5G: what it is and how it will change the world

5G is the fifth generation of mobile communication, and it’s expected to be faster than the previous cellular technology, 4G LTE, and also faster than the current cable internet. This means a new standard of connection, with real-time transmission of a huge amount of data. Higher data rate and low latency of 5G will open up to new applications for consumer and industrial uses: IoT, automatized seaports and industrial remote-controlled robots, smart cities and autonomous driving networks, high resolution streaming of games and videos on mobile devices, access to supercomputers from everywhere, and more.

Things used to be simpler: there were just a few connected devices, all technological appliances: smartphones, laptops, tablets. But now it seems that every new tool or device has to access the internet, from cameras to TVs, from toilets to headphones to your alarm clock. And all these items don’t just connect to your smartphone, but also interact with other machines. In the connected home, Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers are our access points. But so far we’ve experienced just a sample of what the smart home will become with the introduction of 5Gs networks, that will provide high-speed connectivity even where the cables can’t reach. The new standard will empower the communication between sensors and smart devices, making them much more efficient. 

According to Ernst & Young, two-thirds of the world’s population will reside in cities by 2050.  In our future, the challenge is that of overcrowded cities that will have to optimize services and consumptions. IoT will not only improve homes, but cities too, with intelligent buildings, traffic control and pollution monitoring. “With the emerging 5G network and the internet of things, it is possible to deploy technology in ways that protect the environment and promote long-term sustainability”, reads a report from Brookings Institution. Cities will operate more efficiently, with AI-powered surveillance cameras and sensor alerting in case of alarms – a drain flood or street lights’ black out. The emergence of autonomous vehicles will be a key factor in the management of traffic, with faster car parking and less collisions. Inside, the vehicles will change to offer connected services for work and entertainment – with 5G you will stream easily 4k video contents.

A faster mobile connection will introduce a completely new Virtual and Augmented Reality experience. Consumer VR visors have not been as successful as expected, at least in the western world. 5G will bring a 10x improvement in speed rate which could change this scenario, enabling real time applications, both professional and in entertainment: a doctor could operate from hundreds of kilometers, or you could just drive a real car in a circuit from your living room’s sofa. You will simply enjoy a Premier League match sitting on the other side of the planet as you were  at the Old Trafford. And on the occurrence of a natural disaster, emergency teams will have the chance to remotely operate with robots, without risking their own lives: in Fukushima, this kind of technology would have been dramatically useful. ABI Research estimates the total AR market will reach $114 billion by 2021, while the total VR market will reach $65 billion within the same timeframe.