What should you know about 5G technology? What will happen in the future?

The most memorable coverage of 5G cellular networks revolved around conspiracy theories about Covid-19. Some claimed the network was designed to weaken our immune systems, while others believed it directly spread the virus. Rational minds—the vast majority, one would hope—understood the conspiracy for what it was. They knew 5G was simply the next upgrade to our cellular networks. But even they missed the point.

5G goes far beyond what we think of as mobile phones today. We are at the beginning of a revolution in the world of connected things, and the first steps towards the implementation of 5G, the latest generation of telecommunications networks, are already in full swing. To some, 5G promises to simply improve cellular capabilities, provide enhanced broadband power and increase mobile capacity and data rates. In fact, 5G is 10 to 50 times faster than previous generations of cellular networks.

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For others, however, the new network technology holds the key to shaping the future of nearly every industry by revolutionizing the way machines interact and function. From manufacturing facilities maintained by hundreds of connected robots to cars that diagnose and update themselves, 5G will be the foundation for the Internet of Everything.

Benefits of 5G Low Latency

5G technology improves more than just connection speeds—its biggest advantage is its ultra-fast response time, also known as latency. 5G’s Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) is what really makes 5G stand out compared to previous generations of cellular networks. In fact, the technology enables response times up to 250 times faster than humans. For example, automakers can use 5G’s high reliability to avoid damaging auto parts and seamlessly keep up with assembly lines thanks to 5G’s low latency. This lays the foundation for supporting innovations that were previously impossible with other connectivity technologies.

Industries with stringent connectivity requirements will benefit the most from 5G’s low latency technology. In the automotive industry, 5G is the missing element for autonomous vehicles to achieve maximum safety. The technology enables fast data transfer and the ability to interact with the road and other vehicles at a level that avoids collisions and simplifies driving. With 5G-connected vehicles, automakers can also gain data insights and analytics for updating software or fixing problems remotely, revolutionizing the owner’s experience.

Using 5G to transform manufacturing

Similarly, in manufacturing, 5G can support key applications that will significantly reform automation and artificial intelligence. 5G smart factories are already being trialed - Ericsson has worked with China Mobile to transform its radio product manufacturing base in Nanjing. The companies connected approximately 1,000 high-precision screwdrivers using sensors to collect and analyze large amounts of data. This data replaced manual tracking of tools, reducing manual work by 50%.

The radio products factory now has the ability to maintain connectivity between a large number of sensors, providing Ericsson with critical data about the screwdrivers. With such a large-scale sensor deployment, other manufacturers will begin to implement human-machine collaboration and collaborative robotics to streamline factory operations.

5G in the Cloud

As these robots become more complex and adapt in real time, they will require large amounts of processing data that a single machine simply cannot maintain. 5G-enabled cloud robotics offers a solution, placing system intelligence in the cloud connected to ground-based robots. The network provides the critical technology to maintain continuous internet connectivity, remote computing, storage, data resources, data-driven intelligence, strong cybersecurity, and support for large numbers of robots. For example, in the hospital of the future, the cloud will act as a central “brain,” managing collaborative robots to guide patients or deliver medications as a group of machines.

How 5G will change real-time location services

5G technology is also poised to transform real-time location services (RTLS) using a single, simplified infrastructure to improve accuracy. For example, 5G positioning can pinpoint the exact floor and location of a phone within a high-rise building to the centimeter level. Not only does this technology have the potential to significantly reduce overall infrastructure costs, but it can also open the door to a host of new geospatial applications.

Current applications of the technology involve asset tracking. In connected digital mining, autonomous mining vehicles and drills can be tagged and monitored from remote locations. But 5G positioning is expected to go further, spreading into indoor environments from 2023. The network's precise positioning capabilities enable machines to be tracked or controlled as they move around indoor factory floors, which has the potential to revolutionize the industrial and warehousing application market.

Challenges of 5G Implementation

There are still huge challenges in the global implementation of 5G technology. Building the infrastructure to support 5G requires a large amount of capital investment. 5G cannot be powered using the same mechanism as 4G-LTE, so it is necessary to completely overhaul existing base stations, build smaller and cooler towers, and lay a network of optical cables to connect them.

Furthermore, some critics believe that the vision of selling 5G to businesses and consumers is far-fetched. In fact, a few years after the 5G transition, there are still some unresolved issues, and some consumers question the real added value of the new network. Nevertheless, due to its lower maintenance costs compared to 4G-LTE, the transition to 5G is the only sustainable long-term solution.

The future of 5G

However, 5G enthusiasts understand that infrastructure costs are a small price to pay compared to the huge potential that 5G-driven innovation has in changing our world. The network is positioned to enable the full deployment of low-latency, large-scale IoT in nearly every industry. With the advent of massive machine-type communications (mMTC), mobile robots, cloud robots, and more, businesses will experience large-scale process automation.

The platform will also reshape the consumer experience of electronics, ushering in a new era of mobile video, the massive growth of IoT and smart devices, and more powerful AR/VR capabilities. Global 5G implementation requires a complete overhaul of communications infrastructure, but 5G’s revolutionary promise far outweighs its obstacles.