AT&T Signs First 5G Connected Car Deal With GM: Jeff Kagan

AT&T has entered the 5G wireless connected car race by signing its first deal with GM. This deal will enable General Motors vehicles to be equipped with 5G wireless devices, connectivity and operations using the AT&T Mobility network beginning in 2023. So, let’s take a closer look at this exciting autonomous driving and connected car space which will continue to grow in importance going forward.

During the next decade, both AT&T and GM are expected put 5G wireless technology into vehicles. Initially, they will spend the next several years working together to make sure AT&T’s 5G wireless network can handle the GM demand.

Autonomous driving and connected cars

Autonomous driving and connected cars will play large roles in our economy and our world going forward. It will positively impact many different companies in many different areas of expertise, not only here in the United States, but in fact, globally.

Ensuring that AT&T and GM can communicate and operate automated vehicles is a big job, and we are just in the very early stages of this transformative opportunity.

This is not new. AT&T and GM have been working together for quite a while already with the GM OnStar network of services. They have been using 4G connectivity to bring many features we use today as well.

Is GM OnStar at risk as networks shut down 3G?

One area of concern is: How will the shutdown of the 3G network impact OnStar and other features customers use today? As wireless moves forward from 4G to 5G and beyond, it shuts down previous generations like 2G and 3G.

This new partnership is all about 5G, however, and that’s not going away for quite a long time. In fact, we are still in the very early days of the 5G growth opportunity.

5G wireless will transform many industries

5G wireless will enable and transform so many new industries going forward.

This is all very exciting news. In fact, the entire connected car space is full of exciting news. It is moving ahead very rapidly, and we are expecting to see the first connected car experience within the next few years.

You see, there are already quite a few companies both competing and working together to bring connected cars and automated driving to reality.

5GAA working to bring 5G wireless future to us today

Qualcomm is a big player in this space. You see, all these companies and in fact, many others, can all work together under the 5GAA umbrella.

The 5G Automotive Association is a group of different car makers, wireless equipment companies, wireless networks, smartphone and tablet makers and so many other entities.

The 5GAA is a group that brings together a growing number of minds in different and sometimes competing companies and technologies to work together and bring the magic of tomorrow to reality.

Qualcomm, Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia in connected car space

Going forward, expect to see all the major carriers — Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T Mobility — becoming leaders on the wireless carrier side of this new area.

Also expect Qualcomm, Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and many others that build 5G wireless connectivity in both networks and smartphones, tablets and so much more.

Plus, there are so many other companies in other spaces who are all working together behind the scenes to bring us this amazing technology in the next few years.

Connected cars and self-driving cars will continue to be a rapidly growing space, and I expect to see many companies participate as it moves ahead.

5G Wireless filled with incredible growth potential

The connected car is only one of many new slices to the wireless pie, all filled with incredible growth potential.

Expect the connected car and the self-driving car to launch within the next few years and get better, faster and stronger, year by year.

We are already seeing the very early stages in today’s vehicles like Tesla, Mercedes, Lexus, BMW and many others.

This forward momentum will continue.

We are in the very early stages of an incredible wireless revolution that will transform every other industry, one by one. Think of automated driving, self-driving cars, healthcare, telehealth, retail and so many other spaces.

Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, AT&T Mobility in automated driving space

During the next decade we will rewrite the rules by which all these industries play. If we look ahead ten years, the world will be a completely different space.

To understand what I mean, just look backwards. Think about how today’s world is completely different from the world of ten to fifteen years ago.

The Apple iPhone and Google Android started this revolution. Prior to that we lived in a world with Motorola, Blackberry and Nokia. Today, we live in a world with super powered smartphones like the iPhone and Android that control nearly everything in our lives.

If that’s where we are today, just imagine where we will be in ten more years. We are on a very long-term ride that has already lasted decades and will continue for many more decades to come. We are still in the very early days of this incredible innovation wave.

Learning about what is coming next will empower you to profit as an investor, executive, worker or customer. So, stay tuned, as this ride has only just begun!

Jeff Kagan is an Equities News columnist. Kagan is a Wireless Analyst, Technology Analyst and Commentator who follows Telecom, Pay TV, Cloud, AI, IoT, Tele Health, Healthcare, Automotive, Self-Driving cars and more. Email him at [email protected]. His web site is www.jeffKAGAN.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffkagan and LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kagan/.

_____

Equities News Columnist: Jeff Kagan

Source: Equities News