5G

The next generation of mobile networks is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. It enables a new network to connect virtually everyone, including machines, objects, and devices.

5G technology delivers higher data speeds, low latency, reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more consistent user experience. High performance and efficiency will empower new user experiences and connect new industries.

The theoretical peak speed of 5G is more than 20Gbps. In comparison, the peak speed of 4G is only 1 Gbps, and it promises lower latency, which can improve the performance of business applications and other digital experiences.

Earlier generations of cellular technology were focused on ensuring connectivity, but 5G will take that connectivity to the next level by delivering connected experiences from the cloud to clients. 5G networks are virtualized and software-driven, and they exploit cloud technologies.

The 5G network will simplify mobility, with seamless open roaming capabilities between cellular and Wi-Fi access. Mobile users can stay connected as they move between outdoor and wireless networks inside buildings without user intervention or the need for users to re-authenticate.

The new Wi-Fi 6 wireless standard shares traits with 5G, including performance. Wi-Fi 6 radios can be placed where users need them to provide better geographical coverage and lower cost. Underlying these Wi-Fi six radios is a software-based network with advanced automation.

5G should improve connectivity in underserved rural areas and cities where demand can outstrip today's capacity with 4G technology. New 5G networks will also have a dense, distributed-access architecture and move data processing closer to the edge and the users to enable faster data processing.

5G vs. 4G

5G mobile network technology is ready to go further than its predecessors. 5G is short for "5th generation." If the earliest mobile network—analogue voice calls, no SMS, no mobile data or browsing—was the first generation, 5G is its great-great-grandchild.

Users welcomed a new browsing era when 4G LTE networks started rolling out nearly a decade ago. 5G technology promises to transform the 20s into a time of unprecedented connectivity and technological advancement. With higher capacity, speed, and low latency, 5G will power innovation that would have been impossible under the 4G LTE standard.

How does 5G work?

All four generations of mobile networks used macro cell towers, hundreds of feet tall, requiring vast power to transmit over long distances.

5G works differently and combines frequencies from multiple bands to maximize throughput. 5G will use many much smaller microcells for new millimetre wave spectrum bands to create a blanket of high-speed network coverage.

5G will introduce advanced network architecture. 5G New Radio, the global standard for a more capable 5G wireless air interface, will cover spectrums not used in 4G. New antennas will incorporate a technology known as massive MIMO, which enables various transmitters and receivers to transfer more data simultaneously.

But 5, G technology is not limited to the new radio spectrum, and it is designed to support a converged, heterogeneous network combining licensed and unlicensed wireless technologies.

5G architectures will be software-defined platforms in which networking functionality is managed through software rather than hardware. Advancements in virtualization, cloud-based technologies, and IT and business process automation enable 5G architecture to be agile and flexible and provide user access anytime, anywhere.

5G networks can create software-defined sub network constructs known as network slices. These slices enable network administrators to dictate network functionality based on users and devices.

5G also enhances digital experiences through ML-enabled automation. Demand for response times within fractions of a second requires 5G networks to enlist automation with ML and, eventually, deep learning and AI. Automated provisioning and proactive management of traffic and services will reduce infrastructure costs and enhance the connected experience.

Benefits of 5G

For users, the 5G upgrade is all about speed. 5G speeds are predicted up to 10Gbps, and the new network will be 100 xs faster. For industrial, agricultural, and commercial use cases, the most significant benefits of 5G are its high capacity and minimal lag. With up to 5x the bandwidth available with 4G, 5G will give rise to new production and distribution methods, and 5G may cut network latency in half.

5G Use Cases

The power of 5G will touch every industry. 5G use cases have already been identified in the healthcare, agriculture, retail, transportation, logistics, and manufacturing industries.

Media and Entertainment

5G will bring richer media experiences to any screen. Broadband availability enabled it to move movies, TV, and gaming to the cloud. Users can enjoy smooth video streaming, immersive VR experiences, and highly responsive game play on devices connected to a 5G network, with more excellent revenue opportunities for content creators, cloud service providers, and communications service providers.

Manufacturing

The convergence of 5G with AI and the intelligent edge will revolutionize the factory floor. The augmented by IoT and edge computing, supply chain, inventory management, and quality assurance processes will increase automation levels and reduce unit costs.

Retail

With 5G, future retailers will power new customer experiences. With AI-enabled cameras with low latency, retailers can create an automatic checkout experience as simple as walking out of the store with your entire cart.

Healthcare

5G represents a new frontier of care. Imagine a wearable insulin pump that uses AI to give suggestions about diabetes management to the patient's endocrinologist or an innovative implanted defibrillator that automatically and safely restarts a stopped heart—and instantly notifies the patient's cardiologist with information about the incident.

With high capacity, speed, and lower latency, 5G will power innovation.

5G Availability

The future of 5G will depend on carrier rollouts and device availability. In the early stages, deployments are limited, and individual carriers determine their locations. While select locations have 5G coverage, today's deployments are the prelude to citywide rollouts. From smart phones to smart city sensors, the broader availability of devices developed with 5G in mind is expected to be launched in 2020 or 2021, with 5G enabled experiences beginning in 2022 as new products are created to meet emerging demands from 5G.

5G Products and Solutions

5G experiences are only as capable as the network that supports them. Intel is a foundational part of the global 5G rollout. Network transformation depends on a broad ecosystem of technologies, with Intel compute technologies embedded into the fabric of 5G networks at every level.

Since its inception, Intel has participated in more than 300 standards groups worldwide and has provided research and guidance for the 5G standard. Because 5G depends on the spectrum in multiple bands, Intel has also advocated for spectrum availability for 5G services with groups and governments worldwide.

Impact of 5G

5G technology will take users into an era of improved network performance, speed and new experiences.

5G and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity will enable patients to be monitored via connected devices that constantly deliver data on health indicators, such as heart rate and blood pressure. 5G combined with ML-driven algorithms will provide information on traffic, accidents, and more; vehicles can share information with other cars and roadways.