Four questions about 5G: Internet speed is 100 times faster and everything is connected

Since last year, there has been an increasing amount of news about 5G. In particular, at the end of last year, the Polar Code scheme led by the Chinese company Huawei was adopted by the 3GPP standards organization as the control channel coding scheme for 5G, which triggered a public opinion feast about 5G. According to the news released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, my country's 5G research and development has entered the second stage. my country has achieved a series of results in 5G vision, demand, concept, wireless technology and network architecture, and the main viewpoints have also been widely recognized by the global industry. All signs are revealing a basic message: 5G is really coming. How much do you know about 5G? After reading the following questions about 5G, you will have a more comprehensive understanding of 5G.

[[184446]]

What is 5G?

In the terms 3G, 4G, 5G, etc., "G" is the abbreviation of "Generation" in English. In other words, 5G literally means the fifth generation of mobile communication technology.

As the next generation of mobile communication technology, 5G will be disruptive to mobile Internet and user experience, and will also bring huge business opportunities. At present, many companies including Qualcomm, Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, and ZTE have begun testing 5G networks. At the same time, technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are also eyeing the commercial benefits brought by 5G technology. In short, compared with 4G, 5G will have faster network speeds and lower power consumption.

When will 5G be available?

The concept of 5G has actually been proposed for many years, and Qualcomm began to develop 5G as early as 2006. However, as of now, the industry has not yet determined the final 5G standard.

According to estimates, the precise definition of 5G is expected to be finalized as early as the first quarter of 2018, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will then formulate 5G standards in 2019. The standards will clearly define what a "5G" network should look like, as well as key performance indicators such as uplink and downlink speeds.

my country started 5G research and development relatively early. In 2013, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology jointly established the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group to conduct research and layout on my country's 5G vision and needs, 5G spectrum issues, 5G key technologies, and 5G standardization.

According to the work arrangements of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group and the 5G commercialization plans of the three major operators, my country will launch the second phase of 5G network testing in 2017, conduct large-scale trial networking in 2018, and on this basis, start 5G network construction in 2019, and officially put it into commercial use as early as 2020.

What are the advantages of 5G?

For users, the most intuitive feeling brought by 5G is the improvement of Internet speed. In theory, the speed of 5G can reach 10-100 times that of 4G, so as to transmit 8K resolution 3D video in real time or download a 3D movie in 6 seconds. In comparison, it takes 6 minutes to download through 4G network.

Another major feature of 5G networks is low latency, which means that the network will respond very quickly to user commands. In this case, websites, applications and various services will load faster.

In fact, 5G has a greater purpose, that is, 5G can realize the "Internet of Everything"!

If 2G can realize voice communication and text message chat between people, 3G can realize picture transmission based on 2G, and 4G includes everything that 3G network can do and can also realize real-time video transmission, then 5G will realize data interaction between people, machines, mobile phones, transportation, home appliances and other objects.

In the future world, almost everything will be connected to the Internet. Imagine: when you wake up in the morning, the lights and air conditioner in your bedroom turn on automatically; when you go to the bathroom, the water for washing your face is automatically adjusted to a suitable temperature, and a digital toothbrush records and uploads real-time data about your teeth and mouth; after breakfast, a self-driving car allows you to move easily in the city... Such scenes are expected to become a reality in the 5G era.

Will 5G cost more?

It is generally believed in the industry that once 5G networks are officially put into commercial use, they are expected to leverage the trillion-yuan IoT industry. 5G will be the underlying infrastructure connecting all industries and ecosystems, and an important weapon for securing a position in the future.

At the same time, when 5G was released, many people who were still using 2G and 3G networks could not sit still. After all, 4G network speed is already very fast. Will frequent upgrades cause a waste of resources? More importantly, will it lead to a substantial increase in network charges? Fortunately, the answers to both questions are no.

Experts analyzed that if there is only technological progress but no demand, even if 5G is built, there will be no market. The key is to be guided by demand. The commercial use of 5G in 2020 does not mean that 5G will be completely seamlessly covered across the country. Its construction requires a period of time. Moreover, after 5G is commercially available, 4G, 3G, and 2G networks will continue to work for a period of time. Just like many people use 4G now, but 3G and 2G networks are actually working. There is a gradual replacement process.

Experts generally predict that as 5G frequency becomes more efficient in the future, unit traffic charges will definitely drop further than the current 4G.