So, If You Think 5G Is...
...what your next raise should be... Think again! The fourth and final article of the "So, if you think..." series explains the digital future of 5G technology. We hope you have enjoyed this series and are motivated to think how these technologies help reshape the world of work. Let's take the next steps to prepare the workforce of tomorrow and build a better future.
So, if you think 5G is just an incremental improvement on 4G, think again. And if you need some upfront motivation to take a deeper dive into understanding what the technology might mean for your business, here are some “up to” comparison numbers:
- 100x faster.
- 120x more responsive.
- 1000x more connected devices per meter.
The term “5G” stands for “Fifth Generation” wireless technology, following the 4G technology that enables the mobile applications we rely on to effortlessly send photos, stream video, map locations, etc…In simple terms, 5G is about a bigger data pipe, which means more data can travel faster to the end user.
5G is about a lot more than a just a bigger pipe. Without going into too much technical detail, 5G operates at significantly higher frequencies than 4G, which means there’s more room for more data to travel faster to more people with less delay. The technology requires much smaller antennas that can provide precise directional control and no material interference with other wireless signals. A smarter interface also allows 5G networks to distinguish between the different types of data being requested, enabling more efficient switching between lower and higher power modes depending on the application requirement.
The Downside of 5G
One downside to these high-frequency networks is that the radio waves don’t travel as far, which means 5G networks require more antennas placed closer together. Repeating stations will also be needed to push the radio waves as far as possible to provide longer range 5G network support.
Enabling a Wireless Ecosystem
Getting back to our original question, what does 5G mean for business? Some of the most valuable applications are likely still on a whiteboard somewhere, or haven’t even been conceived yet. But there are at least two important technology areas that will be materially enabled by 5G: Augmented Reality (AR) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Both of these technologies hold out the promise of digitizing our physical environments so we can more fully interface with our real worlds as opposed to a small screen. Current limitations to the development and application of AR and IoT in a wide variety of business use cases will be materially reduced and even eliminated by 5G.
One Redmond company is already profiting from the network requirements of 5G technology. BasX Solutions is building modular “portable data centers” that are being used by network providers like Verizon to bring the benefits of 5G to more users.
Further Reading:
5G: If you Build It, We Will Fill It
