article. Expect this latest mobile networking innovation to initially impact the business world more than the household.

The top mobile providers in the U.S. – AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon – continue expanding their nascent 5G networks. Apple looks to release their first 5G iPhone sometime in 2020. In the end, expect 5G’s lower latency to be more impactful than its faster Internet speed.

Average Internet Speed Continues to Rise

With more fiber gigabit networks going online across the world, 2020 is poised to see an increase in average Internet speed. There are multiple studies ranking the countries with the fastest Internet speed. The U.S. typically ranks around 10^th on these lists, with an average Internet speed near 20 Mbps.

Providing more high-speed Internet service to underserved rural regions is expected to raise the average speed in the United States. As noted earlier, the rollout of more fiber and 5G networks also helps. The advent of the new WiFi 6 wireless standard also boosts network performance and speed in homes and businesses.

In short, expect your Internet speed to improve in 2020. Always perform regular speed tests to ensure you get the bandwidth you deserve. We also help you find a new ISP if your current provider simply isn’t fast enough.

The Internet of Things Becomes Commonplace

Home automation and the Internet of Things continue to be more buzzwords than actual technology trends. It appears 2020 is the year where that finally changes. In fact, VentureBeat listed the IoT at second on their list of the top tech trends of 2020.

Once again, 5G and its lower latency is making an impact. Low latency is an essential metric for any responsive IoT system. The widespread availability of 5G will help bring the IoT into the mainstream. Still, wider usage of the IoT likely dovetails 5G network coverage in the U.S. In the end, expect more impacts in the retail and manufacturing sectors compared to the home. Shopping without manual checkout will be commonplace within a few years. High-performance in-store 5G networking helps make it possible.