The launch of the 5G network ushered in a new world of connectivity and the potential to completely transform our lives.
According to Reuters, the US, China, Japan and Korea have led the way, seeing the fastest deployments globally. And Intel’s research revealed there are about 162 commercial 5G networks in 68 countries, with 153 mobile operator services globally. Additionally, more than 700 devices were announced by 90+ vendors to operate 5G cellular, 431 of those being commercially available demonstrating the widespread impact of the network.
In the UK, 5G was introduced in May 2019 and is gradually rolling out, but UK network providers are predicted to all offer 5G services in the near future. At the moment, the four leading UK networks (Three, EE, Vodafone and O2) offer 5G coverage across the country with EE aiming to cover everywhere in the UK by 2028.
Despite the possibilities the 5G network offers, common myths and misconceptions remain, preventing it from becoming mainstream. Intel has examined and debunked some of these which challenge the transition towards the 5G era.
- Myth: There is no difference between the 5G deployments and previous generations.
- Reality: There is a clear difference between 5G and previous generations – demanding extensive network transformation.
Compared to older cellular and wireless standards, 5G is designed to generate better connectivity between people and businesses. The amount of data we now have at our disposal demands a network overhaul otherwise we risk losing out on the benefits of 5G.
The structural foundation of the 4th generation network suffers from limitations that reduce its evolutionary development, including the maximum channel of 20 MHZ, a fixed air interface frame design and a limited numerology. These restraints block 4G from progressing towards the lowest possible latency and greatest possible throughput.
The reason why we need new technology is to be able to evolve above the standards set by previously launched cellular networks. What makes 5G superior is its ability to account for information technology and operational technology on the foundation of telco stack through the convergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Myth: Introducing 5G can boost the number of security vulnerabilities.
- Reality: Professionals have increased security tools and controls to minimise risks and protect the increase of data and information.
With any paradigm shift come new risks, but professionals have discovered the potential for new exposure at an early stage in the design of 5G. Thus, integrated solutions were designed to prevent potential security risks that could be introduced to the industry.
Presently, data is cryptographically protected across layers of the software, network and storage stacks, resulting in the potential for multiple cryptographic operations to be performed on every byte of data. The unique requirements of 5G applications are influencing and imposing how the network’s security foundation will be introduced and Intel has, in fact, supported the industry in minimising the cost of cryptographic algorithms through innovative new guidelines, microarchitectural improvements and novel software optimisation techniques.
- Myth: 5G will never reach industry expectations.
- Reality: As industries are in constant evolution, 5G will gradually attain its full potential during the next few years.
Despite 5G still being in its infancy, there has already been large global investment. Every cellular generation is deployed in multiple releases, thus the road to fully fledged 5G will be a gradual one. It took around ten years to fully establish the potential of 4G. While the transition from 4G to 5G takes time, users are slowly beginning to see more and more new features and benefits being introduce on a rolling basis.
- Myth: Phones are the only devices that can support 5G.
- Reality: 5G will power a wide spectrum of devices and technologies.
The 5th Generation represents a milestone, and it was designed to benefit our phones and enable new business models. However, it was built with more than phones in mind. 5G has the power to link devices to an intelligent network.
5G with Edge and Cloud makes it possible to discover the full potential of even the smallest devices – allowing for unlimited processing power. Increased capacity, flexibility and low latency from 5G will allow the launch of new applications from 5G-enabled smart factories and cities to constantly connected and intelligent medical devices.
In fact, 5G will also support laptop connectivity as the PC market already provides laptop models equipped with 5G modules. By combining 5G with Cloud, Edge and AI even the tiniest of devices are capable of extensive computing tasks, are able to benefit from reliable connectivity for mission critical services and can get in contact with information and services in real time with nearly zero latency.
Undoubtedly, 5G is a revolutionary concept in the tech industry and is significant for the continuous development of technology and society at large. It is essentially one of the key concepts sitting at the base of the global wireless infrastructure, which is crucial to connecting devices such as phones, cars, smart home gadgets and more, while also underpinning the connectivity of infrastructure in future smart cities.
Myths will exist around every new form of game-changing technology, but it is key for consumers and industry commentators to be aware of the truth behind these assumptions, to really understand where 5G can take us.
(Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash)
Want to learn more about 5G and the opportunities it presents from industry leaders? Check out 5G Expo. The next events in the series will be held in Santa Clara on 11-12 May 2022, Amsterdam on 20-21 September 2022, and London on 1-2 December 2022.
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