The promise of 5G: hype versus reality
Author : Walter N. Maclay | Founder & President | Voler Systems
01 October 2021
Figure 1. 4G vs 5G comparison, as advertised (image source: Voler Systems)
Companies are always on the lookout for technologies that can help dramatically accelerate business processes while minimising costs & ensuring quality. Business innovators can capitalise on this by designing IoT products that cater to companies’ demands for speed while helping them keep costs to a minimum.
The full version of this article was originally featured in the October 2021 issue of EPDT magazine [read the digital issue] and the Digi-Key Article Library. And sign up to receive your own copy each month.
5G wireless technology is a promising technology to build IoT solutions that allow for lightning-fast, extremely reliable and low-cost machine-to-machine (m2m) communications. But can 5G, which is still emerging, really fulfil all its promises? In this viewpoint, contributed on behalf of electronic component distributor, Digi-Key Electronics, Walter N. Maclay, founder & President of electronics design & IoT specialist, Voler Systems, asks if 5G’s ‘advertised’ promises are realistic…
Many believe that 5G will enable ‘sci-fi like’ use cases that earlier generations of wireless technology cannot support. Even 4G pales in comparison with 5G in terms of speed, latency and spectrum frequency, among other factors (see Figure 1).
The 5G promise
5G has many business use cases, including private networks for smart transportation and hyper-connected healthcare. Smart transportation will enable new services by leveraging fast and reliable wireless communications between smart vehicles and sensors embedded in road and railway infrastructure, allowing for increased visibility and control.
In healthcare, 5G technology is expected to improve patient outcomes and wellbeing by predicting potential individual health problems, enabling early medical interventions. It can help drive sustainable health services through applications such as remote robotic surgery.
The reality, however, is more complex
Various factors influence or hinder businesses from fully realising 5G’s potential. First, let’s discuss some important basics about 5G:
Frequency bands...
5G service classes...
• eMBB...
• URLLC...
• mMTC...
5G does not currently deliver all that it promises...
5G availability...
What about existing IoT services?...
What does this mean for the future of IoT?...
Conclusion
IoT-powered, 5G-enabled industries are becoming a reality. But since 5G is still in its infancy, it doesn’t yet provide all that it promises. Nevertheless, 5G is a promising new technology that will surely benefit businesses.
Business innovators can help make 5G promises a reality by designing IoT devices that are 5G- or 4G-ready, secure and reliable...
Read the full article in EPDT's October 2021 digital issue...
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