If you’re in the technology industry (or work in a business that relies on digital technology), you’ve probably heard the buzz about 5G – the latest high-speed cellular network standard that promises to transform wireless connectivity as we know it and usher in a new era of digital transformation.
However, as with any new technology, it is wise to take a step back and consider the pros and cons before adopting it. In this article, we will highlight some of the advantages and disadvantages of 5G networks to help you make an informed business decision.
What is 5G?
5G (fifth generation mobile technology) is the new standard for cellular networks. First released by mobile operators in 2019, 5G uses radio frequencies for data transmission, just like its predecessors, 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE networks. However, with improvements in latency and bandwidth, 5G offers benefits such as superfast downloads and uploads, better connectivity, and increased reliability.
Why is 5G important?
5G has been on the market for four years now and has been widely touted as a disruptive technology that will bring about changes on the same scale as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Machine Learning (ML). As mobile broadband technologies expand, the amount of data generated every day is growing exponentially, overwhelming 3G and 4G network infrastructures. Enter 5G, with faster download and upload times and higher bandwidth, which will enable it to handle much larger volumes of data.
Advantages of 5G Technology
In addition to faster speeds and upload/download times, there are some key differences to note between 5G networks and 3G/4G networks.
Small physical footprint
5G uses smaller transmitters than traditional transmitters, which can be placed more discreetly on top of buildings or in trees, out of sight, etc. The cells that wireless networks use to connect (or “small cells”) will also be smaller in 5G networks and will require less power to operate.
Reduce error rates
5G’s adaptive modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a scheme for transmitting data from WiFi devices, is superior to the MCS used in 4G and 3G. The result is an extremely low block error rate (BER), which is used to measure the frequency of errors in a network. In a 5G network, if the BER increases to a certain level, the transmitter reduces the connection speed until the error rate drops. Essentially, 5G networks trade off speed for accuracy in real time, so the BER is always close to zero.
Increased Bandwidth
5G networks can utilize a much wider range of bandwidth than previous networks. By expanding the spectrum of available resources from under 3 GHz to over 100 GHz, the 5G range can include both lower and higher frequencies. This allows the network to function across a wider bandwidth spectrum, increasing the number of devices that can be supported at one time and increasing the overall capacity and throughput of the network.
Low Latency
5G’s low latency (the time it takes for data to travel from one point on the network to another) makes activities like downloading files or interacting with the cloud 10 times faster than 4G or 3G networks. While 4G networks have latency of around 200 milliseconds, 5G networks typically achieve latency as low as 1 millisecond.
Disadvantages of 5G
Like any emerging technology, 5G has as many reasons to be cautious as it does to be excited. Let’s look at some of the concerns that are preventing both consumers and businesses from wholeheartedly embracing 5G.
Cybersecurity
Although 5G’s algorithms are more comprehensive than their predecessors, users are still vulnerable to cyber attacks. One area of concern is encryption: although apps on 5G networks are encrypted, the 5G NR standard does not have end-to-end encryption, leaving them open to certain types of attacks.
Network Slicing
Network slicing is a common feature of 5G networks, but it is also an area that requires caution. Creating virtual networks for specific functions exposes 5G software to hackers, malware, and other potential breaches. If a breach occurs, malware or spyware can spread across a carrier’s infrastructure and network devices, causing problems for the entire enterprise.
Infrastructure
To transition services and capabilities to 5G networks, businesses must consider the cost and time required to upgrade their equipment to be 5G-ready. This takes time and is expensive. Typically, businesses that have relied on 3G or 4G networks for some time have already invested heavily in equipment. Replacing the equipment and upskilling employees to deploy and maintain the new infrastructure presents a significant obstacle.
Gaps in reporting
5G technology is being rolled out around the world, with many major metropolitan areas now offering 5G coverage. But 5G is still Anywhere And it won’t be for long. For example, many remote areas have no 5G connectivity or only limited coverage. Before upgrading to 5G, businesses should consider where they plan to use it and ensure that they have 5G coverage, especially if they operate in rural areas.
Penetration
5G signals travel over high-frequency radio waves that are easily blocked by common objects like buildings and trees, so ensuring an uninterrupted path for the signals to travel can be a problem. Factories and offices pose unique challenges, and some companies are redesigning their facilities in ways that are more suitable for 5G networks.
How does 5G technology work?
