Facts You Must Know about 5G Technology
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The rapid progress of the technology sector and the constant and continuous changes in the various devices and network systems go hand in hand and have finally become interdependent. Fortunately or unfortunately, people around the world are also heavily dependent on technology and internet access for their daily lives. In such a world, we have a constant need to improve the speed and quality of the network. To ensure this, the latest advanced version of the network, called the 5G network, has recently been introduced.
5G network
5G or 5th generation networks in cellular technology is known to provide broadband access with better and faster connectivity and internet access. 5G is the successor to 2G, 3G and 4G respectively and offers more reliability than its predecessors. 5G broadly refers to any system that uses 5G NR or 5G New Radio software.
The concept of 5G has been shaped by combining the most advanced network technology with high-level research. The materialized version of this big idea is estimated to offer better performance with an average download speed of 1 GB/s.
How does it work?
In this system or network organisation, the service area of each provider is divided into smaller parts of geographical areas called cells.
Signals that represent images and sounds are called analogue signals, which are eventually converted into digital signals using converters so that they can be understood by devices such as mobile phones. These converted signals are then transmitted as bits in streams. 5g devices use antennas or a combined transmitter and receiver system to operate or transmit signals as radio waves. These antennas are connected to the internet or telephone network via optical fibres with high speed and efficiency. A mobile device that is part of this network system is seamlessly connected to an antenna in a new cell.
Newly designed wireless devices with a 5G network also have the ability to upgrade to 4G, as these devices use 4G to establish the initial connection to their respective cells. The ability to switch to 4G is also very useful in locations that do not have access to the 5G network.
Speed and coverage
The speed of 5G varies depending on location, provider and device. But 5G is definitely better and faster than 4G, so it is always preferable to 4G. The speed of the 5G network, as mentioned above, is also significantly faster than 4G with the same amount of spectrum and the same number of antennas.
A 5G network can support up to one million devices per square kilometre, which is quite admirable compared to a 4G network that supports up to 100,000 devices per square kilometre.
However, when using 3GPP networks, 5G can operate more slowly than some very advanced 4G networks. Millimetre wave spectrum, which is not so commonly used, may have better speed in the 5G network. The target airborne latency for 5G networks is 1 to 4 milliseconds. According to recent reports, 5G has achieved airborne latency of 8-12 milliseconds.
Application of 5G
5G is not only used in mobile devices such as mobile phones, but also has many other applications. 5G can be used to provide access to a communication system between vehicles and different infrastructures. Companies are also promoting the use of 5G in the automation sector. 5G can also be used effectively in public safety services. Fixed wireless connections are also planning to use 5G connections instead of fixed broadband.
When and where was 5G launched?
5G started as an idea and eventually reached the form and establishment it can have today. 5G was launched in the US in April 2019 and the new version of the network has been appreciated everywhere. Currently, the 5G network is not accessible worldwide and is only available in certain parts of the world, including Chicago and a few other locations. At the moment, only two handsets are available. In places where 5g is available, its average speed has managed to exceed the extreme speed of a 4g network. The drawback of 5g that has been discovered recently is that the coverage of a 5g network is inconsistent with a large gap between the highest and lowest speed. This makes the latest version of the network unreliable in some places.
The provider that launched 5g in the UK is EE. The network was available in 3o cities on 30 May 2019. The operator said it will provide 5G access to a further 10 UK cities by the end of 2019. In London, 5G has speeds of between 200Mbps and 500Mbps, which is also faster than 4G, but not as fast as Chicago.
5G devices
There have been many announcements about the launch of 5G phones by a few brands this year, but only a few companies have lived up to their claims and introduced 5G phones to the public. The handful of such devices has made the choice very limited and regional. Taking the US and the UK together, there are a total of about 10 companies that have launched handsets with a 5G network.
5G has been seen as a new step towards advancing the network system that will benefit various IT industries and also be used by ordinary citizens around the world. Thus, 5g is expected to open new doors in the technology sector by enabling it to transfer large amounts of data at high speeds, which will lead to a more connected and intelligent world. Now, only time will tell to what extent 5G will be able to meet and possibly exceed expectations.
