A layman’s guide: Everything you need to know about 5G

What’s the big deal with 5G and why should you care? If you have a smart phone, you must have seen the icon at the top of your screen that shows you the type network you’re on. It could be 3G, Edge or 4G LTE. 5G, which stands for Fifth Generation Wireless Technology, is the next evolution for mobile technology after 4G LTE. The first generation was launched in 1983, and currently, 4G LTE that, ironically, stands for ‘long term evolution’, a fourth generation of wireless network, is in wide use around the world. Here’s what you need to know about the state of 5G right now:

What to expect from 5G
5G will not only be many, many times faster than your existing LTE connection, it will be significantly faster than the broadband connection you have at home or work. 5G networks are also more responsive, which means you’ll see a shorter lag between your command and the network’s response, and they also allow more data to be transferred. Currently, 4G’s quickest speeds are about 1 Gigabit per second. 5G downloads could be 10 to 20 times faster than 4G. A significant increase in download and upload speeds could enhance many existing uses including cloud-based storage, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Still not seeing how this will affect your day-to-day life?
5G will enable cell sites to communicate with a greater number of devices. Reduced latency could enable edge computing, making possible remote graphic rendering that will enhance gaming. These faster speeds will also allow for transfer of high-quality photo and video, which is great for Internet browsing, but also opens up more possibilities for technologies that rely on huge amounts of data. 5G technology might enable hologram calls, and augmented reality for movies. The world will be open to other exciting technologies such as tactile Internet. In surgery, for example, a surgeon could in theory control robotic equipment to perform the surgery, which allows him/her to make much more precise movements than with just the human hand; or smart cities where (self-driving) buses could target locations with the highest population density at any given moment (as determined by connected security cameras), eradicating the need for constant, permanent bus stops as the system evolves; or just the idea of self-driving cars itself. Speaking more broadly, we now have the opportunity to create entire industries that were once the stuff of science fiction.

5G allows us to develop all sorts of fantast new technologies, but it is several years away from being a reality. Geopolitically speaking, it is crucial to develop a full-fledged 5G network as soon as possible. Why? 5G is for all intents and purposes an arms race between two countries: the United States and China (China is winning). The eye is on artificial intelligence. Whichever country can implement a true 5G network first is going to end up light years ahead of the other in AI because of this advantage, which in turn already guarantees geopolitical dominance for a very long time. Precisely why we need policymakers to take more action in this domain fast.