Geekonic : The Dawn of 5G

Not a single day goes by when we aren’t troubled by apps stalling, videos faltering and that annoying loading sign testing our patience. With increasing use of mobile data, it has become essential to step up our Network game. Read on to learn about 5G – the possible solution to our problems.

What exactly is 5G?

Wireless communication technology inside cell phones and other mobile devices have progressed at a rapid pace over the decade. The industry has classified these wireless mobile networks into families spanning generations. We have heard of 2G, 3G and 4G. 5G is simply the next generation.

Why is 5G better than its predecessor?

4G should have data speeds capable of reaching 100 megabytes per second while on the move, and 1 GB per second when stationary but real download speeds invariably fall when shared among users. However, 5G networks can increase download speeds to up to 10 gigabits per second. Another defining feature of 5G will be that it won’t break. 5G’s latency(the time it takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to another) will be around one millisecond – unperceivable to a human and about 50 times faster than 4G. The 5G networks are not going to operate alone but will be built around a combination of 2G, 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi. Unlike 4G, 5G network will offer the ability to handle a variety of devices and traffic type.

Why is 5G imperative in the future?

Mobile data use has skyrocketed over the past five years – increasing 74 percent alone in 2015 – taking the overall global figure to around 3.7 exabytes (one Exabyte is 10¹⁸ bytes) per month. Edging this explosion forward is the growth of streaming services and people’s growing use of apps – all underwritten by the expectation of having a high-speed data connection at all times. And when 4G can no longer cope, 5G will rise to the occasion. 5G networks promise more speed, less latency, and can serve a higher density of broadband users while being optimized for the Internet of Things (IoT). This also means the opportunity for properly connected smart cities, remote surgery and driver-less cars.

When will we see 5G in India?

India was late in the adoption of 3G and 4G revolutions, so it is natural that the government would not want to miss the 5G bus. To achieve this objective, the government has set up a high-level forum that will evaluate and approve action plans and has set aside a corpus of Rs 500 crore for research and development in 5G. TRAI asked stakeholders on the timing and quantum of the spectrum in the 3300-3400 Mhz and 3400-3600 Mhz bands to be used for 5G. While some back an early sale of such airwaves, a spectrum auction will require the bleeding telecom firms to invest more. For the success of 5G, 4G has to attain maturity since 5G will work in tandem with 4G and the technology is currently in a nascent stage in India. Despite the current infrastructure and financial bottlenecks plaguing the telecom sector, the government has announced the rollout of 5G services for the consumers by the year 2020.

Worldwide, 5G technology is still in the research and development stage. While universal 5G standards have not been agreed upon yet, various countries like South Korea, Japan, USA, Sweden and Estonia are preparing to roll out 5G services. Some of them are aiming to launch it as early as 2018 and India isn’t far behind.