5G will enable a super high-way that will make 4G feel like taking a drive on a little back country road!

One technology everyone is buzzing about more than any other is 5G and with good reason! Some of the biggest advancements in digital transformation have been waiting in the wings because they need 5G in order to roll out on a mass scale. Isn’t it interesting to think about, that in digital transformation, technology depends on other technology to catch up with it? Read on to learn more. . .

 

 

What Exactly is 5G:

5G is the fifth generation technology standard for cellular networks, which cell phone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019.  It’s not global yet, but it will be soon.  . .

5G networks are cellular networks, in which the service area is divided into small geographical areas called cells. All 5G wireless devices in a cell are connected to the Internet and telephone network by radio waves through a local antenna in the cell.

The main advantage of the new networks is that they will have greater bandwidth, giving faster download speeds (eventually up to 10 gigabits per second).

Due to the increased bandwidth, it is expected that the new networks will not just serve cellphones like existing cellular networks, but also be used as general internet service providers for laptops and desktop computers, competing with existing ISPs such as cable internet, and also will make possible new applications in IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M (Machine to Machine) areas; basically where everything is connected to everything.  This will enable all of the devices connected to a 5G network to run and process data at an extremely high rate of speed!

Now that you know what 5G is; here’s a list of the following developments that have been waiting impatiently for 5G to really take off!

 

Smart Factories:

Smart factories incorporating Industry 4.0 already exist, but 5G will play a pivotal role in smart factory continued development. Moving forward, the manufacturing process won’t be limited to the factory floor. From design to manufacturing to distribution, the entire chain of product development will be connected. Feedback from a customer will be fed to a designer in real time. Product from one location can be routed automatically to a different location due to weather changes and/or increased customer demand.  With the magic of connected devices and the IoT, 5G will help smart factories do amazing things.

 

But that’s not all. Smart factories will grow their use of robots—robots powered by AI and machine learning that help them make real-time decisions.

They’ll also be using more robots to do dangerous or arduous tasks, helping keep employees healthy and safe. We’ll see training become safer, too, as smart factories bring augmented reality and virtual reality into the training routine, allowing employees to learn faster and safer than ever before.

We’re already helping to implement elements of Industry 4.0 and the smart factory TODAY.  Read our BLOG  to learn more.

 

Mixed Reality:

We have known for a long time that virtual reality and augmented reality can’t experience a full-on rollout until 5G catches up to it. The reason is that for AR and VR to feel like, well, reality—they need to operate at the pace of reality. They can’t be slow, or lag, or process input in anything less than real time; otherwise our brain immediately tells us it’s not real!  I know you’re probably thinking that some AR and VR applications exist and work fine, and you’re right. But how many have practical real-world applications?

5G, because of its increased speed and bandwidth, is going to allow AR and VR to expand. An example of this is Microsoft’s new HoloLens 2, which brings physical and digital elements together to collaborate in real-time. This lightweight headset brings together two worlds in a way that empowers productivity in the front-line worker by putting information and interactive data right before their eyes. Soon, coupled with 5G connectivity, we will see mixed reality explode with real-world applications from maps to business apps. And yes, virtual reality may finally get its day, and 5G should get much of the credit. With 5G, we’ll see AR and VR popping up in our cars, our phones, and on our computer screens. It will likely become a part of everyday life; rather than just an entertainment novelty.

 

Autonomous Vehicles:

It seems like we’ve been talking about them for years, and they still haven’t really taken off. Once again: 5G could be the technology that finally pushes them out (safely) into the world. Why? Because 5G is the only technology thus far fast enough to allow machines to operate with human-like reflexes.  We take for granted all of the visual and spatial information our brain processes and reacts to when we get behind the wheel of a car.  The amount of information us humans are processing is daunting to think about.  An autonomous vehicle has to mimic the capability we inherently have;