You must be aware of your good old days when you had to use GPRS/EDGE, and slower generations like 2G and 3G to surf the internet wirelessly on your mobile device. Technology is a sector where change is the only constant. It was a gift to the whole world when 4G was introduced which could transfer data at a peak value of 100 Mbps. However, 5G is here to make things a level higher.
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What is the need for 5G when 4G already exists?
Who doesn’t need an improvement in life? Who doesn’t want to download their favourite movies and TV shows within a few minutes (or perhaps, seconds, if conditions are ideal)? Who doesn’t want to play their favourite multiple games at the lowest latency? 5G is here to make your life easier!
The Science behind 5G
5G is based on the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing method (that’s quite a mouthful, we know). In simpler words, 5G is designed keeping in mind the idea to slice digital signals (a.k.a Network Slicing) across several different channels, where each channel is capable of performing a task, standalone so that there is a significant decrease in interference produced due to other waves. 5G can operate in low frequency (sub 6 GHz) as well as high frequency (mmWave — upwards of 24 GHz) thereby capable of transmitting larger volumes in lesser time.
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However, transmitting data at higher frequencies comes at a price. When waves are transmitted at higher frequencies, the range of the waves gets reduced drastically. The effect is so pronounced that even if you move a few meters away from a dedicated 5G node, your internet speeds would topple down significantly. 5G nodes are simply antennas set up by network providers to route and re-route 5G signals from one point to another.
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5G utilises the massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technologies which can enable multiple transmitters and receivers to transmit as well as receive large amounts of data in a very short time, from multiple sources.
Types of 5G:
5G can be characterised into three types based on the wave frequency — Low band, Mid band, High band. Based on their characteristics, the Mid Band is most suitable for any network provider to provide the perfect balance to a user. The low band frequency can provide peak speeds of 100–150 Mbps, which can be considered as a mere incremental update over 4G. The Mid-band frequency can provide a peak speed of 600–900 Mbps, which is considerably faster than 4G, while the high band frequency can provide peak speeds upto 3 Gbps, however at limited ranges only. Implementation of high band frequency is expensive.
Busting Common Myths:
1) 5G is here to replace 4G — This isn’t true. Although 5G has its own benefits, it would take several years for everyone to adapt to it, and for companies to set up the required infrastructures to make 5G available for everyone.
2) 5G is only about mobile internet — Mobile internet is only the tip of the iceberg. With its capabilities, 5G can also cater to robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), and also self-driving cars.
3) 5G is dangerous to human health — In one word — “no!”. The 5G radio waves cannot change the structure of a cell and are non-ionising. This topic has often seen heated debates among scientists, but all debates end with the same conclusion. Check out this article by Forbes for a detailed explanation.
Conclusion
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Every nation is geared towards providing 5G coverage to each and every citizen. Some countries (like South Korea) have achieved great success in doing so while some countries are still preparing their infrastructure and making all preparations to ensure successful deployment of the 5G services.
The world is gearing up for 5G, are you?
