5G use cases that are changing the world

In the world of technology and beyond, new 5G applications are being discovered every day. From driverless cars to smart cities, farms, and even shopping experiences, the latest standards in wireless networks are poised to transform the way we interact with information, devices, and each other. What better time to take a closer look at how humans are leveraging 5G to change the world.

What is 5G?

5G (fifth generation mobile technology) is the latest standard for cellular networks. Like its predecessors, 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE, 5G technology also uses radio waves to transmit data. However, with significant improvements in latency, throughput, and bandwidth, 5G delivers significantly faster download and upload speeds than previous networks.

How is 5G different from other wireless networks?

Since its launch in 2019, 5G broadband technology has been hailed as a groundbreaking technology that will have a major impact on both consumers and businesses. This is primarily due to the ability to use networks to process large amounts of data generated by complex devices.

As mobile technology has expanded over the years, the amount of data users generate every day has grown exponentially. Currently, other innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning (ML) require significantly faster speeds than 3G and 4G networks provide to operate. Enter 5G, with ultra-fast data transmission that will enable new technologies to work the way they were designed.

Here are the biggest differences between 5G and previous wireless networks:

• Physical space: Transmitters used in 5G technology are smaller than those in previous networks and can be placed individually in out-of-the-way locations. Additionally, the “cells” of 5G networks (the geographic areas that all wireless networks need to connect to) are smaller and require less power to run than previous generations.
• Error Rate: 5G’s Adaptive Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), which is the circuitry that WiFi devices use to transmit data, is more powerful than 3G and 4G networks. This results in a much lower block error rate (BER), an indicator of error frequency in 5G.
• Bandwidth: By leveraging a wider radio frequency spectrum than previous wireless networks, 5G networks can transmit at much wider bandwidths. This increases the number of devices that can be supported at any time.
• Low latency: 5G’s low latency, which measures how long it takes for data to travel from one location to another, is a significant upgrade over previous generations. This means that everyday activities like downloading files or working with the cloud will be much faster using a 5G connection than when connected to any other network.

How does 5G work?

Like all wireless networks, 5G networks are divided into geographic areas called cells. Within each cell, wireless devices such as smartphones, PCs, and IoT devices are connected to the Internet through radio waves transmitted between antennas and base stations. The technology behind 5G is fundamentally the same as 3G and 4G networks, but because of lower latency, 5G networks can deliver much faster download speeds. In some cases, this can reach 10 gigabits per second (Gbps).

Demand for 5G connectivity is growing as more and more devices are built for 5G speeds. Today, many popular Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including Verizon, Google, and AT&T, are offering 5G networks to homes and businesses. According to Statista, more than 200 million homes and businesses have already purchased homes, and this number is expected to at least double by 2028 (link resides outside ibm.com).

Let’s take a look at three areas of technological improvement that make 5G so unique.

new communication specifications

The 5G New Radio (NR) standard for cellular networks defines new radio access technology (RAT) specifications for all 5G mobile networks. The 5G rollout began in 2018 with a global initiative called the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3FPP), which defined a new set of standards to coordinate the design of devices and applications for use in 5G networks.

The plan was successful, and 5G networks began growing rapidly in the following years. Currently, 45% of networks worldwide are 5G-compatible, and according to a recent report from Ericsson, this figure is expected to increase to 85% within 10 years (link resides outside ibm.com).

Independent virtual networks (network slicing)

In 5G networks, network operators can offer multiple independent virtual networks (in addition to public networks) on the same infrastructure. Unlike previous wireless networks, these new features allow users to do more remotely while maintaining greater security than ever before. For example, in 5G networks, enterprises can create use cases or business models and allocate their own independent virtual networks to add greater customization features and security, dramatically improving the user experience for employees.

private network

In addition to network slicing, deploying 5G private networks can also provide improved personalization and security features over those available in previous generations of wireless networks. Global enterprises seeking more control and mobility for their employees are increasingly turning to private 5G network architectures instead of the public networks they used in the past.