5G networks are divided into geographic sections called cells. Within these cells, wireless devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers connect to the internet or telephone network by sending radio waves between base stations and antennas. The underlying technology of 5G networks is the same as 3G or 4G networks, but they offer much faster download speeds. Some 5G networks can reach download speeds of 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) with just a few devices on the network.
As 5G technology reaches more and more customers and the number of applications that support it continues to grow, it is expected to become more popular among telecommunications companies and Internet service providers (ISPs). In North America, for example, the most popular ISPs for home internet — Verizon, Google, and AT&T — have already adopted 5G, with more than 200 million households subscribing to 5G (link is external to ibm.com).
Three key features set 5G technology apart:
- Mobile phone standards
- Network Slicing
- Private Network
Here, we’ll take a closer look at each area, explain why it’s unique to 5G, and how it helps the technology function.
New mobile phone standards
The 5G New Radio (NR) standard for cellular networks is a new radio access technology (RAT) specification built specifically for 5G mobile networks. In 2018, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3FPP) began developing a new global standard for mobile networks to guide the development of devices and applications on 5G networks. Now, cellular networks and manufacturers who want to power or design 5G devices only need to comply with the 5G NR standard, making the expansion of 5G easier and more feasible. According to a recent report by Ericsson (link is external to ibm.com), 45% of networks worldwide will be 5G-enabled by the end of 2023, and that number is expected to increase to 85% by the end of the decade.
Network Slicing
With 5G networks, operators can deploy multiple independent virtual networks on the same infrastructure to run numerous business applications and enable users to perform more complex tasks remotely than they can today. For example, companies that want to partition their wireless capabilities by use case or business model can form “collections” on the 5G network. Collections allow users on that network to get a more reliable and consistent experience on the mobile devices of their choice that was not possible with previous generations of wireless technology.
Private Network
5G technology allows users to create private networks with enhanced personalization features, including secure access, improved quality control and increased mobility. These capabilities are making private 5G rapidly popular among global enterprises that want all the power and capabilities of 5G, but also want to add an additional layer of security to their business. Private 5G networks allow businesses to manage multiple devices, services and applications in a more private, secure and efficient environment than public networks.
5G Use Cases
Now that you have a better understanding of the pros and cons of 5G and how this new technology works, let’s take a look at how it’s being applied in the real world.
- Autonomous Vehicles: Before the advent of 5G, fully autonomous cars could not operate independently using available 3G and 4G networks, as they did not support the speeds required to send and receive information. 5G’s ultra-fast capabilities open the possibility that autonomous cars could become as common on roads as taxis and delivery trucks in the near future.
- Smart Factory: AI and ML are already making factories everywhere smarter and more efficient. 5G will enable even greater leaps in the future, allowing us to automate more tasks, introduce cameras and drones to tasks that previously required humans, and connect thousands of smart devices to the internet. It’s dizzying to think of all the potential uses for 5G in a factory environment. This could change everything from how we measure and optimize fuel use, to how we design equipment lifecycles, to how we deliver goods to customers, and is one of the areas where 5G is most likely to have a deeply disruptive and transformative impact.
- Smart City: 5G will enable cities to carry out routine tasks such as waste and air quality management much more efficiently than ever before. The introduction of new Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to the Internet over 5G networks will give cities much more control and management over activities such as traffic control, power management, waste disposal, and even law enforcement.
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): Both virtual reality (digital environments that block out the real world) and augmented reality (digital content that augments the real world) rely heavily on 5G technology to function and have numerous business applications. For example, phones and smart glasses that use virtual and augmented reality technology that run on 5G networks are already adding digital overlays, live views, and other capabilities to warehouse employees, delivery drivers, maintenance workers, and others.
- Edge Computing: Edge computing refers to a distributed computing framework that brings enterprise applications closer to the data source. Naturally, any technology that relies on moving large amounts of data in a wireless environment will be enhanced by 5G. With edge computing, 5G specifically moves computing and data storage closer to where data is generated on the network, improving control, reducing costs, and delivering faster insights. According to a recent Gartner white paper (link external to ibm.com), by 2025, 75% of enterprise data will be processed at the edge, up from just 10% today.
IBM and 5G
5G offers huge opportunities for app developers, but you need the right platform to take advantage of its lightning-fast upload and download speeds. IBM Cloud Satellite helps you deploy and run apps consistently across on-premise, edge computing and public cloud environments, with secure, auditable communication with IBM Cloud.
Explore IBM Cloud Satellite
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