THE FUTURE OF 5G CONNECTIVITY

5G technology promises to transform our lives. Fifth-generation mobile networks will be up to 10 times faster than current 4G networks, providing services of around 1 gigabit per second, with much shorter response times (latency – around half current values, or 10ms) during the first phase of development.

When fully implemented, it will represent a giant leap forward, a revolution. More than just a technology, 5G is a whole new ecosystem on top of which new innovative business models, products and services will emerge. It is one of those technologies that we may truly call exponential, as of itself, it has enormous potential to disrupt various industries due to the amount of data that it will be able to transfer in a fraction of the current time. Various organisations, consultancies and the European Commission itself estimate that it will have a positive impact in terms of the creation of millions of jobs, and trillions in world GDP, due to its expected effect on productivity and economic activity.

It is acknowledged, however, that all this potential will only be made available gradually, as the technology has not yet been fully specified, and more complex services will come later. In a first phase, eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband) services will be made available, an extension offering speeds 10 times faster than existing mobile broadband, enabling demanding applications such as 4k video and Fixed Wireless Access, among others. In a second phase, services with very low latency, called URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications) will be introduced, which will operate at below 5 ms and will be implementable in the remote and automated control of machines and vehicles, as well as in industrial applications where reaction time and edge computing are required. Finally, in a third phase, massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) have the capacity to serve millions of sensors and terminals per km2, i.e. the evolution of the current IoT solutions over 4G (known as Narrowband-IoT).

The entire transport sector, and the automotive industry in particular, will inevitably benefit from this emerging technology, as it will take communication and connectivity to another level. The potential for connecting vehicles to other vehicles (V2V or Vehicle to Vehicle), pedestrians (V2P or Vehicle to pedestrian), infrastructure (V2I or Vehicle to infrastructure) and networks (V2N or Vehicle to network) will allow the development of a multitude of revolutionary services, promising to benefit the entire mobility ecosystem and, above all, save many lives.

The potential applications are endless. From the outset, during the first phase, eMBB will stimulate the design of a new generation of on-board information and entertainment. Later, URLLC will allow remote control and V2X (Vehicle to everything) networks, and finally, mMTC will facilitate the dissemination of distributed sensors in vehicles and infrastructure.

More than just a technology, 5G is a whole new ecosystem on top of which new innovative business models, products and services will emerge.

Imagine a world where a constant flow of information between a connected vehicle, pedestrians and road infrastructure allows dangerous situations to be anticipated and avoided, reducing the risk of collisions. Or, by making all vehicles and the network smarter, V2X results in fewer traffic jams, and consequently, lower emissions when processing traffic information in real-time, optimising routes. These are just a few of the examples of what we can easily imagine will be possible. But the most exciting things are those we cannot even imagine yet.

South Korea was the first country in the world to make 5G available nationwide. However, today we are witnessing a global race to adopt this technology, since it represents a means of gaining a huge competitive advantage. In parallel with the ongoing geostrategic dispute between the United States and China, various pilot projects are being run in different countries, with various cities around the globe receiving fifth-generation mobile technology. In Europe, one of the projects plans to connect Porto to Vigo through a 5G corridor for connected, self-driving vehicles.

The most optimistic predictions suggest that 5G will only reach maturity in two or three years, but by 2020, the first commercial networks offering a large number of terminals should appear, stimulating the adoption of the technology.

It may take some time for us to take full advantage of fifth-generation mobile networks. But one thing is certain, the pieces are starting to fit together, the puzzle is beginning to take shape and it is clear that the opportunities will be immense.

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All opinions expressed are my own and not to be associated with my employer or any other organization I am associated with.