US telecoms group AT & T announced Friday that it plans to test the fifth generation super-fast (or 5G) mobile networks, it would be up to 100 times faster than existing connections.
AT & T said it would begin field trials this year in collaboration with the giant Intel and the Swedish group Ericsson.
Global telecommunications operators preparing for the deployment 5G in 2020, but some companies seem to anticipate those projections.
The new 5G networks could open the door to a range of services to deliver data at faster speeds, enabling services such as remote surgery or driverless cars, among others.
"New experiences such as virtual reality, driverless cars, robots, smart cities and more are being tested on networks like never before," said chief strategist at AT & T, John Donovan.
"These technologies are immersive, ubiquitous and adjusted to customers. 5G help make them a reality."
AT & T said it will begin testing laboratory 5G in the second quarter and field in Austin, Texas, before the end of the year.
"The tests will help guide our contributions to the standard 5G, and set the stage for commercial deployment and mobile availability once the technology standards for 5G are established," said AT & T.
"We hope 5G provide speeds between 10 and 100 times the average current of 4G LTE connections."
Verizon rival AT & T also announced plans to test the 5G in 2016.
The International Telecommunication Union, the UN agency working in interconnection globally, said its member countries approved the detailed plan on how to harmonize standards for 5G with a launch planned for 2020 plan.