5G is coming, and it could be enough to lift the cloud that has descended on technology hardware stocks.

And what a cloud it is. Apple (ticker: AAPL) is cutting phone production, automotive markets are slowing, and industrial markets are decelerating, albeit from a healthy level. Both auto and industrial markets have been sources of new growth for tech hardware. All cyclical stocks have suffered as a result. In fact, the tech hardware components of the S&P 500 entered correction territory after dropping over 10% from their Oct. 3 high.

But there are pockets of strength. Piper Jaffray analyst Harsh Kumar writes that “5G was the most pervasive, positive commentary” across semiconductor third-quarter earnings calls. “5G network infrastructure is real, and it is happening now.”

5G refers to the fifth generation of wireless technology, literally the upgrade from 4G and 4G LTE communications infrastructure. Intel(INTC) says that 5G will offer 10 times less latency, 50 times more speed, and 1,000 times more capacity. Today, global internet traffic is measured in zetabytes. That’s a one with 21 zeros after it. Cisco Systems(CSCO) predicts that internet traffic will grow more than 20% a year until at least 2021. That’s a lot of data, which will require 5G infrastructure. 5G could usher in an era of unconstrained data transfer.

The step up is a big deal for the communication-services value chain. Kumar told Barron’s that five to 10 times the data will be going in and out of a 5G base station, requiring more complex antennae and upgraded data connections. “5G spending will be orders of magnitude beyond the 4G cycle,” he says.