Introduction
5G is the fifth and latest cellular connectivity technology. 5G technology is succeeding after 4G which revolutionized mobile broadband service. 5G comes with enhanced capabilities that can enable advanced applications like Artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Machine Learning (ML) to their highest potential.
Since its commercial introduction in 2019, cellular and telecommunication companies started rolling out 5G services to users worldwide. According to Ericsson, nearly 62% of smartphones today have 5G compatibility built within them. Let us understand how 5G is and will provide better infrastructure for different technologies and applications.
Why 5G is Necessary?
We are in a world where even a kid needs to consume a video to calm down from crying. 4G (LTE) technology was introduced to enable online video streaming without buffering. As mentioned before, the availability of smart mobile devices enormously increases the consumption of data.
Another improvement in the technological space in recent years is the introduction of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet-of-things (IoT) to civilian applications. The threshold of 4G (LTE) is being pushed by these two factors. To provide a seamless experience, 5G technology is introduced with increased network capacity, ultrafast connectivity, and a massive 100X speed than 4G (LTE) technology.
Key Advantages of 5G Technology
High Speed
Each generation of wireless network performs better than its previous wireless generation. Likewise, 5G is said to be 100x faster than 4G according to lab metrics. 5G has the capacity of 10GBPS download speed. This speed is achievable after the complete deployment of full-fledged 5G infrastructure. 5G is believed to be a strong alternative to wired optical fibers.
Large Bandwidth
The amount of data that can be transferred over a network within a given point of time is defined as the bandwidth of the network. 4G provides network coverage to a large group of people in the same area by sharing its bandwidth capacity. The shared bandwidth capacity utilized by each user has limited upload and download speed.
The 5G technology is architectured to function on a wider range of bandwidths from low-band to high-band radio spectrums. As a result, the bandwidth has increased up to 100 GHz and beyond. This increased bandwidth provides better upload and download speed to all the users in the network.
Low Latency
The time delay for a signal to reach from a source to a target is called latency. 5G has the lowest latency in all the wireless networks. The latency for a 4G network is 200 milliseconds which is higher than human reaction speed. The latency rate of 5G networks is less than 5 milliseconds and it is lower than human reaction speed. The low latency rate in 5G technology ensures high communication speed between users and machines in the network.
How Does 5G Operate?
Similar to the previous wireless networks, 5G enables connectivity through radio waves. 5G cellular technology divides service areas into smaller geographic sections called cells. This method proved to help provide better coverage, bandwidth, and management. The following advanced techniques are included in 5G technology to make it the most capable wireless network ever.
Easy to Install Cell Tower
2G/3G/4G networks operate only through standalone mobile towers. The capital cost to install these networks to cover more geographical areas is very high and complex. To overcome this, the 5G network uses small transmitter cell towers that can be installed over any building and infrastructure.
Massive MIMO
Multiple Input & Multiple Output (MIMO) is used in 5G technology that allows multiple transmitters and receivers to transmit data simultaneously. As a result, consumers using the network at the same time have seamless network coverage.
OFDM Tech
5G uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing to encode high-band radio waves. 4G LTE does not interfere with these encoded radio waves as it doesn’t have the capacity to decode.
Network Slicing
Network slicing is the process of creating multiple private virtual networks over a single infrastructure. Mobile operators allow users to customize their own 5G network using a network slicing mechanism. Users can manage network functionality like devices that can communicate within the network, user management, file management, role permission, etc.,
Private 5G operates the same way as public 5G networks. A private 5G network offers great control of resources and security as all the devices and users belong to the same entity. Nowadays, more vendors are offering Private 5G with various pricing and capacity. Installing and scaling a private 5G for yourself becomes very simple.
How is 5G used in Real-time Applications?
5G has been revolutionizing many industries around the world. We have listed some of the real-time 5G applications.
Internet of Things (IoT)
5G network has a higher signal transmission speed than a human reaction rate. This is achieved by the low latency and high network availability. IoT integrated with 5G has enabled seamless communication between electronic devices. 5G powered IoT technology has made human environments smarter than before.
- Smart City – A city that is entirely connected with digital devices to enhance the quality of its citizens is called a smart city. Governments around the world are interested in transforming their cities into smart cities to improve mobility, employability, citizen engagement, minimize traffic congestion etc., The concept of establishing a smart city becomes easy because of the high network performance of 5G technology.
- Smart Factory – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning can be implemented in the factories to do repetitive tasks. Each task inside the factory is related to each other. Automation needs a strong connection between all the equipment and departments inside the factory. Using 5G technology, we can connect everything inside the factories under a single communication platform.
- Smart Vehicles – Smart vehicles or autonomous vehicles are the next generation of vehicles that can operate with less intervention from humans. Smart vehicles use cameras, sensors, and software to analyze their surroundings and make informed decisions. The decision of the smart vehicle is very crucial. Any delay in the decision-making will result in a road incident or a loss of life. The 5G network’s high speed gave the power to the smart vehicles to make more reasonable decisions in a fraction of a second.
Healthcare
Healthcare availability is not the same in every place. There are millions of lives lost in human history because of not getting proper health attention at the right time. Wireless networks have greatly reduced such incidents. 5G takes it forward by enabling hassle-free live video streaming connectivity from any point of the world. With 5G technology, Experts from anywhere can instruct how surgery can be done successfully.
Improved Surveillance
People started to travel often in the last decade. It is very critical to know who is entering into each locality. This can be achieved by various metrics like CCTV cameras, ATM usage, the vehicle entering the area, public transport, etc.,
Every metric needs an unparalleled network connection. A strong surveillance is required to stop any disaster to occur. 5G hugely helps by providing large bandwidth in a single geographical area. Many surveillance devices like cameras &RFIDs can be enabled within a single geographical area more than ever.
Entertainment & Gaming
The gaming industry is evolving at light speed. Augmented and virtual reality gaming experiences are available now in the urban markets. Most of the games are online-based. 5G’s ultra-low latency delivers the required FPS (Frames Per Second) for an immersive gaming experience.
The consumption of Internet media in households has increased more than 120 times in the last decade. 5G has normalized 4K video streaming with its enhanced mobile broadband capacity. Satellite internet technology combined with 5G provides high-speed internet connectivity to rural and remote areas without depending on mobile towers.
Conclusion
Cellular communication has transformed the way humans communicate with each other. 1G & 2G enabled us to communicate with ease. 3G gave us the taste of the internet at ease. With that, 4G created a digital world and made us netizens. There is a greater hope that 5G technology revolutionize the way of our life. 5G technology should be used with integrity to harness the best solutions. Bookmark us to know more about the latest trends and technologies.
