5G provides high rate of the Internet without any delays, signal stability and multiple connection possibilities. Although, such benefits are not so obvious as they seem to be, as 4G is already fast for uploading videos, streaming and even smart home. What advantages will 5G give for ordinary users? Which fields will be revolutionized by networks of a new generation?
Why do we need 5G? Benefits of networks of the new generation
To start with, let’s get to know a technical part. 5G (or fifth generation of wireless mobile communication) is a complex of technical characteristics of cellular communication. Now agreed standards for 5G are the following:
- Peak data rate is min 20 Gbps of a downlink (from an operator to a subscriber) and 10 Gbps of an upperlink to mobile base station. In general, it means 20-fold rate increase in comparison with 4G LTE.
- 5G wire density is no more than 1 million connected devices on a square kilometer.
- Mobility. 5G allows a subscriber a rate of no more than 500 km/h (4G – 120 km/h).
- Energy efficiency. “Sleeping” mode of base stations and reduction of cell radius in dense networks allow to decrease energy consumption.
- The increase in spectral efficiency will be 30 bit/s/Hz on the downward line, and 15 bit/s/Hz on the upward line.
- 5G networks delay in ideal circumstances is no more than 1 ms (in comparison with 20 ms for LTE).
Where is 5G going to be applied?
Frankly speaking, for a simple user 4G is more than enough. This standard allows to watch streaming videos and play in resource-intensive games without substantial inconveniences. In addition, it would be strange to consider this technology as revolutionary if it covers only the area of entertainment. Actually, 5G provides more important stuff than simply opportunity to watch Netflix.
People are using more and more data. Existing band spectrum are overloaded resulting in service failures, especially when people try to get access to services at the same time. 5G is better at facing thousands of connected devices: from mobile devices to equipment sensors, video cameras and street lights.
Anyway, expenses on 5G implementation will be enormous. For instance, in Russia minimal estimation of 5G built and support is 164 billion rubles (in USA expenses are supposed more than 200 billion dollars in the next 5-10 years, practically all of them are covered by private investors). In such, these changes must be justified.
What is going to happen when 5G is deployed?
Energetics and public services
Energy installations need constant maintenance which results in correct functioning and reliable security system. Fast and safe 5G allows system monitoring due to sensors (leakage detectors in conduits). This will reduce human interference and increase power systems’ security.
5G will improve monitoring of energy sites, such as wind power stations and solar farms.
Due to extensive connection of a big number of devices in terms of growing IoT power companies will work effectively and improve quality of service. For instance, the usage of smart meters will provide an online access to data and analytics of energy consumption for supplies and clients, which allows to distribute resources in a better way. According to European commission by 2020 around 200 million of smart power meters and 45 million of smart gas meters will have been produced. It is estimated that around 72% of consumers in Europe will use smart power meters and 40% will use gas meters.
Internet of Things
Now IoT products include autonomous devices: smart thermostats, programmed door locks, lights and other useful gadgets. In the nearest future 5G networks will be used to send and receive huge amounts of new data, once billions of devices are produced.
High 5G rates will help to implement “smart home’’ everywhere
Smart home will go beyond a simple heater switch-on until owners arrive. Then it will transform according to the needs of each family member, providing safety, optimizing resource distribution (energy and water) and personalizing entertainment.
Smart cities
In smart cities super-low delay of mobile data transfer in 5G networks will be crucial for smart power systems and connected infrastructure. It will not only improve the quality of state and domestic services, but will increase public safety. Now in Barcelona (Spain), Columbus (Ohio, USA) and Singapore smart street lights and sensors are implemented which track wind quality, parking spaces and waste collection.
Sensors immediately notify about any failures to provide safety in smart cities.
Now Columbus, working under the grant of the US Department of Transportation, carries out implementation and testing of the application which is used to decrease traffic jams, notifies autonomously about necessary road repairs and provides connection between self-driving cars. Smart cities are the present.
Self-driving cars
Tesla is able to be driven by urban streets when its driver (or a passenger) is sleeping calmly in a car. What happens if the number of these cars exceeds thousands on the road?
The usage of autonomous transport covers one of the most important needs of modern wireless infrastructure. Any delay in only a second may cause a serious alarm.
Low delay in mobile data transfer will provide immediate data exchange between self-driving transport.
Due to 5G technology the ability to react quickly and “communicate” will move self-driving transport to another level and provide safety on the road.
Health services
5G technology will increase availability of medical services to public and its life expectances.
When fitness-trackers are okay for people, 5G implementation will allow movable devices (bracelets, smart clothes, etc.) to work on high rates of mobile data transfer, to control and analyze the parameters of patients for doctors on a remote mode, even to monitor the frequency of applied medicine.
5G in medicine will reduce time necessary to detect health issues and increase the accuracy of diagnoses.
5G also allows to realize remote consultations for the patients who do not have fast access to health services, for instance, in distant cities. Remote consultations may be applied for professional training of medical service over the world and the usage of virtual reality with high-rated 5G will help medical students to practice remote care for patients in a real-time mode.
Pobotic surgery as a revolutionary field has opened new perspectives due to 5G. Its opportunities are huge. For instance, operator-surgeon can be in kilometers’ distance from a patient and carry out complicated procedures successfully due to surgical robots, virtual reality and tactile gloves.
Agriculture
Smart farming is not only technical novelty, but a necessity to feed constantly growing population. 5G will be able to provide data without pauses in real-time mode. These opportunities to monitor and automate may result in smart agriculture.
IoT agriculture devices will allow farmers to produce more accurate measurements of humidity, ground status and vital factors of plants, to anticipate weather conditions. What concerns animal breeding sensors will allow to monitor their age and control their health.
Agriculture refers to high-risk economy which may be decreased using monitoring of high accuracy.
In general, 5G will allow farmers to detect an enormous amount of environmental factors to achieve the best results.
Virtual and alternative reality
Scientists predict that 5G development may help to expand virtual and alternative potential making these technologies available to extensive amount of users. High rate and low delay will open new possibilities for VR/AR.
Besides, one should not forget that virtual reality is used not only in entertainment, but education, medicine, industry, military and aviation training.
When will we see it?
Main mobile operators in the United Kingdom and USA are still testing 5G networks, operators in Japan have already provided a free access to 5G. What’s up in Belarus?
A1 announced a testing launch of 5G network SA (Stand Alone). The operator confirmed that this will be the first in Belarus built on basis of autonomous architecture without connecting to 4G infrastructure. Due to such an approach a user may count on support of main 5G benefits including super high-rate of mobile data transfer with minimal delay.
The first locations with available 5G network in a testing mode are Oktyabr'skaya square within provider’s headquarters and the nearest area around The Palace of the Republic. Also a testing zone is in an industrial park “China-Belarus”. The number of such places will be increasing. In the nearest future 5G is to be launched in “Minsk-Arena” and near the Sports palace.
MTS announced about testing launch of 5G SA. The network is built with the usage of Huawei equipment. A pilot area is deployed in two ranges – 1800 MHz and 3500 MHz in “Minsk-Arena”. MTS pointed out that while testing the network got to 1,472 Gbit/s and it took seven minutes to load 60 GB.
The original article is on the website: zoom.cnews.ru