5G and The Internet of Things (IoT)

5G will pave the way for new technologies unleashing the full potential of IoT (Internet of Things). How? we hear you ask. Let’s explain a little more:

Firstly let’s explore what 5G is/means – simply means ‘5^th Generation’ wireless which is the latest generation of cellular technology. The advantages are exponential in terms of growth when expanding wireless networks, here are just some of the advantages of 5G.

• Increased broadband width
• Continuous fast blistering speeds
• More reliable connections
• Better battery life on smart handheld devices
• Superior connectivity – low latency
• Higher data transfer rates
• Data speeds outstripping the fastest broadband connection
• Up to 100 times faster the 4G
• Operates at 5Ghz and offering speeds up to 1Gb per second

A recent survey by Ericsson predicts that over 92% of business users from the worlds largest telecom operators agree that 5G will offer a whole raft of opportunities for existing and new innovated technologies whilst significantly reducing the cost per delivered gigabyte of mobile data.

The Internet of Things will gain traction at blistering speeds with the use of 5G by opening up a new world of possibilities for both the smaller entrepreneur all the way through to established multinational companies.

4G will essentially become a dinosaur in comparison with 5G which offers latency of less than a millisecond and can connect 100 times more smart devices per unit area than 4G LTE.

So, how will this make a difference to the already established Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of things (IIOT) or Industry 4.0 platforms?

Whether you’re in Healthcare, Logistics, Smart Cities, Smart Factories or simply using your phone to control your Smart Home they currently all exchange data with near real-time results but this puts a continuous strain on the current network infrastructures and battery life of devices. 5G can offer in excess of 10 years further battery life for low powered IoT devices and 90+% reduction in network usage.

Whilst there are around 26.5 billion IoT devices active in 2019 we’ll see a significant increase over the next 5 years to over 75 billion smart devices, this simply can’t be supported by our current infrastructure where-as 5G will accommodate these changes with ease.

We’ll see an emergence of smart technologies that require continuous connectivity over the next 5 years, whether this be sensors, self-driving cars, tracking systems, digital signage, RFID readers, smart packaging (the list goes on). This will require stronger and more robust networks which in itself will present new business opportunities for emerging companies. 5G is the next generation information super highway for not just how we communicate, but business and society as a whole.