5G use cases

Now that we have a better understanding of how 5G technology works, let’s take a closer look at some of the exciting applications it enables.

self-driving car

From taxis to drones, 5G technology powers most of the next-generation features of self-driving cars. Until the advent of 5G cellular standards, fully autonomous vehicles were only a bit of a dream due to data transmission limitations of 3G and 4G technologies. Now, the lightning-fast connectivity speeds of 5G have made transportation systems like cars and trains much faster than previous generations, transforming the way systems and devices connect, communicate, and collaborate.

smart factory

Together with AI and ML, 5G is ready to help factories become not only smarter, but also more automated, efficient and resilient. Today, thanks to 5G connectivity combined with AI and ML capabilities, many mundane but necessary tasks related to equipment repair and optimization are being handed over to machines. This is one area where 5G is expected to be very disruptive, impacting everything from fuel efficiency to equipment life cycle design to the way goods get to your home.

For example, in a busy factory site, drones and cameras connected to smart devices using IoT can be used to find and transport items and prevent theft more efficiently than in the past. Not only is this better for the environment and consumers, but it also gives employees the freedom to invest their time and energy in tasks that are better suited to their skills.

smart city

The idea of ​​hyper-connected urban environments that use 5G network speeds to fuel innovation in areas like law enforcement, waste management, and disaster mitigation is quickly becoming a reality. Some cities are already using 5G-enabled sensors to track traffic patterns in real-time and adjust signals to guide traffic flow, minimize congestion, and improve air quality.

As another example, 5G power grids can monitor supply and demand in populated areas and deploy AI and ML applications to “learn” when energy demand is high or low. This process has been shown to have a significant impact on energy conservation and waste, potentially reducing carbon emissions and helping cities achieve their sustainability goals.

Smart healthcare

Hospitals, doctors, and the entire healthcare industry are already benefiting from the speed and reliability of 5G networks every day. One example is the field of robotics and remote surgery using high-definition live streams connected to the internet via 5G networks. Another area is mobile health. 5G will give healthcare workers in the field faster access to patient data and medical records, so they can make smarter decisions and save lives faster.

Finally, as we have seen during the pandemic, contact tracing and outbreak mapping are critical to keeping populations safe. 5G’s ability to deliver large amounts of data quickly and securely will enable professionals to make more informed decisions that impact everyone.

better employee experience

5G, combined with new technological capabilities, will not only bring about automation of employee tasks, but will also dramatically improve employee work and the overall employee experience. Let’s take virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) as examples. VR (digital environments that block the real world) and AR (digital content that augments the real world) are already being used by many people, including warehouse workers and transportation drivers. These employees use wearables connected to 5G networks capable of high data transfer speeds that improve several key capabilities, including:

• Live View: 5G connectivity provides real-time, real-time views of equipment, events, and even people. One way to use this feature in professional sports is to allow broadcasters to call sporting events remotely from outside the stadium where the event is taking place.
• Digital overlay: IoT applications in a warehouse or industrial environment allow workers equipped with smart glasses (or just a smartphone) to gain real-time insights from applications, including repair instructions or the names and locations of spare parts.
• Drone inspection: One of the leading causes of employee injuries today is inspecting equipment or project sites in remote and potentially hazardous areas. Drones connected via 5G networks can safely monitor equipment and project sites and take readings even on hard-to-reach gauges.

edge computing

Edge computing, a computing framework that allows computations to be performed closer to the data source, is quickly becoming the enterprise standard. According to a Gartner white paper (link resides outside ibm.com), by 2025, 75% of enterprise data will be processed at the edge (compared to just 10% today). These changes save companies time and money and provide more efficient control of large amounts of data. This would not have been possible without the new speed standard created by 5G technology.

With ultra-reliable edge computing and 5G, enterprises can achieve faster transfer speeds, improved control, and stronger security for large amounts of data. Together, these two technologies reduce latency while improving speed, reliability, and bandwidth to deliver faster, more comprehensive data analytics and insights to businesses everywhere.

5G solutions with IBM Cloud Satellite

5G presents a huge opportunity for businesses, but first they need a platform that can handle the speeds. IBM Cloud Satellite lets you deploy and run apps consistently across on-premises, edge computing, and public cloud environments in 5G networks. And all of this is made possible through secure, auditable communications within the IBM Cloud.

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