The buzz around the introduction of 5G technology, its pros and cons and the effect on the environment has finally taken the backstage as businesses are now slowly deploying 5G networks across the globe. According to MarketsandResearch, the 5G market is expected to touch $80.5 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 49.8% during 2021 and 2028. As 5G deployments are increasing, the technology is expanding into various verticals.
5G applications and use cases can be broadly classified into three categories:
1) Machine type communications / IoT Use Cases
The 5G technology has significantly augmented IoT networks. Leveraging the speed, reliability and coverage, businesses are now able to set up operations in remote locations while being able to sync with central systems in real-time. For instance, 5G facilitates smart factories wherein robots and humans work together in a wireless environment, eliminating cords and cables that hamper the speed and smoothness of operations. In addition, 5G provides the required range and mobility while significantly improving the quality of service.
With the implementation of Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR/VR) technologies, businesses enable workers to interactively operate complex machinery. In the sporting environment, AR/VR offers an immersive experience with its high speed and low latency. When it comes to delivering goods, companies like Amazon have already started using drones. The 5G technology enables companies to extend operations to remote locations with good quality of service.
The wearable technology segment hugely benefits from 5G. In today’s technology world, every household uses a myriad of gadgets, right from mobiles, tablets and laptops to wearables and trackers. The traditional cellular network won’t be able to deliver a comprehensive and connected experience. With 5G, all your devices can be connected to the network and can talk to each other in real-time.
2) High-Speed Mobile Broadband Use Cases
When it comes to streaming content on mobile devices, the introduction of 4G has significantly improved the customer experience. However, it only facilitated SD quality and HD to some extent. As the MPEG AVC codec is 1.5 M/s, 4G served the purpose. However, 5G brings 4K and 8K HD streaming into the picture, making it easy to stream high-quality bandwidth-intensive content to multiple users at the same time. While the mid-band deployments deliver up to 200 Mbps which is ten times the speed offered by 4G, high-frequency bands deliver connectivity of 1 Gbps. So, you can scale UHD video delivery. As of now, scaling video for live mobile applications is a challenge. With 5G, this option is expected to become a reality in 2-3 years.
3) Low Latency Use Cases
When it comes to running applications that demand low latency, 5G offers a good bet. For instance, smart city infrastructure is being implemented in many cities wherein vehicles are connected via a smart transport system and can communicate with other vehicles as well as with the infrastructure. With 5G implemented in this system, communication becomes effective and reliable.
Similarly, autonomous vehicle technology is a new trend that is quickly catching up. Machine learning, real-time data communication and network speed are key requirements for this system and vehicles should be able to communicate with the system in real-time, learn through live data and make decisions accordingly, 5G helps here as the connectivity speed increases by 10-100 times. As such, vehicles can instantly send information and receive instructions within milliseconds and quickly respond to changes happening around them. This difference in latency can make a difference in life and death. Similarly, edge computing networks become efficient and reliable as systems can quickly process more data without the need to access centralized systems that are located miles away.
As 5G technology takes the center stage, more and more applications are benefitting from the high speed, low latency and mobility solutions offered by the network. The advent of 5G is already disrupting the technology space. Businesses that take advantage of this trend at the earliest are sure to surge ahead.
