Fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless broadband is the latest offering in cellular technology. Soon expected to be available across the country, 5G will greatly increase the speed and responsiveness of wireless networks, expanding them to enable millions of connections. 5G offers a greater capacity, higher data rates, and a much lower latency, all while supporting further innovations, creating a much smarter, more connected world.
Here are a few ways 5G is expected to benefit you:
Connected Vehicles
With 5G comes the expectation of unprecedented speed and connectivity, the kind that is required to make self-driving cars a reality. 5G networks will be able to support faster-than-ever data processing connectivity between cars, networks, infrastructure, and even pedestrians. Basically, 5G networks will help facilitate communication between everything on the road, from gas stations to lampposts, in the interest of road safety and traffic management.
Smartphones
Big changes are coming for smartphones with 5G devices soon becoming the norm. The main advantage of 5G for users will be much better coverage, which is the signals that will hit previously hard-to-reach places, with connections guaranteed as part of service plans. In addition to that, subscribers will finally receive the extraordinary quality they expect on their devices, with download speeds predicted to have no perceptible delay.
Streaming and Entertainment
5G is going to offer a striking advantage over any previous technologies, with virtually unlimited capacity and shortest lag times. 5G offers innovative immersive experiences, such as multisensory multimedia content, in addition to higher quality and much faster streaming, thanks to expanded bandwidth that will be able to accommodate technology like virtual reality, augmented reality, and 3D.
While the launch of 5G was officially slated for 2020, its development has been well underway for quite some time with many companies having already introduced beta versions of 5G devices, applications, and networks. However, with ever-growing consumer expectations, carriers will have to make sure they deliver the complete 5G experience and take full advantage of new revenue streams. In order to support the new technology, carriers must also transform their network architecture.
Because of this, it may still take a number of years before we see the full potential and benefits of 5G networks in our everyday lives.
