Here’s what’s up with 5G
2.24.2016
In an era obsessed with technology, we’re always looking for the next big thing – something smarter and more efficient than anything like it before. And that’s what 5G, the next generation of wirelss technology, is promising us.
Our phones haven’t seen an update in wireless technology since 2010 when carriers released 4G and LTE services that promised faster internet speeds and data for using applications. Over the years, no real problems have arisen with 4G technology. But as data usage, and a reliance on technology in general, has dramatically increased, carriers are feeling pressured to provide a network that increases processing speeds and offers higher connectivity.
But, as we all know too well, good things come only to those who wait. Quite a few problems need to be solved before 5G will be available. In the U.S., 5G technology isn’t expected to reach the market until at least 2020. Carriers, telecommunications manufacturers, and tech companies need to make sure their networks can talk to one another efficiently so users’ connections don’t become spotty when traveling. Companies like Verizon Wireless and Ericsson are getting ahead of the game with trials testing what these technologies can offer, and will be showing what they can do at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.
Since we can’t all go to Barcelona, here’s everything you need to know about 5G right now:
1. Downloading anything will take just seconds
Today’s 4G networks are fastbut companies want to make them faster. Current networks reach download speeds of about 15 megabits per second. Carriers hope with 5G they'll be able to offer speeds up to 10 gigabytes per second - about 100 times faster than what’s already available. To put that speed in perspective, it could take less than 5 seconds to download a 2-hour movie, as opposed to 8 minutes. Talk about fast.
2. Everyone, and everything, will be connected
The director general of the mobile industry monitoring body GSMA, Anne Bouverot, said in a 2014 press release that “the arrival of 5G will help deliver a fresh wave of mobile innovation that will further transform the lives of individuals, businesses and societies around the world.” Meaning we will be more connected to technology as well as to others around us. So your Fitbit,smartwatch, and other wearable technology, as well as sensors inside buildings, everyday appliances, and cars, will be connected to the 5G network. These devices will demand a lot of data and millions of new sensors. This will require carriers to offer universal connectivity, AKA the ability to go online anywhere, so data can be collected regardless of your location. No more an you hear me now?
3. Driverless cars will become a reality
Autonomous cars need technology to have the fastest latency – or the time it takes something to load or react – possible. 5G proposes to minimize the latency time from 50 milliseconds to one millisecond, which might not change your experience with your phone but could be important for other technologies, driverless cars included. These contraptions will need to sense cars, cyclists, pedestrians, and other obstacles, and react accordingly. This technology could also let cars “talk” to each other, helping you avoid traffic jams or nearby crashes.
4. Augmented reality will get better
5G could extend augmented reality (AR) to many wearable technologies – think Google Glass and Microsoft’s HoloLens. These smartglasses use 4G now, but currently allow us to do only two things: overlay additional information/data on our vision or device – think using AR to help place furniture in your room – or use GPS to learn more about buildings, people, or things in front of us – like using AR to get all the background info on the Empire State Building. With 5G they could better use GPS to analyze the information and images you take in from the real world – think looking at a person and instantly knowing their hometown, favorite food, and other basic info. This technology could also have practical uses in the medical field. For example, a doctor in one country could perform an operation halfway around the world using a remotely controlled robot.According to the GSMA, “This type of application would require both high bandwidth and low latency beyond the capabilities of LTE.”
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Facebook post: This technology will let you download a movie in five seconds and have your car drive itself.