Technology is a wonderful thing! Only a few years ago, the thought of any of us being able to access the internet on the go was something of a work of fiction. However, in a very short space of time, we’ve been able to start browsing the web and communicating with others through smartphones and tablets while on the move. This is thanks to quicker and more reliable data standards opening up, and 5G – which stands for fifth generation data – is set to be the fastest and most impressive technological standard yet. Take a look below for 11 awesome and fascinating facts about the 5G network.
1. 5G is set to offer something that 4G – while impressive – could never support. That’s 100% coverage. This means that, essentially, you should be able to access 5G just about anywhere. Does this mean an end to those annoying trips on the train when you lose signal? We’ll have to wait and see.
2. It’s thought that 5G will actually work out more efficient for internet and phone providers in future, too. It’s assumed that 5G, when subject to various tests, will result in up to 90% cuts in energy expenditure over its lifetime. Again, we will have to wait and see!
3. The 5G network will, theoretically, support many more devices than 4G per what is described as a ‘unit area’. Therefore, it is touted as being much more flexible, and much more capable. This is to such an extent, experts presume, that we may be able to connect 100x more devices than before in any given area.
4. By 2023, projections suggest that there will be more than 1.3 billion 5G subscriptions active all over the world. That’s a fair few devices connecting to the internet at any one time, too!
5. 5G is set to bring the world closer together through something called the Internet of Things, or IoT. IoT refers to objects and hardware which, via the internet, connect to one another to share data. For example, a driverless car may pick up a signal from a local traffic checker or satellite to inform on upcoming traffic jams. Or, in a simpler example, you might ask your toaster to communicate with your phone alarm to tell you when your breakfast is ready.
6. Spending on IoT by 2023 is thought to peak at around $1.1 trillion. That’s a staggering amount of money purely invested in the hardware – not just the connectivity itself!
7. It is also thought that 5G networks will have a huge knock-on effect for robotics and AI. Therefore, we will likely see huge strides made in terms of home robotics, and more advanced versions of Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home Hubs reaching properties across the world in the years to come.
8. 5G is set to offer mobile users the fastest non-Wi-Fi data yet. This is to such an extent that it is thought to be able to offer 10gb per second in terms of download rates – meaning that you’ll be able to stream multiple movies at once, and you won’t have to wait too long to download whole series of TV shows to your devices if you wish. The fact that this technology is set to be available just about everywhere is all the more incredible.
9. It’s thought that IoT devices working via 5G will have huge battery lives, stretching up to 10 years in some cases. That certainly beats having to charge your phone every five minutes – long may this new battery standard continue!
10. There are several big names currently working to develop 5G, and to harness the technology for their future devices. These include the likes of Samsung and Huawei, as well as Nokia, Intel, Ericsson, and Qualcomm. Therefore, it won’t be too surprising to see more of these firms bringing the technology to our palms in the years to come.
11. 5G is set to be very exciting – however, there are a few theories circulating that it is responsible for the coronavirus pandemic. These theories have been debunked on multiple occasions.
