Back then, companies were competing to provide the fastest internet speeds and best mobile services. But regardless of their attempts, there was one thing that was holding them back – the limitations of 4G technology. And truth be told, the infrastructure for 4G and previous generations was simply not enough to keep up with the demands of today’s world. It was slow, unreliable, and frustrating for customers. And although 4G phones are still working, it’s clear that they will eventually become obsolete.
While our society is moving towards a new industrial revolution, 5G technology takes the place of the steam engine back in the old days. As we all know, in the following years, 5G wireless technology is going to be the standard network technology. That will bring massive changes in efficiency, productivity, and innovation in every industry.
If you wondered what the concept of 5G stands for, it is the fifth generation of network technology that comes after a few decades of improvements in prior mobile networks. The 1G was introduced back in the 1980s, bringing the feature of analog voice into our lives. Every decade since then brought more and more requirements for increased speed, data traffic capabilities, connectivity, and new features.
We can already see 5G being implemented and making changes worldwide, but it will take some more years until it is fully integrated into our society. The reason is that the infrastructure for the 4G wireless network is not capable of taking on the new demands of 5G and needs to be changed and adapted. We will see changes happening everywhere in the following years, but in a good way, with transportation, logistics, healthcare, and many others becoming more efficient through having access to a higher-speed, reliable, and low-latency network. But while everything and everyone is going to see the changes and enjoy the benefits, one industry is required to put things in motion.
As the motor for developing this new technology, telecommunication companies need to stay competitive among their peers. While the process of 5G integration was slowed down by COVID, providing this technology to everyone in the following years will prove worthwhile in the long run. That is because 5G technology is going to be less energy-intensive, thus allowing telecom companies to spend less money on energy bills. It also comes on top of the high demand for sustainability.
So if a company can not afford to offer 5G connectivity and be competitive, it will disappear, or it will merge with a bigger player in the market. In the process, the telecommunication industry will be able to see an improvement in public safety, infrastructure, and economic development. Besides, there are going to be new applications and services developed, and those will require the best wireless technology available.
5G technology is not just about providing a faster internet to talk to people. And it’s not just about streaming Netflix or Hulu on our devices at higher-speed connectivity. Rather, it serves as the foundation for a new wave of revolutionary technology. Whether it is Alexa, smart refrigerators, or even traffic control systems, our connection through 5G is getting more advanced with each day passing.
Think of self-driving cars! Teslas, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, all of these companies, have been developing and testing autonomous driving technology for years, and with 5G, they can take their efforts to the next level. Self-driving cars need to be able to communicate with other vehicles and infra, such as traffic signals, so they require a high-speed and low-latency internet connection to make split-second decisions on the road.
But self-driving cars are just the tip of the iceberg. The emergence of 5G is expected to disrupt the mobile phone industry, particularly in terms of its infrastructure. Currently, wireless mobile infrastructure is segmented. Each operator, or mobile subscription provider, builds their own antennas and base stations. However, with the arrival of 5G, this approach may no longer be sustainable.
Instead, a shared infrastructure system might be the way forward. This would allow multiple operators to share the same 5G network, reducing the costs of infrastructure development and maintenance. Ultimately, this could result in more affordable and accessible mobile services for consumers but will also enable the connectivity of an entire city.
Look at Barcelona, for example! The municipality implemented a system called “Sentilo”, a sensor platform that gathers data from various sources, such as parking and traffic sensors, along with the public transport system. With the use of predictive algorithms, it manages the optimization of traffic flow, resulting in reduced congestion. This means good news for the residents of Barcelona, as they no longer have to endure the frustration of traffic jams
“5G technology paves the way for new actors who simply own infrastructure and lease it to the operators,” stated Dr. Shuaib Siddiqui, the Director of Software Networks of i2CAT, Spain.
For this reason, with the emergence of 5G technology, several features are expected to accelerate the trend towards neutral hosting – network slicing and small cells.
What do they mean? Well, network slicing enables network segmentation into different sections, or “slices” – each tailored to meet the unique needs of a specific set of devices or applications. This means that multiple devices can access the same network in different ways, depending on their requirements. For instance, a 5G network may have a slice designed for smartphones, providing high data speeds, while another for home alarm sensors with low energy usage, and a slice for self-driving cars that would offer both high data speeds and low latency to ensure quick maneuvers.
Small cells, on the other hand, are a type of wireless network infrastructure that can boost the coverage and capacity of cellular networks. They can be easily installed on existing infrastructure, such as street lights or traffic signals, and can provide localized coverage in areas with high user density, such as stadiums or shopping centers.
There’s no denying that the 5G technology promises to revolutionize the telecommunications industry. And it has been doing it ever since it started becoming widely available. But we can expect to see a wave of innovation and new technologies that will transform our lives in ways we can only imagine.
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