5G - A new generation of communication!
During the MWC'17 we saw everyone talking about 5G apart from Nokia launching Android phones. Now since MWC is over, let's talk about what exactly is store for us in 5G.
It is expected that a new generation of 5G standards may be introduced in the early 2020s. At the moment, Verizon is testing 5G in a few parts of the US, and the the overall consensus for mainstream 5G is around 2020.
A new mobile generation has appeared approximately every 10 years since the first 1G system, Nordic Mobile Telephone, was introduced in 1982. The first '2G' system was commercially deployed in 1992, and the 3G system appeared in 2001. 4G LTEsystems fully compliant with IMT Advanced were first standardized in 2012.
We start with 5G NR. What is 5G NR? 5G New Radio (NR) is the name chosen by 3GPP, the organization defining the global 5G standard, for the specification of a new 5G wireless air interface. Similarly, for the 4G we have Long Term Evolution (LTE) interface.
But what is 5G? How 5G is different from current 4G/IMT-Advanced standards?
One thing we expect from 5G similar to what we expected from 3G & 4G is very fast internet speeds.
At Mobile World Congress 2017, Samsung showcased its 5G Home Routers, which achieved speeds of up to 4 gigabits-per-second (Gbps). Samsung's 5G Home Router will use an antenna installed outside of one of your home's windows, which is connected to a WiFi router inside your home. That antenna will pick up one of 5G's "millimeter wave" wireless signals that are transmitted from millimeter wave cell towers.
But 5G is not just about speed for speed's sake. The move from 3G to 4G LTE was about faster connections, but the evolution to 5G is so much more. 5G will unlock the full capabilities of other hot trends in technology, offering a boost to self-driving cars, drones, virtual reality and the internet of things.
1) Remote surgery- Not easily noticeable, there is a lag with 4G LTE. A 5G network virtually eliminates it, meaning a surgeon may not need to be in the same room as a patient in the future. So, biggest benefit of 5G is its low latency, or the short lag time between a device pinging the network and getting a response.
By the way, what does "latency" mean exactly? Basically, it's lag. Latency is a type of measurement, a calculation of the time it takes for a data packet to go from one specific point to another, for example from our operator's antenna to our cell phone, . The promise is that a 5G network will have a maximum latency time of one millisecond, though currently it's at around 10 milliseconds.
2) Real Touch experience with Haptic feedback-
Haptic technology recreates the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user. It uses advanced vibration patterns and waveforms to convey information to a user or operator. With haptic feedback, we will be able to transmit the tactile sensation of experience, enhancing the sights and sounds of a video experience.
Haptic feedback, is the use of the sense of touch in a user interface design to provide information to an end user.
We need low latency in order to touch and feel things miles away.
3) Self-driving cars- With 5G cars will be able to talk to each other and the sensors built around the city, from street lamps to gas stations.
Imagine a world in which cars will be able to communicate with its passengers, pedestrians, other vehicles, bicycles, traffic lights, toll booths and other parts of the urban infrastructure.
4) Drones- 5G will unlock the true capability of drones. Lynn Comp, director of market development at Intel, cited the example of a drone flying over an oil drill with a video camera. The network will allow for precise control of the drone, while sending back high-definition video.
5) Virtual reality- With 5G, VR technology could enhance the experience, allowing you to chat in real time with live-streaming virtual worlds. I experienced the Nokia's event at MWC'17 on my VR set connected to 4G network but I could feel the lag that made me think there is still difference between reality and virtual reality. With 5G, we expect elimination of this gap between reality and virtual reality.
6) 5G phones- 5G will replace traditional home internet service.
Qualcomm has recently unveiled its first modems that embed technology for 5G, 4G, 3G and 2G connections onto one chip. The processors, part of the X50 5G modem family, will be available in time for 5G NR device deployments in 2019. The new family of X50 chips, whose exact names Qualcomm hasn't yet detailed, won't require a second modem. They also can connect to 5G and 4G networks at the same time, which helps users maintain a strong wireless connection.
Qualcomm in October earlier unveiled its first Snapdragon X50 chip, but that processor only connects to 5G networks based on early standards of carriers like Verizon and Korea Telecom. Phones typically have chips that support older wireless technologies so users don't drop calls or lose data connections when the newer technology's signal is weak. To hook up to an older 4G or 3G network, devices will need a second wireless chip. The initial X50 processor is aimed to appear first in phones in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
List of companies supporting 5G NR for 2019:
AT&T, NTT Docomo, SK Telecom, Vodafone, Ericsson, Qualcomm, British Telecom, Telstra, Korea Telecom, Intel, LG Uplus, KDDI, LG Electronics, Telia Company, Swisscom, TIM, Etisalat Group, Huawei, Sprint, Vivo, ZTE and Deutsche Telekom.