You’ve probably heard of 5G technology. But maybe you’re not sure what exactly it is.
It’s more than a marketing buzzword. It’s a new wireless standard that will affect global networks.
Here’s everything you need to know about 5G.
What Is 5G Technology?
5G is a new mobile network standard. As the name suggests, it’s the replacement standard for the previous networks 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G.
No one person or corporation invented 5G. Instead, the standard has been created by multiple companies within the mobile industry.
Any telecommunications company will be able to provide a 5G network. This includes both U.S. providers and their networks and international ones such as ZTE 5G.
What Is the Difference Between 5G and Previous Networks?
Previous mobile network standards all iterated on each other. 1G offered analog voice, 2G offered digital voice, 3G gave us mobile data in the 2000s, and 4G gave us mobile broadband.
5G expands upon 4G to build a more connected future. 5G will offer faster speeds, a lower latency, and a higher network capacity.
What Are the Standards for 5G?
5G has eight standards that must be met.
A 5G network must have approximately 99.999% availability and 100% coverage. It should offer a 0% reduction in network energy use, and up to 10-year battery life for low-power devices.
A 5G network should provide up to 100x the number of connected devices and 1000x bandwidth per unit area. It should provide a data rate that is at least 10 times an improvement over 4G. Finally, the latency, or delay between a user’s action and a round trip response from the web, must be 1 millisecond or less.
Overall, 5G will make us more connected. A 5G network will be reliable, fast, and energy-efficient.
Who Will Use 5G?
5G will impact all industries. It isn’t something solely for consumers to use as part of their mobile phone plan.
Driverless cars of the near future will use 5G to “talk” to each other and interact, avoiding collisions. The quick speeds of 5G will minimize latency, making it possible to send packets of data between vehicles.
VR and AR, or virtual reality and augmented reality, will also be impacted by 5G. The low latency and consistent speeds will enable VR and AR devices to excel.
Typically, these devices split their power between the physical device and accessing data online, or from the cloud. 5G will make accessing this data easier and faster.
These are just a few examples. Other industries that will benefit from 5G are the entertainment, healthcare, and manufacturing industries.
Is the 5G Wireless Standard Safe?
Conspiracy theorists have blamed 5G for a variety of wills, from the COVID pandemic to cancer. However, there’s no valid evidence for any of these concerns.
The electromagnetic waves from 5G are safe. In fact, electromagnetic waves are everywhere. They naturally occur in the atmosphere from thunderstorms, and some animals such as birds use the earth’s magnetic fields for navigation.
5G Will Change Everything
5G will change businesses and industries around the world. It will enable a better, more connected society. The new wireless standard will change the digital economy.
If you liked this article and found it helpful, be sure to check out our other articles on technology.
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