What is the 5G connection and how will it improve the mobile network

The 5G connection is the future that has been promised to all mobile device users. This is a concept that refers to the fifth generation of mobile application development services connectivity networks. This new technological advance will bring great changes to our daily lives. In fact, the jump from 4G to the 5G connection is going to be very broad, so we will all notice it immediately.

The devices that will benefit the most from this technology will be smartphones. However, in the first stage, the 5G connection will share networks with the fourth generation. The generational adaptation process will not be instantaneous, since it is expected to end sometime in 2020.

Calendar of the fifth generation mobile

As we said, the implementation of 5G will be gradual to avoid errors and adapt the devices. At the moment, we have the following data in relation to the agenda established for this technology.

First 5G modem . On October 18, 2016, Qualcomm announced the first modem capable of supporting 5G networks. Thus, the technology necessary to connect at new speeds has been available for two years.

Approval of the first standard . On December 20, 2017, the 3GPP made the Non-Standalone 5G New Radio specification official. There was finally agreement internationally on what types of bands and frequencies to use.

First 5G devices . With the standards defined and possessing the necessary technology, this year the first devices capable of working with 5G will be launched. However, these will be prototypes, since the scope of this evolution has not yet been proven.

Launch of adapted devices . Throughout 2019, the first fully adapted 5G smartphones will begin to hit the market. Prices will decrease slightly compared to 2018.

Normalization . It is expected that, throughout 2020, the 5G connection will be fully normalized. It will be from this moment that the prices of 5G devices will begin to be democratized. Additionally, this new technology will work better and the devices will be more stable.

Technical improvements of the 5G connection

We will all notice the emergence of 5G technology on the market . Currently, our phones can execute processes almost immediately, but the speed that 5G promises is unmatched. However, this will not be the only improvement that we will notice.

Boost to speed . At this moment, our 4G phones run at an average of 150 Mb/s. If we take a look at the past, in its beginnings, 3G allowed browsing at 2Mb/s and 2G at 14 Kb/s. These speeds are ridiculous compared to what is to come, taking into account that 4G technology will reach 20 Gb/s.
Cloud Promotion . This increase in speed will mean that smartphones need very little time to process operations. Therefore, most will run in the cloud, rather than in the phone's physical memory. This could cause a decrease in local storage on mobile phones.
Higher quality of content . The 20 Gb/s that the 5G network will reach will allow audiovisual content to be reproduced in the highest resolution. In addition, streaming or live video broadcasting will be facilitated, making it possible to do so in 4K HDR. File upload speed will also improve substantially.
Reduced latency . 5G connectivity will virtually end latency. The time it takes for the device to execute a command given by the user will be reduced from 40 milliseconds in the case of 4G to 5 ms with this new technology.

Implications in the productive sectors

With the integration of this new standard, new possibilities open up. One of the sectors that will be boosted by the 5G connection is the IoT. In this sense, the Internet of Things, based on sensors and remote connectivity, will improve its capabilities. Thus, the time it takes for the information from the sensors to reach our devices will be much shorter.

However, we will experience a process of adaptation to the new mobile network. According to Intel, for 4G to evolve towards 5G, it is necessary to enhance intelligence , communication capabilities and processing power . All of this will serve to make even the smallest IoT devices able to execute heavy computational tasks, thus offering valuable services and content. Likewise, 5G is the first scalable , versatile and energy-sustainable standard .

The 5G connection will allow programming and communication to be combined and provide intelligence to the IoT. An example of these advances is brought to us by industry giants such as Cisco, Intel and Verizon, which are working on the study of neuroscientific-based algorithms to adapt video quality to the characteristics of the human eye. Thus, the wireless networks of the future aim to build a network based on human intelligence.

Consequences of the fifth mobile generation

Although the 5G connection will provide us with a series of benefits and make our lives easier, it will also have consequences on the market. The more advanced a technology is, the more expensive the raw materials needed to create it tend to become. This is the case of 5G mobile phones , whose prices will increase from approximately 100 to 300 euros according to Telefónica CTO, Enrique Blanco.

We also have to keep data rates in mind. With the increase in download speed and improvement in file quality, we will consume many more Mb/s . Therefore, it is highly likely that telephone operators will adapt their rates to the 5G connection. This may imply a substantial improvement in the service, with an increase in data to be exploited. However, the doors are opened to more expensive services from these operators . This could be partly justified by the large investment required to adapt the infrastructure to the 5G connection.

At Zemsania we are experts in technology and consulting for companies and we are committed to technological evolution.

Currently we cannot know what new applications of this technology we will be able to enjoy, and precisely for this reason we can expect any disruptive advances. Although speed is a fundamental feature of the 5G connection, intelligence is another key factor. Both aspects will work hand in hand to offer what, so far, will be the most spectacular mobile app development services technological experience.

While it is true that it is too early to speculate, we cannot expect this evolution to come cheap. The reduction of physical memory, the need to use Cloud technology (and possibly new rates related to this), the new architecture of the devices and the adaptation of infrastructure to launch the 5G connection are just some elements to take into account. . New standards bring benefits, but also changes and new investments.