AT LEAST ONE MORE THAN 4G: How Much 5G Could Cost Users. “Wireless carriers are still grappling with how much to charge consumers and businesses for this faster, next-generation service.”

Business are likely to begin paying for 5G networks as part of their capital expenditures, probably opting to build faster, private networks to power factories and stores, he says. The prices consumers pay for mobile-phone plans are less likely to change dramatically, he says, though some carriers may only offer 5G to clients in the higher tiers of their unlimited data plans.

“I pay $160; I don’t think tomorrow you can double that to $320” for a monthly mobile family plan, even if speeds are significantly faster, says Anthony Goonetilleke, who helps telecom companies with their network buildout and pricing models as chief technology officer of Amdocs , a provider of software and services to communications and media companies.

The cost of mobile wireless service has plummeted in recent years, with consumers growing accustomed to lower bills and unlimited data usage. U.S. mobile data cost roughly $3.33 a gigabyte at the end of 2017, according to consulting firm Recon Analytics, down from $11.12 a gigabyte three years earlier.

Where 5G really gets interesting isn’t increased download speeds on your smartphone, but rather the threat it will eventually create to traditional ISP’s “last mile” near-monopoly on consumers’ home access.