The first commercial 5G networks began rolling out in 2019. In recent years, the availability of fifth-generation connectivity has advanced considerably, with many countries having near-total coverage.
While end users are often sold on the idea that 5G just means higher connection speeds for their smartphones, it actually has many other possibilities. Below we have listed some ways in which it is more important than downloading funny cat images faster than ever.
Main differences between 5G and 4G
More than 13 years ago, a whole decade before 5G, LTE (or 4G) networks were activated around the world. The carriers announced the same thing they are doing now: higher speeds and not much else. In 2009, however, faster connections really mattered: 3G networks weren’t really delivering what users needed for mobile browsing.
Things are different this time around: current mobile internet speeds in most places are already good enough for most cases, so the differences between 4G and 5G for smartphones won’t be as big. Obviously, they still struggle to deliver 4K video streaming or other more demanding applications, but let’s be real: current speeds are fine for just about everyone. Theoretically at least, recent 4G modems can achieve a full gigabit per second in ideal scenarios, but actual network conditions can vary widely.
What isn’t really advertised are advantages that go beyond speed. Lower latency times and a greater number of connected terminals are the most important evolutions from 4G to 5G. Under ideal conditions, the ping in fifth generation networks can be as low as 5 milliseconds and the antennas can cover more than a million terminals per square kilometer. LTE networks, on the other hand, usually have a latency of about 50ms at best, and up to 2,000 devices per square kilometer.
And what do the differences between 4G and 5G mean for most people? Regarding smartphones, not much, maybe better online games. But for communications in general, 5G really changes the world.
1. 5G beyond smartphones: autonomous systems
The idea of ​​autonomous cars is not new. We’ve been hearing about that possibility, in the real world or in science fiction, for decades. But real technology never really seems (pun intended) to speed up.
There were some limitations to this: required computing power (you couldn’t put a supercomputer in a car and also expect it to carry five people with a decent speed), artificial intelligence and machine learning implementations (even with a mainframe on board, it wouldn’t do). of much if humanity could not develop the software to use it correctly), and, finally, the quality of the connection. An autonomous car in traffic may be able to drive itself, but what about dozens or hundreds on a single road?
That’s where 5G advances come in. With improved connection speeds, self-driving cars can download and upload the vast amounts of data they need to work in ways that simply weren’t possible before. Lower latency is also key here: the average driver reaction time is 0.5-0.8 seconds for road hazards – 500-800 milliseconds. Since 5G ping is around 99% lower than that, autonomous vehicles can be even safer than human-driven ones.
However, that is not the only use for autonomous systems. Robots assembling products in factories (or handling them in logistics centers), traffic lights that adjust the time according to how many vehicles are at each intersection, self-checkout stores… You name it. Any connected system that benefits from higher speeds, lower latency, and more connected devices will likely get a huge usability boost with 5G.
2. Smart cities will depend on 5G
That brings us to the second topic: smart cities. Remember the real-time traffic lights above? They are just the tip of the iceberg. What about city plumbing that can tell the sewer pressure is abnormal days before it overflows? Bus or train lines that show exactly how crowded they are before you leave home? Light poles that warn of a dead lamp without anyone having to call the company? The possibilities are endless.
As before, if a user benefits from real-time monitoring, they benefit from 5G advancements. That means that in any situation where human intervention may be needed to help resolve problems, small or large, response times could be dramatically improved. From a broken road to emergency services, from food delivery to traffic jams.
3. 5G will renew the Internet of Things
All of these solutions are made possible by two ideas embedded at the very core of 5G technology: the Internet of Things and non-cellular 5G networks. You may not have heard of the latter, but the former surely caught your eye somewhere.
Currently, the Internet of Things, or IoT for short, is based on the 4G fabric (for POS terminals, for example) or Wi-Fi hotspots (for smart home appliances) and Bluetooth (wearables). This could change with 5G networks.
Just as important as latency here is the number of connected terminals. Have you ever been to a crowded mall for holiday shopping, a sports game, or a music festival and had a terrible connection, even though mobile internet usually works fine in those areas? That’s because a carrier can only handle so many users in a specific region before things start to get worse.
Now add those devices to the mix: a terminal on every light pole, bus stop, car, all those phones, home routers, office networks, every store POS… It can get overloaded pretty fast. Current 4G networks are very limited in this regard, compared to 5G: simultaneous compatible terminals are up to 500 times higher with the newer standard.
Non-cellular networks help here too: a factory might have a dedicated 5G antenna, independent of any carrier, to deal with dozens of automated robots. That works similar to how you connect your phone, computer, smart TV, game console, robot vacuum, thermostat, security cameras, and many other devices to your home Wi-Fi router.
The difference here is, again, higher connection speeds, lower latency, and the ability to have more devices connected. I would never try to use a home router for an event with dozens of attendees, as your guests would quickly be unable to use the Wi-Fi provided. Non-cellular 5G, on the other hand, allows many simultaneous terminals to connect and work without interfering with business networks.
4. Mobile broadband (but this time real) with 5G networks
Remember when carriers tried to sell people 3G modems, promising “broadband speeds anywhere,” and everyone got frustrated because they never worked reliably for mobile connectivity? When 4G came around, Wi-Fi hotspots were much more common, but they tried that too, and they didn’t make it either, as the speeds were fine for smartphones, but not always good enough for computers.
The price was also always on the higher side. Sure, unlimited data plans exist, but not everywhere. And the 4G connection simply costs more for operators than fixed broadband via coaxial cables or fiber optics, so obviously customers had to pay that premium too.
However, this is slowly changing. With 5G networks, mobile broadband is finally becoming almost as good as fixed connections, price wise (and speeds and latency). While this is not a problem of the past at this point, things are definitely looking up. Soon, working (or playing) on ​​the go with a 5G modem will be almost the same as working from a fixed broadband connection. Perhaps data caps will remain for the foreseeable future, but those too could have their days numbered, who knows?
5. Latency-critical apps could save lives using 5G
Have you ever wondered why some relatively old technologies, like radio, are still widely used in emergency services? Because they have been perfected over the years, improving reliability. Firefighters cannot count on smartphones during a rescue operation; paramedics cannot send a WhatsApp audio to the hospital they are going to if the mobile networks are not 100% sure to deliver it.
In the same way, robotic surgeries, for example, can be monitored over the Internet, but the need for quick reflexes to resolve unexpected bleeding cannot depend on the speed and latency of current connections: the surgeon performing the operation , in almost all cases, you are in the same room as the robotic arm doing the “dirty work”.
While 5G won’t make walkie-talkies totally obsolete anytime soon, it can surely help with life-saving communications. Imagine a factory with multiple boilers in the same room and sensors that can detect overheating and immediately deploy countermeasures without the need for human intervention. Or a computer that monitors the structural integrity of a building and can send an evacuation signal to everyone inside instantly. The good old fashioned radio for first responders still has its place, but 5G enables the technology to save many lives.
5G is more than just faster speeds
Right now, 5G is still likely to be seen solely as a tool to stream the latest episode of Stranger Things in full quality during the daily commute, mind you. That’s basically what everyone will see on billboards, online banners, and other forms of advertising. After all, the carriers want their share of your hard-earned money.
But the reality goes further: 5G enables a series of possibilities that, with current technology, were impossible or too expensive. And, even though they won’t be promoted in the upcoming Super Bowl halftime commercials, they are important to everyone.