First there was 2G, then there was 3G, now we're on 4G. But coming soon: 5G!

Verizon announced Wednesday that it will begin testing its fifth-generation wireless service in 11 markets across the country, from rural areas to dense urban centers.

5G provides speeds up to 40 times faster than 4G, and it's expected to eventually impact connected everything from self-driving cars to robots.

The pilot will be available to customers in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Atlanta; Bernardsville, New Jersey; Brockton, Massachusetts; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Miami; Sacramento; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

Verizon will begin tests during the first half of this year.

Verizon said it will select pilot customers based on their proximity to the new 5G towers and contact them about participating in the trial directly.

5G tests have been conducted for the past few years in labs and prototype environments. Now, Verizon is testing the tech that will eventually be rolled out when 5G is available everywhere, which isn't expected until 2020.

Faster broadband means you'll be able to download and consume more high-quality video. It most likely also means you'll pay more for data.