5G Mobile Communication – Magic in the Making
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.” So said Sir Arthur C. Clarke, and he would know having written the epic novel “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Of course, we’re pretty sure that he had no idea that 5G would be knocking at our doors, promising a seismic change in our day-to-day lives.
What is 5G?
That’s a good question with an exciting answer.
In a nutshell, 5G is the next generation of mobile communications. We’ve enjoyed 2G, 3G and 4G (or LTE) and we’ve loved it! And now, we are on the brink of the fastest mobile communication mankind has ever known. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?
5G is promising phenomenal speeds of around 1GBps – depending on who you ask, along with even more reliable connections.
The much-anticipated roll-out of 5G is underway in some UK and US cities but will be limited until the infrastructure catches up with the tech.
What Does 5G Mean For Me and My Business?
Right now, the short answer is nothing. Simply because it’s not currently available to the general public here in South Africa.
However, we can probably answer that question by looking back at the previous generations of mobile tech and how they changed the way we work, interact and live.
When 2G (GPRS) services became available we happily embraced mobile speeds of around 50 kbps. 3G brought with it more consistent speeds of around 144 Kbps and of course our current favourite, 4G, is up to ten times faster than its predecessor.
This incredible speed has allowed us to make use of applications offering video streaming, VoIP calls, music, and maps. We can also connect to multiple devices remotely – from our CCTV cameras in the office to our security system at home. Previous generations of mobile comms could never cope with this sort of load!
Many of the applications listed above didn’t exist when 2G and 3G were in their prime, and some not even when 4G was in its infancy.
So effectively, we have very little idea what thrilling changes 5G will bring to our homes and businesses, simply because we have yet to experience the speed and stability that 5G promises.
The advancement of mobile communication is a brilliant example of, “If you build it, they will come” mentality.
Looking Forward to 5G
If the current latency on your mobile phone or internet connected device is around 60 milliseconds (which is the time it takes for your internet connection to accept and respond to a command) and is reduced to 1 millisecond – what does that mean?
Well, imagine you’re managing a fleet of driverless delivery trucks and this technology allows them to recognise and react to a dangerous situation within a fraction of the time it would have previously. And the vehicles around these trucks are using the same tech; safer roads are a given!
Imagine that your watch can deliver a live stream of information to your GP when you are ill? Or billboard signs adapt to your unique requirements when you are within visual range.
Billions of connected devices around the globe will be able to communicate in real time to make your life safer and your business better. It truly boggles the mind.
However, right now the current speeds offered by 4G are serving our business needs just fine. Once the exciting new apps start rolling out from the technical gurus, we can cherry pick what we need and upgrade to 5G at our leisure.
We know that the future of a successful business sits squarely on its connectivity. How will you ensure that you don’t get left behind over the next couple of years which will bring ground-breaking new business methodologies?
Will your business be ready for the leaps that 5G will undoubtedly bring?
Contact the Huge Connect team and make sure you’re connected.
