5G is almost upon us, promising endless opportunities to connect with more people and devices than ever before. But the much talked about technology remains a mystery to most, and the full benefits are yet to be discovered. So, what is 5G and why does it matter?
For those of you who remember the dial-up days of the nineties, the 4G network was pretty transformative. But we have already grown out of it. Our design-heavy files are too big to download, and our love of streaming leaves us staring at buffering screens when we all come home from work for our next series binge.
A 5G network will again transform the way data can be used, offering not only enhanced mobile broadband, but also enabling a huge volume and variety of communications, based on its extra-reliable and efficient network.
5G will provide users with access to much higher bandwidth levels – the capacity for a network to transmit data from one point to another in a specific amount of time (getting rid of those loathsome wait times). And, as expected with the introduction of a new technology, people and businesses will quite quickly want to learn how to consume and fully appreciate the applications on offer as a result of this. Ultimately, this will lead to increased interconnection bandwidth – the capacity to privately exchange data – as people take advantage of higher download speeds and revolutionary functionality, and so require increased levels of interconnection to bypass the sluggish speed of the public internet.
The implementation of 5G will transform industries, helping companies across sectors to interconnect with partners to drive their businesses forward and achieve optimal performance. It will provide an endless range of potential applications, leading to the evolution of smart technologies, such as those around the smart home, smart city and smart transportation – bringing about new services and opportunities for both businesses and individuals.
The everyday effect of 5G on the mobile industry
While the move from 3G to 4G was a relatively small step for technology, the transition from 4G to 5G will reshape the mobile industry – with speeds up to 10 times faster on 5G networks.
As a far-superior wireless data service, 5G brings a whole host of innovation, with a particular focus on network and latency speeds. In fact, it boasts speeds fast enough to download a full-length HD film in five seconds – commute, sorted!
Mobile, connected device companies, such as Vodafone, EE and O2 – who will be providing much of the 5G infrastructure – will have to connect to new business partners across various sectors to attain the full benefits of the technology. For example, O2 doesn’t currently have much need to connect to automotive companies, but must develop this relationship as connected cars become more prevalent.
Similarly, increased mobile gaming will lead telecommunication firms to connect to new partners. Due to the speed increases, 5G will allow people to play complex video games directly on their phones, replacing the need for traditional game consoles. Due to the low latency rate, 5G comes very close to real-time processing, enabling the mobile gaming industry to have no limits. In this way, 5G will revolutionise mobile but it will make an even bigger difference to the cities we live in.
Our cities are getting smart
It is estimated that by 2050, 68% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, placing huge strain on existing infrastructure. The advent of 5G is expected to be the catalyst needed to develop and implement the smart technology we often hear about in the media, whereby everyday processes are streamlined and automated to ease pressure on strained city infrastructure, and therefore improve the lives of residents.
5G will enable connected devices around the city to streamline processes. An example of this is traffic lights which will track the movements of vehicles and share the insights they gather to improve traffic flows, saving time on daily commutes and cutting CO2 emissions. These connected traffic lights will also be able to communicate with street lights to ensure they are only in use when necessary, saving both power and money, whilst also maintaining safety for drivers.
Additionally, when making a trip to the supermarket, it will no longer be necessary to walk around the store, rather we will be presented with personalised suggestions of what items may be on promotion based on our stored preferences collected by AI software. This allows the customer to have a better experience – in this case potentially gaining savings without having to collect physical coupons – and the retailer to have greater sales or insights on buying behaviours for future promotions.
Advancements in healthcare
The healthcare sector will also greatly benefit from the advent of 5G. Imagine you’re in need of specialised surgery and can’t afford to travel the length of the country for treatment, or you’re stuck in a conflict zone where surgical support is minimal. 5G promises to reinvent the healthcare industry, bringing meaningful solutions to medical issues.
These benefits are already being trialed across the world. Just recently we heard of progress being made by a doctor in China who became the first to perform remote control surgery over a super-fast 5G network. This surgeon was 30 miles from an operating theatre but was able to manipulate two robotic arms in as close to real-time as possible, and complete the operation successfully.
In highly-regulated industries such as healthcare, where extremely confidential and important data is being stored, analysed and shared, security is a top priority. And, with the constant threat of cyber-attacks, people want to know that their data is safe and not exposed to misuse. Again, this where interconnection comes in, greatly reducing the attack surface. Without this certainty, 5G capabilities will never be realised.
How can we make the 5G dream a reality?
For the vast increase in data traffic to be handled and communicated in a quick, secure and reliable way, there needs to be a robust digital infrastructure in place. The data centre industry is preparing for the launch of 5G and all the data, inventions and applications, that come along with it. The new network is at the point of revolutionising the networking industry, and promising rapid anytime, anywhere and any device connectivity. This is where Equinix comes in – by enabling businesses to circumvent the public internet via an interconnection-first approach, all data will be protected and productive, in what will soon become a 5G world.
Russell Poole
Russell Poole joined Equinix as Managing Director for the UK in 2007 through the acquisition of IXeurope where he ran the UK business since April 2000. Russell has extensive experience in the UK telecommunications and internet industries and worked with global financial institutions to enable their electronic trading infrastructure in London and to/from other key markets.
Since joining Equinix he has overseen the growth of the UK company and has recently taken responsibility for Equinix’s Nordics business.
From 1998 to 2000, Russell was a director of MessageNet Ltd, an internet security and messaging security provider. Responsible for sales and operations, he also led the development of eScan, Europe’s first e-mail virus and content control service. In October 1999, MessageNet was acquired by Articon-Integralis AG. Between 1993 and 1998, Russell was the National Sales Manager for General Telecom, the business telecom division of General Cable PLC.
Russell attended Nottingham University, where he studied Production Engineering and commenced his managerial career at Coca-Cola and Schweppes, where he enjoyed a successful career as a National Account Manager.
