Now that 5G networks are expanding across the country, it’s a great time to start thinking about some of the innovative 5G use cases that will impact the world as we know it. Like any upgrade to our mobile network infrastructure, the most exciting aspect is the speed and consistency it brings. That, combined with latency reductions, is enough to start predicting some of the opportunities 5G will provide in the coming years.
Some of the most obvious 5G use cases are related to technologies that can only really be made better by an improved mobile network. These are things like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and businesses. The difference between 4G and 5G in that regard is the sheer improvement to consistent high-speed internet on the go. That improvement will bring with it a slew of improvements to existing technologies, but also spark entirely new ones that couldn’t exist with 4G or 3G networks. Here are some of the most exciting 5G cases you can look forward to.
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.