Mobile technology has been advancing over the years, delivering value and creating a world of new possibilities. As carriers across the globe roll out the 5G cellular network, everyday users need to understand the features and benefits of this technology and how it will impact their lives.
This post will share an overview of the benefits and features of 5G to help you understand the scope of this technology.
Increased Availability
Even though most carriers started by rolling out 5G in select areas, the technology is designed to offer better availability and reliable connectivity. This makes it great for remote applications, allowing it to support different activities, such as medical operations, emergencies, and critical infrastructure.
Increased Speed and Bandwidth
Compared to 3G and 4G technologies, 5G offers better speeds and bandwidths. It provides a data rate of up to 10 Gbps, making it 10 to 100 times better than its predecessors. Now, businesses can use cellular networks for office automation because 5G provides enough bandwidth for WAN connections.
For example, downing a 3GB movie using 4G will take about 40 minutes. With 5G, this time is reduced to an impressive 35 seconds.
Low Latency
The 5G technology has latency below five milliseconds, delivering responsive communications and minimizing delays. This opens different possibilities for services that need quick response times without investing in heavy infrastructure. For example, it can help doctors conduct remote surgeries or power self-driving cars.
Reduced Power Consumption
With 5G, energy consumption per unit of data is also reduced, making the technology more efficient than 4G by up to 90%. Plus, 5G wireless cells automatically turn off when there’s no traffic to minimize power usage. This makes it a potentially “greener” technology and can help reduce base station energy use by up to 40%.
Improved Security
Taking inspiration from 4G/3G/2G experiences, the 5G network has been designed to address everyday network and mobile security threats. Some of the security controls of the technology include enhanced user identity protection and device authentification.
While 5G deployment is still heavily reliant on legacy infrastructure, there are ongoing research and development (R&D) initiatives to ensure the security and resilience of the network.
Better Connection Density
Compared to the 4G LTE network, 5G can accommodate more devices per square kilometer of a network. For example, 4G accommodates about 100k devices per square kilometer — 5G can support 10X the number.
In this case, 5G will ensure connectivity, especially when there are many people in close proximity, such as during large events and sporting activities. Plus, the technology is expected to be scalable to deliver pervasive coverage.
Experience 5G Network
As 5G becomes a reality and more carriers roll it out, it’s expected to redefine mobile communication and connectivity. With its reliable availability and low latency, it’s poised to have a significant role in life-saving applications and worldwide interoperability.
5G technology and IoT will ensure an inter-connected world and provide reliable connectivity for users anywhere, anytime.