Is 5G going to change the world ?

The 5G network encompasses a set of technologies corresponding to the fifth generation of the standard for mobile telephony. ITU (Internation Telecommunication Union) and the 3GPP consortium validated its implementation. It officially deploys in 2020.

4G has been around for many years, we have benefited from increased bandwidth, and it allowed us to consume content on the go. We, as content consumers, have never consumed as much data. Telephone operators keep increasing the data limit cap, going from a few gigabytes to hundreds, even in some cases to unlimited data. Depending on where you live, the time for the adoption of a new generation varies.

A brief history of all the Mobile Phones Generations:

• 1G: Analog telecommunication standards that were introduced in 1979 and the early to mid-1980s.
• 2G: It first deployed in 1991 in Finland. It had three advantages, which were the encryption of phone communication, data services such as SMS/MMS, and greater penetration.
• 3G: First introduced in 1998, it increased the rate of transfer for the data. The 3.5G and 3.75G implemented a few years later as an interim step towards the deployment of full 4G boasted a higher bandwidth that allowed for video calls and content streaming.
• 4G: Introduced in 2008, it provides mobile broadband Internet access and much more bandwidth.

Each new generation has approximately a lifetime of 20 years. For example, work on the 4G began in 2003, and it was commercially available in 2008. It is going to be replaced by 5G in 2020. As for 5G, it has been under consideration since 2012 for commercial launch in 2020 and probably replaced by 6G around 2030.

The growth of IoT - Internet of things

The “Internet of Things” is based on connected devices. A “connected device” generally has a sensitivity to its environment through sensors: temperature, position, heartbeat. The “connected device” links to a remote display such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a computer. Allowing it to display the information it gathers.

Those objects can communicate with additional devices allowing them to make a decision or manage other devices, whether they are connected or not.

From all these connected objects, the Internet of Things makes it possible to build “meshes of objects” - even remotely - thus creating increasingly intelligent systems. The development in communication between devices and the increased amount of data monitored requires new means of communication as the bandwidth required increases.

The theoretical throughput of the 5G generation is 1 Tbit/s per km2 and 100Mbit/s of guaranteed bandwidth for the user. In comparison, 4G only offers 1 Gbit/s throughput per cell tower shared between the inhabitants covered by the tower, in practice around 30Mb/s. The bandwidth per user is increased three-fold.

The aim is indeed to connect not only smartphones and tablets but, more globally, all objects. It is estimated that there are about one million of them per square kilometer on average.

Above all, the 5G network will considerably reduce latency times to 1 ms as opposed to the 30-40 ms observed today. In addition to traditional Internet surfing, the goal is to be able to take control of objects remotely. Only an extremely low latency time is therefore acceptable for the piloting of a connected car, drone, etc.

The difference between the 4 & 5G is probably the biggest one yet in mobile technology. The 5G standard boasts a completely revamped and more robust network standard. With the adoption of 5G, mobile connectivity will change, moving from something we encounter mainly through individual devices to something that evolved into the substance of our society. Thus, creating an integrated infrastructure that connects to everything such as buildings, transportation, utilities, and even clothing.

It will transform how our economy functions, transforming the energy, healthcare, transport, and retail sectors.

Some studies have shown that 5G could create billions of efficiency savings in power consumption. Many countries are studying 5G and the opportunities that lie ahead. It even, speculatively, brought countries to the “brink of war” over the domination of 5G technology ( speculations, google search Huawei 5G USA).

5G will surely change the way smart objects communicate together, and it will also increase the amount of information being exchanged and recorded. Will it be the generation to end privacy or the one to transform our lives?