For over half of the global users of the internet, mobile technology is their pathway to progress. The internet connects us with the entire online world, and does so much for our long-term future as a society. Our ability to learn, to grow and to develop as individuals is heightened tenfold. We now carry the largest ever database of information ever created in our palms and pockets on a daily basis. It’s only getting faster, too – this is thanks to the introduction of 5G, the latest in wireless connectivity.
5G is a massive step-up from 4G, and is going to become a major game changer. By delivering rapid speeds and minimal latency, 5G is going to make internet usage for mobile devices even easier and more powerful than ever before. It’s going to change everything, offering us unparalleled internet processing power. Betting sites are already planning to use this extra bandwidth through improved graphics, in play videos and an expanded range of games and services for mobile. As we have seen with the wide range of mobile betting apps, mobile internet connection improvements have led to some great innovation in what your phone can do, and 5G will be the next step in this processs.
Given the hype, you would be forgiven for thinking that the concept of network slicing is completely new. Truth be told, network slicing ‒ at least in the radio path ‒ has been used in 4G for years and was arguably present in earlier generations of mobile as well.
The difference with 5G network slicing is the innovation that happens within the backbone infrastructure and transport layer, which lets operators provide portions of their networks for specific customer use cases – be it a connected car, a smart home or an Internet of Things (IoT) factory.
Smart cities must see 5G as more than just a set of new technologies and the role of the city as more than a technology testing ground.
The link between 5G networks and smart cities is often made in almost utopian terms. Beyond the hype, however, the emergence of a new generation of communications technologies is accelerating and amplifying smart city innovation in all its complexity.
"5G, for all its glories and what it will bring... [has] a darker side. It will exclude people, and we've got to find new models with the private sector," said Salford, England's CDO.
While 2019 has been a big year for 5G, the tech will only ramp up in 2020 as major telecom companies promise to roll out nationwide mobile networks.
In many ways, 5G represents more than its definition as the fifth generation of network and mobile communication. When fully utilized, the technology reflects the augmentation of a smart ecosystem – a catalyst for other technologies, the Internet of Things especially. With industries – old and new – at the cusp of constant change, 5G fits into a unique market position, with the ability to ignite varied opportunities, tread into fresh innovations, and offer flexibility with customizable services.
In effect, 5G technology propels several concepts to flesh in reality. Smart cities, homes, or workplaces are, in fact, small examples that attest to the fact. It’s made possible by all the advantages 5G brings to the table – low latency, more bandwidth, and a denser network coverage; some of the apparent benefits are easily leveraged for IoT applications even. But as is the case with most next-generation technologies, innovation within the realm of 5G branches into several sub-categories; and the one I am most excited about is network slicing.