WIRELESS NETWORKS
By Sarah Mills, Network
Operator Sector Director, SSE
Enterprise Telecoms
www.ssetelecoms.com
The first generation of mobile networks, introduced in
the 1980s, could only carry voice. Since then, network
capabilities have steadily increased. The second generation,
2G, brought new digital services such as text and image
sharing, while the third generation, 3G, introduced video
calling and mobile data. Most recently, 4G was developed
to support mobile Internet and higher speeds for video
streaming and gaming.
The latest evolution in mobile networks is 5G, which
is set to be much faster. The phenomenon will open up
entirely new use cases for mobile data in business allowing
for a quicker, more efficient way of working, travelling
and consuming data. Thanks to its speed and consistency,
many expect 5G to revolutionise industries in a way not
too dissimilar to the way the rise of the automobile and
telephone have. But how, when and why?
The Societal benefits of 5G
Speed, speed and more speed. 5G will be significantly faster
than 4G. It will also have much lower latency, meaning there
will be little delay or lag when using mobile and Internet-
connected devices. From a business perspective, this is
essential for next-generation technology enhancements
such as connected cars, smart medical devices and smart
cities. In a nutshell, if 5G delivers everything it promises
to, many expect its introduction to underpin the fourth
industrial revolution, where everything is connected,
processed and digitised.
The technical benefits of 5G
5G will also have a greater capacity, enabling networks
to cope with high-volume applications immediately, from
virtual reality to the Internet of Things (IoT) and HD video
streaming. For businesses that rely on fast and reliable
network connectivity between multiple sites and data
centres, 5G will open doors to capabilities they never knew
existed. 5G will provide:
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Flexibility
5G networks promise to be more flexible – network
slicing allows a physical network to be divided into
multiple virtual networks, so users can engage the right
‘slice’ depending on their immediate requirements.
Reliability
5G is expected to be much more reliable, meaning no
dropped calls or always-available connectivity, which
will allow more ‘critical’ use cases such as those related
to digital health.
Greater capacity
5G will have greater capacity, meaning networks
will be able to cope better with many high-demand
applications all at once.
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5G is will revolutionise the way we
connect to mobile networks and
consume data at higher speeds
Example use cases
While 5G connectivity is expected to unlock the ability to
create, deliver and use services that are yet to be invented,
it’s also expected to deliver tangible benefits to existing
industries in the medium term. Some anticipated outcomes
of 5G technology include:
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Rural innovation
Many countries, including the UK, are hoping that 5G
will better connect rural communities, allowing more
people to start businesses from home, and opening up
other new opportunities.
Increased productivity
A key benefit of 5G could be helping businesses
work more quickly and more efficiently, therefore
saving costs and increasing revenue, assisting many
businesses as they move to more flexible working
models. Through having access to this new technology,
businesses will have access to a fast and reliable
Internet connection.
Reduced costs
The shift from hardware to software-based network
environments will bring about lower overheads for
mobile operators. Those savings will, in turn, be able to
be passed on to business customers.
Tailored networks
With network slicing, it will be possible for a business to
practically own their own private 5G network, precisely
set up according to its specific business needs. 5G will
certainly have much greater capacity across a much
wider range of radio spectrum, but it will also use that
spectral resource more intelligently, assigning only the
resources necessary for each application.
Making the technology a reality
Making 5G a reality requires deep, robust aggregation
of fronthaul and backhaul. Fibre networks will effectively
act as the bedrock for 5G services. Initial projections of
5G deployments by 2020 may be somewhat overhyped.
Instead, it could be 2022 or beyond before we have
widespread 5G coverage in the UK. This is because it’s
essential not to rush deployment, ensuring the appropriate
foundations are in place to make 5G the mobile experience
many are expecting.
A vital component of the launch of 5G services is high-
capacity fibre connectivity, which must provide fast and
reliable backhaul to the core networks and masts. This is
required to increase ten-fold as the UK prepares for 5G. It
will be significantly different than current 4G technology
and will operate on substantially higher frequencies with
increased channel bandwidths. n
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