The world has been talking a lot about the 5G mobile network. The gigabit-level speed and millisecond-level delay have been impressive, to say the least, and promise to open more possibilities in the tech world.

But where is 5G available in the world?

5G handsets are already available in South Korea, Switzerland, some parts of the U.S., Britain, Spain and elsewhere.

If you're looking to become one of the first few to experience 5G, we recommend you contact your carrier, in case you missed the testing phase.

Mapping 5G

If you want to have a look at the fast implementation of the next-generation telecom tech, there are two ways:

One is a service from Ookla, the company that many people use to test network speed. They've created a map of 5G commercialization and are updating it weekly. It tells you which cities and carriers are testing or running 5G networks.

Another map is available for free at WorldTimeZone.com. The map gives you a glance at global 5G implementation and describe details of the process.

History lesson

We can also guess the date of 5G implementation by looking at the history of 3G and 4G.

3G, which some people see as a failure, was first commercialized back in 2001. The network covered 30 percent of the globe in 2012.

The first 4G commercial network was launched in 2006. The tech spread fast after 2009 and now covers nearly the breadth of the planet.

The expansion of 4G took roughly half the time of 3G.

Now let’s look at 5G. The first commercial 5G network was launched this year. If the spread speed will double again, it should be available in most developed areas by the end of 2020.

So is 2019 the year of 5G? It depends on how you define it. But it seems that most smartphone lovers will start buying 5G gadgets next year.