5G is presented as a breakthrough technology. Nevertheless, it will not radically change things for users in the immediate future. First of all, we must perceive the 5G mobile network as an evolution of 4G.
With its many advantages, the 5th generation of mobile telephony will, first of all, make it possible to improve and trivialize already existing uses. It will bring more convenience to users. Another immediate benefit of 5G: is an increase in capacity where mobile networks are heavily used and thus help to avoid network saturation in the short or medium term.
Then, in the years to come, 5G will lead to a revolution in uses. In the field of industry, in particular, with the development of applications, some of which will disrupt our daily lives.
What is 5G FOR BEGINNERS?
5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks. Like its predecessors – 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G – it is about calls and the wireless exchange of data via radio waves. And we have already come a long way in this area!
- 1G dates from the 1980s: mobile calls have become a reality.
- Sending SMS only started in the 1990s, with the arrival of 2G.
- The first videos? We started streaming them – in low quality – with the advent of 3G.
- It took 4G to really boost video content.
The 5G network is growing on this basis. The technology has been refined, and new frequency bands are used. In other words, signal transmission is faster and more efficient.
HOW FAST IS 5G?
The generalization of 5G technology and the phenomenal acceleration it entails is tantamount to moving seamlessly from traveling by stagecoach to another by airliner.
Operators running 5G speed tests have reported speeds as high as 70 Gbps. Simulations run by industry-specific players have delivered remarkable results, as speeds have increased between 71 Mbit/s and a speed of 1.4 up to 1.4 Gbit/s for users of 5G within the millimeter-wave spectrum.
With 5G technology, the significant improvement in throughput is accompanied by a dramatic reduction in latency. This is a crucial factor in the field of emerging technologies, like autonomous vehicles, as well as “virtual” surgical robotics that relies on instantaneous communications. With 5G technology, a latency of the order of a millisecond (ms) becomes possible, while it is around 20 ms for 4G.
THE IMPACT OF 5G TECHNOLOGY AND 5G NETWORK PROVIDERS
As service providers race to build the infrastructure needed to support 5G as quickly as possible, they may well have to wait as phone makers have fallen behind in rolling out devices suitable for 5G.
Some vendors are leveraging the deployment of Massive MIMO on existing towers to provide a transition between LTE and 5G. The shorter range of millimeter-wave 5G and the increase in the number of antennas is increasing competition and driving innovations that reduce costs for providers during deployment.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the relationship between service provider and their clients. As an example, some applications might require lower bandwidth across devices, placing the priority on the use of data in terms of quantity over (QoE). For industrial applications like factory robotics, service reliability may be the most important factor for customers. The varied applications of 5G technology could lead to more diverse service offerings.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES
- You can do much more with 5G than with 4G. And it’s not just about surfing super fast, streaming the best Netflix series in 4K, or making video calls in stunning quality.
- 5G will also play a crucial role in the smart homes of the future and their multitude of connected objects, as well as in the Internet of Things (also called IoT or Internet of Things ).
- Autonomous cars, for example, must be able to react as quickly as possible to their environment. Even when driving at full speed on the highway. 5G opens up the field of possibilities!
- Do you like streaming games on your smartphone? You will be happy to know that 5G has low latency (latency refers to the delay between sending and receiving data). In other words, you stream your favorite esports everywhere and with incredible fluidity.
- Moreover, each 5G antenna can support many more devices at once: up to one million devices per square kilometer! In other words: Currently, the network is sometimes overloaded in the event of peak consumption, but soon everyone will be able to enjoy super-fast surfing at the same time on their mobile device.
HOW CAN 5 G BE A GAME CHANGER?
As we all know, mobile data consumes a lot of energy. 5G is a game changer in this field also. Even though a 5G antenna can send a lot more data than a classic 4G antenna, it is much more energy efficient.
An example: By 2025, an optimized 5G antenna will consume barely 10% of the energy needed by the current 4G network to send 1 GB. This is how 5G helps reduce the ecological footprint of mobile internet!
Commercial 5G Services
Commercially accessible 5G services increased to 200 by the year 2021’s end. According to Global Suppliers Association (GSA) that says 99 operators were considering stand-alone (SA 5G) technology.
5g network providers
Around 78 countries currently have at the minimum an industry-standard 5G network, and the GSA’s annual report also showed that nearly four-fifths of 5G operators had launched a fixed 5G Wireless Access (FWA) broadband service.
This development is an indication of the potential for the next generation of networks to provide an alternative to traditional fixed-line connections.
5G Operators
Overall, the trade body had identified at least 487 operators from the 145 countries and territories at or near the planning stage for 5G, a rise from 412 in the previous year. Some have conducted trials, obtained spectrum licenses, or begun the process of deploying but have not yet turned on the network to customers.
5G SA & NSA
Most commercial 5G deployments have relied on non-standalone 5G (NSA 5G), which uses advanced radio technology but depends on the 4G core.
SA 5G uses a new cloud-based virtual core which allows data to be processed nearer to the source of the data. This allows features such as network cutting. This enables assured speeds, improved reliability, and extremely low latency. Twenty operators from 16 countries are now offering commercial SA 5G services.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF 5G ON HEALTH?
Aside from received ideas: 5G is not dangerous for health! Since radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, many people wonder. And the rumor also swells on the internet. But we reassure you: studies show that radiation from antennas and mobile phones does not constitute a risk as long as the standards are respected.
Additionally, electromagnetic radiation from 4G and 5G has a much lower frequency than other types of electromagnetic radiation found in nature. In other words: the sun’s UV rays pose a greater risk to your body than mobile internet.
HOW CAN 5G BE USED?
To enjoy super-fast internet via the 5G network, you need a smartphone only:
A smartphone compatible with 5G. In principle, a 5G-compatible smartphone will be able to directly use the 5G network when it is available. Provided, however, that the device is ready for 5G for the Orange network via a software update. The availability of this software is totally dependent on the manufacturer. To make your life easier, we indicate in our e-shop if a smartphone is 5G compatible and if it is 5G ready.
5G AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS
5G will boost the density of antenna connections. With 5G, it will be able to reach one million devices connected per km 2. This means that many more people and many more objects can be connected at the same time. Objects that will be able to exchange information and interact with each other. In the shortest of terms, a new era is in the making: it’s the future of the Internet of Things (IoT).
The aim is to increase the number of devices that consume less power and with lower speed as well as in huge numbers in the same region. We are thinking in particular of connected watches or even connected homes. In a few years, for example, your refrigerator may be able to place an order for you when you get dangerously close to running out of stock. By 2020 or 2025, almost all our household appliances will be connected, not to mention all the gadgets we will have installed for uses as diverse as they are varied.
SUMMARY
In the entire history of mobile phones, there hasn’t been as much excitement around the upcoming launch of new technology as in the case of 5G. Sometimes it seems that mobile operators, equipment vendors, and device manufacturers have been swallowed up by a global game in which everyone first seeks to integrate revolutionary technology. And the stakes are really high – the mobile industry actually desperately needs 5G – as a new source of revenue, increasing market share and accelerating the industry.