What is the 5G network? The next great technological innovation

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The new and fifth generation of connection promises much more than an increase in the data speed and now will boost the new technologies

In 2009, the fourth generation of mobile technology with the 4G or LTE network enter the world, which meant an important advance in the wireless and broadband connection industry. Thanks to the speed to transfer data that increased from 84 Mb / s to 300 Mb / s, from that moment on, it was possible to cover the data demand generated by the expansion of the use of video calls, smart TVs and others, according to History. However, the next generation promises benefits beyond speed.

Leer en español: ¿Que es la red 5G? La próxima gran innovación tecnológica

The 4G network begins to saturate

According to Digital Trends, the 4G connection has been reduced due to the rapid growth of users who use this network, as well as the higher demand that are causing new technologies that demand a large amount of data such as autonomous cars. For this reason, at certain times of the day or when there are thousands of people agglomerated (as in a concert) the Internet speed decreases considerably and makes any task slow down. That's when the 5G network enters the scene.

Since the 4G network works in a single band of low spectrum, which is being saturated and allows a maximum speed of 100 Mb / s, however, the 5G would work in three bands, including the low one, but it would also move in the medium and high band, which can transfer data at a speed between 1 Gb / s and 10 Gb / s respectively. The drawback is that these two bands have little coverage radius and is not able to transfer through the interior of buildings. It is regarding this aspect that companies are working, in improving both bands to increase their coverage and penetration radius, according to Digital Trends.

Advantages of the 5G network

Among the main benefits of the 5G network, there is the possibility of reducing the waiting time on the Internet from 20 milliseconds to 1 –what is called latency speed-, which would allow downloading a large amount of data as a complete series to a speed of ten to a hundred times faster than 4G, according to CNET. The 5G network will also give way to new technologies.

With the above, we refer mainly to remote technologies. For example, a recognized surgeon could handle robotic arms during an operation, despite being thousands of kilometers away. It would also be possible to handle heavy machinery when working in hazardous areas, through a remote control that could be operated from another country.

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In the health sector, the 5G network would serve to monitor patients who are not in the hospital, namely through smart pills. In public services, companies may know when a drain or lighting system stops working through remote notifications. In fact, the 'Internet of things would improve', as more and more households have connected devices such as refrigerators, washing machines, irrigation system, etc., which are often saturated by congestion in the network, which would be overcome with the 5G network.

When will it be available?

Well, apparently, soon. Since 2016, Verizon is working on tests to make 5G networks feasible, being the first telecommunications company to do so, according to CNET, and now plans to launch its 5G service in 30 cities not mentioned. In April, it activated this service in some cities of Chicago, but to be able to use it they need to acquire a Moto Mod 5G module of 350 dollars, which only works for the Motorola Moto Z3, so the service is still limited. It is expected that by 2020 the 5G network will work in the United States and some European countries.

However, according to Qore, Latin America should wait a little longer. Although this service could start in 2020, it would have only approximately 300 thousand users, in 2023 it would increase its demand and in 2025 it could be used by 41% of the devices with 5G capacity. At the moment, these are very few, as the two largest smartphones companies announced 5G terminals for the summer of 2019, according to Engadget.

LatinAmerican Post | Juan Bacallado

Translated from "¿Que es la red 5G? La próxima gran innovación tecnológica"