G-standards of mobile networks operate in a certain frequency range – radio waves. Their frequency ranges from 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz). With each new generation, the range of radio waves used has increased. 5G stands for the fifth generation (“5th Generation”) of mobile networks. You can already see the development of industry of the 5g network in the uk, for example. This is the next wireless communication technology after the previous generations (1G, 2G, 3G, 4G), which is more efficient and more advanced.
The logic here is simple: the more frequencies – the more opportunities to deliver the signal, and therefore the greater the network coverage. The higher the frequency of the wave, the more can be transmitted in the same period of time. And there is so much information and devices that the current evolution to 5G seems logical. If the speed of 4G reaches an average of 10 Mbps, and the maximum – up to 1 Gbps, then 5G has an average speed of 50 Mbps, and the maximum – in the range of 1-10 Gbps, and this is not the limit. A full-length HD movie will be downloaded in seconds, not minutes, as it is now.
But what exactly is a 5G network?
5G technology is a new wireless broadband standard for data transmission that will completely replace 4G in a few years. The idea is that this new standard allows us to access higher connection speeds, greater coverage, and additional benefits compared to the current standard.
To know what is a 5G network, we must know that this technology is characterized by 8 main specifications:
- Latency 1 millisecond
- 99.99% availability
- 100% signal coverage
- Data transfer speeds up to 10 Gbps – > 10 to 100 times more powerful than 4G and 4.5G networks
- Broadband access, approximately 1000 times more speed per unit area
- Limit to 100 additional devices connected per unit area (when compared to current 4G LTE networks)
- Reduction of beef power consumption by 90%
- Battery life in IoT (Internet of Things) devices with low power consumption up to 10 ten years
In terms of data transfer speeds, the new fifth-generation technology will increase speeds up to peaks of 1 to 10 Gbps. This is more than three times faster than current fiber optic speeds in homes and businesses.
Furthermore, reduce the latency until it reaches a minimum of 1 to 5 milliseconds. With the above and having high capacity, it is possible to have up to 100 times more connected devices, 5G speed will be a qualitative and quantitative leap.
How does 5G work?
5G operates at extremely high frequencies (30-300 GHz). Another name is millimeter waves because their length is 1-10 millimeters. Such waves fade faster in the atmosphere and therefore transmit a signal at a distance of about a kilometer. Therefore, to use high frequencies of 5G, you need a lot of transmitters and literally everywhere – otherwise, the connection will be cut off.
Therefore, relatively speaking, there are several “versions” of 5G, which use waves of different frequencies: low (up to 2 GHz), medium (2-10 GHz), and high (more than 10 GHz). Low-frequency waves (which are still used today) can transmit a signal through walls but lose data transmission speed. And high-frequency waves can transmit a lot of information, but “go out” after a few hundred meters. Depending on the conditions, the appropriate “version” of 5G is enabled.
If in some conditions 5G will use the same waves as 4G, how will it differ? The answer is that 5G technology allows the simultaneous use of countless radio frequency channels. They can be compared to parallel lanes on a freeway: the more lanes there are, the more cars can travel at the same time. 5G “combines” different channels into one stream much more efficiently than 4G.
What will 5G be used for?
High-frequency radio waves have a short range. Therefore, one of the key areas of their application is the Internet of Things (IoT), or a global network of interconnected physical devices. For example, a fitness tracker and a refrigerator will exchange data to monitor your weight.
There are also hopes for 5G as a means of providing ultra-fast communication with minimal delay. Therefore, it is planned to be used in such critical areas as medicine, road safety, etc.
According to the American company Qualcomm, the economic effect of 5G is likely to manifest itself by 2035. Namely, the growth of global GDP by $2.1 trillion, the production of new goods and services worth $13.2 trillion and the creation of more than 22 million new jobs. And this is not the final data, as it will be possible to assess the implementation of 5G only after it’s spread to most countries of the world.
Where does 5G already exist?
Active development of 5G began in 2008, but the first 5G network was launched in late 2018 – early 2019 in South Korea, and later in the United States. The new technology is available in 37 countries, but there is no nationwide network in any of them. In addition to South Korea and the United States, China is also a leader in the implementation of 5G.
Why is it not possible to expand frequencies quickly? At least because the appropriate equipment is needed to receive a signal of a certain frequency. And it is difficult to quickly create many devices supporting certain radio frequencies (smartphones with 5G support already exist).
But the main reason is frequency conflict. The fact is that extremely high frequencies (30-300 GHz), which are proposed to be used for 5G, are already used for a number of other technologies – these are satellites, military equipment, and even car and microwave speed radars. It is impossible to use the same frequencies to upload video and, for example, weather forecasts at the same time.
Therefore, governments agree with mobile operators on specific frequencies within which they will build their 5G network. Therefore, we should expect the emergence of a more or less wide network of the fifth generation at least in a few this is only in those countries where frequencies have already been distributed among operators, for example, the United States.
