5G stands for the fifth generation. It is touted as the next-generation wireless network technology. It’s interesting to know that some countries, such as the United States have started the 5G evolution since 2018. And South Korea is the first country to hop into the 5G ship first.
But don’t get confused with the 5G experience and the 5G evolution. Even if leading countries have already set the sail for this more advanced wireless network, there is still a long way to go.
There is so much potential with 5G networking. The term “5G evolution “is just the beginning. And I reckon, the world isn’t even halfway through exploring the huge potential of this next-generation wireless networking.
For 5 G to commence, it still needs the 4g network. 5G phones still need 4G networks for it to establish a connection. For now, 5G may be dependent on 4G networks. But eventually, it will be a standalone network. Since there aren’t any standard voice calls for 5G yet, it has to feed off 4G networks first.
Benefits of 5G networks
With the ability to connect more devices at once, it’s going to be a boom in the wireless network department. And everyone’s curious about the advantages of 5G networks. So let’s take a look at a few.
Lightning-fast speed
5G networks are expected to be 10 x faster than 4G. And once the ship is sailing smoothly already, it can gain prowess and be 100 x faster than 4G networks. A lot to take in huh?
Yes, it is. But it can be exciting as you can download two movies in a matter of 10 seconds. That’ll save you a lot of time and patience too. But of course, it will still depend on the location and traffic. But still, amazingly faster than 4G networks.
Can handle more bandwidths
5G networks have more muscles to boot, so to speak. It would be able to connect more devices at a time. And it’s rumored also to be able to make a connection with smart cars.
Reduced latency
That’s reduced waiting time. 5G can reduce the latency time up to zero. So you’ll get instant responses and combinations with cloud responses will be faster than a speeding bullet.
Can fuel technology for business
In a survey conducted, it seemed like more people aren’t yet prepared to shell out more moolah for a faster network. But most businesses are. Manufacturers that employ advanced pieces of machinery and equipment for manufacturing their products seem to gain more benefits from 5G. Connecting this advanced machinery into 5G networks will result in faster production with fewer errors and mistakes.
How does 5G work?
5G signals will run over new frequencies. And there are several methods on how a carrier can build a 5G network, depending on the type of assets. There are essentially three types of 5G networks- low band, high band, and mid-band.
High band networks are the super fast speed. And for carriers to have such a network, they need to install a lot of small cell sites.
These will be small cell sites that are the size of pizza boxes installed in poles, towers, and walls. And these cell sites are very near each other. Thus, small cells with close proximity to one another will be the main feature of 5G networks.
But as mentioned earlier, it has to connect with a 4G network first. Once it has established a connection, it will add to the existing 4G capacity. So we’ll still be seeing a lot more 4G networks in the future.
Though I can’t say the same with 1G, 2G, and 3G networks. Many have been saying that these networks will eventually cease to exist once 5G networks have revamped the entire wireless networking system of the world.
How about the cons?
While there are good sides to having a supernova wireless networking technology, there are rumored downsides too. And you might be aware that a lot of people are already protesting this advancement. Some groups are even implicating 5G to the spread of the coronavirus.
So let’s take a look at some of the rumored downsides of 5G networks.
Security concerns
Huawei, one of the biggest developers of 5G is a Chinese multinational tech company. It’s been circulating in the net that the first country to fully develop this system will likely dominate the world. Hence, there are security threats of China gaining access to your phones.
Adverse health effects
Some experts mentioned that 5G networks can pose a great threat to one’s health. It can particularly cause cancer. Greenstein also mentioned that it can emit inescapable radiation.
Though these claims are not yet 100 percent verified, some events that can continue to fuel everyone’s doubt. Huawei is rumored to be helping North Korea and Iran develop their 5G wireless systems. And even Russia is keen on fully developing its 5G network.
On top of the trade wars between the US and China and the covid conspiracy in China, the world would once again be divided by 5G technology. 5Gmay have the potential to tap into a country’s electric grid or even stop their electric cars. So this is a major concern for everybody.
But why does the world need a faster wireless network?
Everything is digital nowadays. Everyone’s consuming data. And we are consuming more data as the day goes by. Thus, there is pretty serious congestion already. And it results in the breakdown of service, especially in very populated areas.
5G networks aim to eradicate this dilemma. And it has the potential of powering other devices that initially didn’t use 4G networks. So that means a further advancement in technology.
Will rural areas benefit from 5G?
5G is mainly a service that can be accessed in urban areas where it is densely populated. That means that rural areas might not benefit much from this evolution. Instead, carriers will focus on enhancing their 4G LTE coverage in rural areas. That’s why even when 5G is fully developed, 4G networking is here to stay.
But who knows in the future? Since there is a lot more to explore with 5G networking, it might just surprise us.
How will consumers use 5G?
Model phones have been the primary source of entertainment for people nowadays. With the proliferation of video streaming and apps, consumers will be looking forward to more data usage. Consumers will experience cutting edge experiences such as instant cloud access and more. So it’s something to look forward to.
Driverless cars may also come to full fruition. Since these innovations need low latency, 5G can kick it into action.
Final thought
Apart from faster connection compared to 4G, 5G will open new doors of opportunities. Consumer wise, business-wise, it’s going to be a new and faster world for everyone.
And the concerns as for the safety of 5g networking is still up for debate. As many businesses and carriers are also keen on seeing this lightning speed networking technology come into full fruition. All I can say is, let’s just hope for the best!