What is 5G?
5G refers to the fifth generation technology of cellular networks. It is the successor of 4G which currently provides network to most of the devices around the world. 5G technology is very fast and has a higher bandwidth than 4G. The potential high speed of 5G network is estimated to be 20 gigabits per second (Gbps) while the highest speed of 4G network was just 1 Gbps.
How Does 5G Work?
5G networks are cellular networks in which the service is divided into small geographical areas called 'cells'. All the 5G devices of a cell communicate through radio waves with a cellular base station. A cellular base station is basically a cell tower which is put up to create a cell and connect the users of the cell to the network. These cellular base stations are connected to nodes or base stations which are further connected to switching centres in the network and routers for internet access
5G technology does not require tall towers like the 4G networks and its cellular base stations can be located on the roofs of buildings too.
What is the difference between 5G and 4G/3G?
5G and 4G run on the same radio frequencies but still are very different. Some
of the differences are given below-
(1) Faster Speeds- As mentioned above, 5G can have a high speed of
20Gbps hypothetically and generally has a speed of around 10Gbps in good
conditions and is 10 times faster than 4G This means that downloading files
will take a fraction of the time it currently takes.
(2) Low Latency- Latency refers to the delay between sending and
receiving information. This latency is very low in 5G networks and this is
primarily one of the main reasons for this high speed. The latency of 4G was
around 200 milliseconds while the latency of 5G is dramatically low with it
being just one millisecond!
(3) Higher Bandwidth- 5G can run on a high rang of bandwidths i.e. low
band, medium band, high band. This can be done by changing the frequencies of
the network ranging from around 3 GHz(Giga Hertz) which is used in 4G to 100
GHz and beyond. This means that a higher number of devices can be connected to
send and receive information at any given point of time.
Uses of 5G
Here are some uses of 5G-
Self Driving Cars- Until now, producing completely autonomous cars was
not possible due to the high lag between sending and receiving information.
Now, with 5G networks and their low latency, developing such cars is possible
as the AI and radar systems of the car can quickly detect the surroundings of
the car and take the required action. This low latency will help prevent
accidents.
Internet of Things(IoT)- 5G supports the Internet of Things. To know
more about IoT, click
here.
The Internet of Things will help in connecting all devices, appliances,
sensors, cameras, machines, etc. to the internet, making factories and
assembly centres more efficient. The devices will collect huge amounts of data
from many devices, managing which will require quick and efficient management
of data which can be provided through 5G.
Satellite Internet- Satellite internet and 5G connection will ensure
connectivity in all rural and urban areas through constellations of small
satellites.
That is all for this post on 5G technology. To keep receiving mind blowing facts and information that can be easily understood, please follow this blog.
Until next time,
Aarav Iyer
References:
(1) AWS
(2) RF Page
(3) Cisco
(4) Techtarget
(5) Wikipedia (Fig. 1 + content)
Nice work Aarav
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