Embrace the future of connectivity with 5G!

As you read this, you are most likely using Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G connections. It is hard to believe that there was ever a time when we could not watch videos on YouTube or call via WhatsApp. But thanks to the technological advances throughout the years, multiple companies within the mobile ecosystem have grouped to bring life to the 5th generation (5G).

As of April 2019, those living in Chicago and Minneapolis, America, were the first to experience 5G. In 2022, only ten countries had access to 5G, with China and the USA being on top of the leaderboard with the most cities having accessibility; combined, they have an astounding total of 652 cities.?

How does 5G work, and what are the differences between 4G and 5G?

Like any other cellular network, 5G sends data using radio waves traveling over a spectrum. 5G uses multiple spectrum bands, which include a range of frequencies divided into three bands: low, mid, and high. Each of these bands has different capacities. The low band has a more extensive area coverage but lower speeds, the mid band offers an in-between of low and high bands, and the high band offers high speed but smaller area coverage.?

Today, being at an early stage in evolution, 5G speeds are lightning-fast and can reach speeds of 10 GB, which is 100 times faster than 4G. 5G also has a lower latency of 5 milliseconds, while 4G ranges from 60ms to 98ms. Simply put, latency is the time taken between the start point and the end destination, also known as delay. This increased speed creates advantages such as faster download speeds, increased reliability, and reduced battery usage since it uses less power to transmit the same data in less time.

But what does this mean for the future??

5G could soon mean augmented reality (AR) becoming predominant in specific sectors such as manufacturing. Thanks to private 5G networks, there will be an uproar of cooperative robots that would work alongside humans in the automotive industry. With a much-improved network, they would have better coordination, leading to an overall reliable and safer environment. Banks, hospitals, or any data-intensive company would be able to transmit immense amounts of information within seconds. Governments would be able to attain detailed data across geographic areas with the aid of algorithms, which would help create better surveillance resulting in safety, and reduced traffic and accidents.

5G is still in the early stages of release, yet it can bring us many benefits in both everyday life as well as for industries. We cannot be certain as to what amazing things could be done with such an advancement in technology. Only the future can tell us.