Everyone seems to be talking about 5G. It’s set to be a General Purpose Technology (GPT) that can make our day-to-day lives more efficient and smarter. It’ll redefine our work processes and offer an economic advantage. But what will it really deliver?
Aside from all the promises, 5G has been tested in some specific locations and has been proven to offer between 10 to 20 times faster speeds than 4G. This means you’ll be able to download a full HD film in a matter of seconds. It’s been developed to cope with big data and is alleged to be able to handle 1000x more traffic than 4G.
What else can this technology be used for?
Some have suggested it’ll be incorporated into our everyday lives through the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is a collection of devices such as vehicles, phones, home appliances etc. that all communicate and exchange data with one another for a given purpose. As an example, your Amazon Alexa device is a form of IoT within your home. Alexa speaks to your TV, light switches, fridge, car and more, to handle any of your commands. 5G will enable more and more devices to connect to the internet. Therefore, the investment in innovation in this type of technology will be paramount.
Don’t forget the prospect of us all being chauffeured around by driverless cars, drones being able to carry out search and rescue missions and wearable devices that can notify the emergency services in the event your health is at risk. Would you welcome a life surrounded by technology in your home, city and workplace? It’ll become part of our day-to-day lives, just like computers, phones and the internet.
A 2018 study by GiffGaff predicted that by 2025 consumers’ data usage will rise to 98GB per month. That’s a lot of data.
When is it coming?
5G is predicted to start deployment in the UK late this year and more services will be rolled out throughout 2020. In the first instance, 5G will be a service for densely populated cities and will likely be adopted by venues such as arenas, train stations and airports to offer a better service.
But who really knows the scale of how much 5G will be able to impact our personal and working lives. There’s a whole new future of technology that hasn’t been invented yet and it’s an exciting future ahead, tell us your predictions…
