Verizon Wireless president Ronan Dunne (pictured) tipped network customisation as one of the main game changing technologies which will be enabled by 5G.

Speaking at an investor conference, Dunne said network slicing will allow Verizon to target different features at different applications, increasingly offering users a “one-to-one relationship” which responds to their specific needs at a given time.

Dunne flagged capacity, latency, speed, battery life and edge computing as layers which could be tailored to the changing needs of various applications. Low-latency, for example, can be used “as a specific enabler” for applications “that may not need massive bandwidth”.

If the bandwidth requirement of the app increases “I can give burst capacity for things that need it at specific times…Think about burst speeds that can be 100-times what we’re used to today.”

This will not just make existing applications more efficient but serve as a new general purpose technology capable of transforming “ecosystems and economic models,” he said.

Dunne pointed to mobility as the initial application where 5G features will show up, primarily through “significantly enhanced” speeds. He predicted applications requiring low-latency in retail, enterprise and manufacturing will be the next to spring up, followed by additional applications in fields including healthcare; gaming; finance; smart cities; autonomous vehicles; and sports.

Users will get their first glimpse of 5G when Verizon launches its next generation fixed wireless access network in four cities later this year. Dunne said the initial launch will quickly be followed by the introduction of Verizon’s mobile 5G play in early 2019.