Some friends asked about the comparison of 4G telecommunications network technology that is widely used today with 5G, which will be its successor. Many predict that this fifth generation technology will have the greatest impact compared to previous generations. This is because 5G not only connects people but also connects and controls a wide variety of machines, objects and devices.
5G technology is believed to bring society to a new level and new experiences because apart from having multi Gbps speed, low latency, and large capacity, it will trigger many innovations related to transportation, mobile services, and mobile hardware.
5G technology will redefine various industrial sectors by connecting retail with education, transportation with entertainment, and everything in between. This technology is predicted to be a technology that is as transformative as automotive and electrical inventions.
Then what is the impact on society?
Based on economic studies related to 5G, it was concluded that the economic effects that will be felt in all parts of the world in 2035 will create revenues of approximately 12 trillion USD, both from goods and services. The study also reveals that 5G value chains (OEMs, operators, content creators, app developers and customers) could generate a total of USD 3.5 trillion in revenue by 2035 and support 22 million jobs or more than one job for each person.
In general, the use of 5G can be categorized into 3 main types of functions. First, Enhanced Mobile Broadband or increasing mobile network capabilities where 5G will not only make smartphone use better but also encourage its use for various new things such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) with faster connections, lower data rates. uniformity, latency, and lower cost per bit.
Second, Mission-Critical Communications or communications related to critical tasks where 5G will enable new services that can change the industry to be more reliable with lower latency such as the use of remote control for critical infrastructure, vehicles and medical procedures. Speed increases and delay time decreases are needed for various jobs that require fast response because it is related to second-by-second decisions. Just a little delay, it will result in a change in the situation or even human lives.
Meanwhile, the third, Massive Internet of Things or the number of works connected to IoT where 5G will connect a massive number of sensors virtually through capabilities related to data rates and power usage and mobility in providing low-cost solutions. Various products with sensors that used to be difficult to connect to the internet have become easier and are much needed by the community.
So it can be concluded that defining the capabilities of 5G is tantamount to designing future compatibility, the ability to flexibly support services that may not be known at this time. 5G technology is expected to be able to reach peak data rates of up to 20 Gbps. For comparison, Qualcomm's first 5G NR modem technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G, was designed to reach 5 Gbps at downlink data rates.
But 5G isn't just about how fast it is. This technology also provides more network capacity by expanding into new spectrums, such as millimeter wave (mmWave). 5G also enables lower latency so that responses can be provided more quickly, overall providing a uniform user experience as data rates remain high even when the user is mobile.
Agus Cahyo Nugroho, S.Kom, M.T