5G: Is the future really near ?
There are plans for the current 4G network, which uses LTE technology, to be replaced by a faster network with potential to transform the internet. With increased availability of internet with raging speeds over the past years, you think you got it all. But some service providers across the world are already involved in a race towards 5G- even before you know it !
What is 5G ?
Following the ‘G’ naming hierarchy, 5G is the next generation of internet connectivity, offering really fast internet speeds and response times.
You no longer have to deal with disruptions when sharing a video with your friend, nor will high-quality online videos cause frustration by buffering.
Instead, you’ll get a faster, more stable, more secure connection, new experiences, just around the corner.
Lets talk about this little more technically- 5G uses a never-heard-before technology, known as network slicing- allowing multiple logical networks to be created on the top of a common physical infrastructure.
Now,let’s see how we got here-
1G: Mobile voice calls
2G: Mobile voice calls and SMS
3G: Mobile web browsing
4G: Mobile video consumption and higher data speed
5G: Highest- ever browsing speeds !
When will 5G launch?
5G has already been launched in the US, though in a handful of cities, by carriers like AT & T, Verizon and in UK by EE and Vodafone UK. South Korea and China also tend to implement it in following years.
Fact: Chicago has managed to obtain a whooping speed of 1.4 Gbps over 5G, which is way faster than current 4G speeds.
What 5G phones are available ?
A number of 5G phone announcements are made in 2019, such as Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Oppo Reno 5G, OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G and the LG V50 ThinQ 5G.
However, you are not advised to buy a 5g phone now , because of their high costs, not-so-advanced 5G receptions, high battery consumptions and low efficiencies.
Ericsson, a Swedish telecom-equipment maker claims that “45% of the world’s population will be able to access the next generation wireless networks in 2024.”
What are its major applications ?
•Immersive AR/VR gaming- 5G would offer stable performance and very low latency, thus offering a lag-free immersive AR(Augmented Reality) and VR(Virtual Reality) gaming.It would also boost the already-declared cloud-based gaming services, like Google Stadia and Nvidia RTX cloud gaming.
•Connected homes- Smart homes, which include smart refrigerators, smart lights, control lighting, climate control and other IoT devices are easier to be kept updated and in touch.
•Connected vehicles- Connected vehicle technology which uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication which help in reducing the risk of accidents use 5G. Similarly, self-driving cars, which require a continuous stream of data for operating, can now be operational anywhere.
The 5G conspiracy theory
With the introduction of 5G, a popular internet theory is now internet’s favourite. Anti-5G activists claim the upgrade to 5G mobile networks will cause cancer, infertility and autism, but there’s no proof.Researchers deny such theories and say that 5G frequencies cause no harm to human health.
Despite all the continuing developments, it requires brand new infrastructure and huge investments.So, the full-pledged application of 5G may not be possible until 2020 or 2025.
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