In today’s world, the Internet is a vital tool for communication and work. The latest 5G wireless technology promises to deliver data speeds of up to 50 Gbps, making it nearly as fast as wired broadband, but without the costly installation process.
It sounds ideal – however, there are many downsides that will see widespread uptake unlikely – even if devices become available soon enough.
5G is the successor to 4G and LTE networks that have been in use for a number of years now. The technology promises to deliver data speeds up to 50 times faster than these, at an eye-watering 10 Gbps with low latency rates.
In the real world, this means data can be beamed from your mobile phone or smartphone in seconds, rather than minutes – which only ever makes life easier when it comes to using the web on the move. Before we move forward with the details, do you know what Limpopo Cloud BSS transformation is?
Table of Contents
Pros And Cons Of 5G Network:
Pros:
There are numerous pros of 5G network including:
- Faster Speeds
- Low Latency
- Increased Capacity
- More Bandwidth
- Powering Innovation
Cons:
There are also some cons of 5G that businesses must consider including:
- Limited Global Coverage
- Decreased Broadcast Distance
- Upload Speeds
- Weakened Device Batteries
- Cyber Security
Now let’s Discuss these aspects in more detail.
For businesses looking for even more speed, 5G has the potential to replace fixed broadband connectivity over fibre optic cable not just with superfast wireless LANs across cities, but also in homes and offices up and down the country.
This allows services such as video streaming to be delivered to multiple devices at the same time, rather than just one device at a time.
This would allow services such as iPlayer or Netflix to run without buffering and could completely change the way we watch video content on our smartphones and tablets.
But like most things in life, there is a catch with this new promising technology – and that’s the fact that it’s still very much in its infancy; we simply don’t know enough about it yet for it to be set as an industry standard as quickly as the likes of 4G has been.
This relatively new system actually already exists in some parts of Asia (Japan and South Korea) but will not make its way to Western markets until 2020 at the earliest; even then, this is only if everything goes to plan.
One of the main drawbacks for this new technology is that it’s so incredibly short-range; it only covers about 1,000 feet which makes its effective range even smaller than your standard wireless router.
This may well be one of the reasons why 5G hasn’t been rolled out already – as this range means installation will need to take place on a very large scale rather quickly in order to make a difference at all.
And don’t forget that there are no devices currently available today which can connect with these super fast speeds – and unlikely to be any until 2020.
That’s three long years before you might see anything capable of achieving those lofty heights from Apple or Samsung, not forgetting those from other popular brands that are out there.
Lder devices likely won’t be compatible with this technology either, meaning that standards will need to align across the board before it’s taken up on a more widespread basis. Even then, there are some serious drawbacks too – as we’ll now explain.
The major drawback of 5G is that it has an incredibly short range. This means that if you scale, from a business perspective to a home level, this is one of the biggest drawbacks as it means that installation either needs to be extremely wide or very high – and both come with concerns.
For businesses looking at expanding their fixed broadband capabilities, the rollout would likely need to cover a much wider area in order for super-fast speeds to make a domestic level, if you want to benefit from 5G and really push the boundaries for what your home internet can do, then there is a high chance that those living in flats or small premises will be out of luck.
This is because installation would need to take place at such a high level as to make it possible – but also expensive as well the plus side, we could expect some serious upload and download speeds. According to the likes of Ericsson who is already testing 5G, they can achieve speeds up to 20 gigabits per second (20,000 megabits).
This has huge potential for businesses where large files such as high resolution video or images need transferring between devices and a home front, if you’re currently experiencing issues with the speed of your internet service and you’re not on a limited package – this could be a possible solution to improve speeds.
However, it all depends on how much installation would cost as to whether or not getting 5G broadband is feasible for everyone out there.
On the bright side, 5G cells are around 100 times smaller than current 4G and LTE cell towers and can be fitted to lampposts and street furniture throughout your city – which could mean they’ll be so small you won’t even be able to notice them until you pass by one. This will also likely result in fewer ‘not spots’, too – as it doesn’t require as strong a connection as is needed for LTE or 4G connections now.
However, users of this new technology might not get home broadband connectivity from it; essentially, they’re very unlikely to deliver speeds that would allow those who want faster web access than what’s possible over their phone’s data plan (or using public WiFi) to get the job done.
The problem with this is that such access will likely still remain very slow (and expensive) and may not deliver speeds anywhere near what’s expected from it today.
Still, 5G might prove useful for some; particularly those who live in remote or rural areas where fibre optic cables are simply unable to reach.
While it may be a long way away before this becomes an industry standard – if ever – there’s no denying that it could provide a much needed boost in speed to the UK’s broadband infrastructure that would allow better connectivity for users everywhere – even if only in specific areas throughout the country.
Wrapping it up:
So, here ends the discussion on the 5G network, its pros and its cons. We have mentioned all the key points regarding if the 5G network can replace fixed fiber connectivity or not. Let us know in the comment section if you find this article helpful.
Author Bio:
Ananta entered the digital marketing industry 5 years ago and has produced strategic marketing content for start-ups, tech brands, and VC firms. She helps content marketers, product marketers, and executives tell stories, achieve an online presence, and helps build brands that communicate with their users. She’s worked with brands such as Uber, Panasonic, Cremica, and many more. When she’s not writing, you’ll catch her engrossed in books, baking cakes, or watching great pieces of cinema. Get in touch here.
