What is 5G technology | services | range

5G is the abbreviation of "fifth generation" cellular communication. "G" is used to describe the algebra of cellular device communication technology that has been or will be introduced. 5G can operate in millimeter wave (ultra-high frequency spectrum from 24 to 100 GHz), and the amount of spectrum available for 5G means that the speed of data transmission is much faster than currently possible.

Additional key elements of 5G technology include extended use of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) antenna arrays, complex implementations of beamforming technology used to pass signals more directly to end-users, and network "slicing", which is based on the transmitted Intelligent resource partitioning of services or applications. The extensive changes in technology and infrastructure inherent in 5G deployment will bring huge benefits and potential challenges to individual users, enterprises, and service providers.  

                                      Image source – Google| Image by freepik

When will 5G come?

While people are hyping up that 5G will bring exponential speed increases and latency reductions, a frequently asked question is "When will 5G arrive?" This is actually a two-part question because of the initial deployment. The timetable will not be consistent with 5G as a widely adopted de-facto standard.

The first obstacle has been overcome, and 3GPP has compiled and completed various versions of the Release 15 standard. Release 15 is the first version to include 5G elements. The "non-independent" part of the standard was completed in 2017, SA was added in June 2018, and all parts of the standard are now completed. In the short term, the non-standalone mode will allow 5G deployments to utilize the existing LTE RAN and core network, as well as the hardware part of the sub-6GHz frequency band and millimeter-wave band

Currently, all major operators plan to launch a limited version of 5G in early 2019. Unlike the network infrastructure, there will be no forward compatibility using existing cellular phones and basebands. Most major mobile phone manufacturers are rapidly developing 5G hardware to prepare it for commercial use, but any widespread adoption requires large-scale upgrades by consumers. Therefore, at least until 2020, any major shift towards 5G may not happen.

In the next few years, as operators, equipment manufacturers, and consumers continue to transform, new 5G networks will be built from scratch, and the scale of independent deployment will continue to expand. In the next 2-4 years, all regions will gradually transition to 5G with the best speed and coverage level.

How fast is 5G?

The shift to 5G technology, and the speed breakthrough that followed, seems a bit like a rapid shift from a carriage to an intercontinental airliner.

Operators conducting 5G speed trials reported speeds as high as 70 Gbps. Industry-initiated simulations also produced impressive results, with data speeds increased from 71 Mbps for 4G users to 1.4 Gbps (millimeter wave) for 5G users.

With the increase in speed, the delay is also significantly reduced. This will be an important factor in new technologies such as autonomous vehicles that rely on instant messaging and "virtual" telemedicine. For 5G, the delay is achievable in the range of 1 millisecond (ms), while for 4G, the delay is usually around 20 milliseconds.

5G range

Realize millimeter-wave transmission within a limited range. The test of the 5G service range in millimeter waves effectively covers a place about 500 meters away from the transmission tower, which means that a completely independent 5G deployment will require a huge MIMO-capable antenna array propagation model. In addition, the fact that millimeter-wave signals cannot penetrate obstacles further limits the coverage area, because these obstacles need to be taken into consideration in the network design of mobile users. As base stations are broken down into new logical elements, coverage limits the development of more flexible architectures in 5G. These elements use available assets, combine some functions locally in the smallest space, and meet other requirements of radio stations that are limited in this regard, thereby promoting the flexible deployment of the network.

Considering these foreseeable range issues, in the foreseeable future, LTE or low-band 5G may still be an integral part of the 5G network, and only users close to the antenna can fully benefit. The cell technology and other creative alternatives to traditional base station towers can be effectively used to make independent 5G networks possible.

What 5G technology means for consumers and businesses

Although consumers and businesses continue to demand speed, security, and applications that drive the demand for 5G technology, many users do not understand the impact 5G will have on their daily lives. The most obvious and direct impact on consumers will be the exponential increase in streaming speed. Traditional home Wi-Fi systems connected to the Internet via wires or cables may in some cases become 5G direct connections because the speed will be comparable to most fiber-optic networks.

The impact of 5G on the enterprise sector will be huge. Manufacturers of chips, baseband, and mobile phones are ready for revolutionary changes. Other industries, such as banking, automotive, and agriculture, will be significantly affected by the development of the Internet of Things (IoT). From ATMs to irrigation equipment, everything may eventually become part of a huge network of "smart" products. The medical industry may be the most affected, with billions of wearable devices transmitting data to doctors and clinicians and improving the transmission of large data files from one provider to another.

What 5G technology means for service providers

Although service providers are racing to build the equipment needed to support 5G, this is likely to be an example of "hurry up and long wait", because mobile phone manufacturers are falling behind in their expected 5G promotion.

Some providers are using massive MIMO deployments on existing towers as a bridge between LTE and 5G. The reduction in 5G coverage and the increase in the number of antennas in millimeter waves will promote competition among providers and innovation in cost reduction during deployment.

IoT will change the way service providers interact with customers. For example, some applications may require lower bandwidth across multiple devices, which means that the focus may shift from quantitative data usage to overall quality of experience (QoE). For industrial applications, such as factory robots, service reliability may be a value driver for customers. Different applications of 5G technology may bring more diversified services.

Pros and cons of 5G technology

As with almost all major technological advancements, these obvious benefits are sometimes at least partially offset by some negative consequences. Although 5G technology certification testing has been conducted for several years, the real advantages and disadvantages may not be fully quantified until the transformation is smoothly carried out.