5G- The Future of Connection

5G is a revolutionary technology which is poised to bring multiple changes in the way devices communicate. We all keep coming across terms like high peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity. We also hear terms like NR, Edge computing/Edge Cloud, Massive IoT, & Intelligent Wifi.

There are huge speculations on how 5G will effect the global economy, and its impact on sectors varying from Agriculture to Manufacturing, from Healthcare to gaming. It is important for all Engineering Students to be aware of the above. Definitely 5G will bring in ample opportunities, and first movers will be at advantage.

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5G Technology- An Overview

5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new industries.

Video Resources

Check 5G in 101 seconds
Connected world: An evolution in connectivity beyond the 5G revolution

Before we jump to technologies underlying 5G, which make things like low latency possible, let us look into background behind 5G.

5G timeline to 2025

Underlying technologies that make up 5G

Five key functional drivers of 5G support certain technological applications. They are:

  1. enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)
  2. ultra-reliable low latency communication (uRLLC)
  3. security
  4. massive machine-type communications
  5. power efficiency

As per the World Economic Forum report The Impact of 5G: Creating New Value across Industries and Society, (93%) of the use cases analysed would be enhanced by ultra-reliable low latency communication and 78% by enhanced mobile broadband. Massive machine-type communications and
security are also important, with each driver contributing to 45% of the use cases analysed.

You may check Resource Materials for few of the above mentioned technologies

It is important to note that 5G could be the ideal technology for certain solutions, but others might be sufficiently served with WiFi, 4G or even earlier generations of networks. McKinsey has published an excellent report Connected world: An evolution in connectivity beyond the 5G revolution which has in-depth analysis of the developments which are running in parallel to 5G

Potential for economic and social value across industry sectors

The positive impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its related emerging technologies will be fully realized through the wide-scale deployment of 5G communication networks in combination with other connectivity solutions. The key functional drivers of 5G will unlock a broad range of opportunities, including the optimization of service delivery, decision-making, and end-user experience. As per World Economic Forum estimate this will result in $13.2 trillion in global economic value by 2035, generating 22.3 million jobs in the 5G global value chain alone.

World Economic Forum has published a White paper The Impact of 5G: Creating New Value across Industries and Society which at length analyzes the impact of 5G.

Industrial advances

5G will contribute to industrial advances in three significant ways: by
1) enabling faster and effective inspections through predictive intelligence; 2) improving workplace and worker safety; and
3) enhancing operational effectiveness.
5G also has the potential to impact industry by managing the carbon footprint and bridging the digital divide, which together apply to 63% of the use cases identified.

Social Impact

5G can deliver social value across 11 key areas that correspond to 11 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This value derives mainly from contributing to good health and well-being, enhancing
infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation. Other key areas in which social value is created through 5G include contributing to responsible consumption, enabling sustainable cities and communities, and promoting decent work and economic growth.

Industry sectors which will benefit from 5G

5G technical and business factors

Check Intelligently connecting our world in the 5G era an excellent presentation by qualcomm where they have given various Industry sectors which will benefit from 5G.

Few more industries/sectors which will see impact of 5G have been taken up below.

Smart Manufacturing Powered by 5G

The modern factory is already a highly complex environment. Advanced machines and robots are equipped with a wide array of sensors connected to high-powered analytics engines in the cloud that assess performance, manage production schedules, maintain supplies and orchestrate all the activities on the factory floor.


By eliminating the need for wired connectivity, 5G will supplement the high-speed manufacturing environment with a far greater degree of flexibility….

Five ways that 5G will revolutionize manufacturing

Imagine a future where smart robots assemble products from multiple manufacturing lines by physically reconfiguring themselves on the factory floor. Security drones handle tedious tasks ranging from monitoring for intruders to validating employee parking. Autonomous vehicles transport parts not only between buildings, but also across the country. And factory inspections are performed remotely from a thousand miles away.

The hype is intense….

How can 5G connect a post- COVID healthcare ecosystem?

5G networks could transform—and improve—all of the critical components of healthcare, a subject especially meaningful today as the spread of the coronavirus has put unprecedented stress on healthcare systems around the world.
5G promises to provide essential levels of connectivity to enable a new health ecosystem, one that can meet patient and provider needs…
Report by pwc

The 5G era: New horizons for advanced-electronics and industrial companies

The next generation of wireless connectivity has arrived: 5G has the capacity to support a huge number of connections simultaneously while improving speed, latency, reliability, and power consumption for handsets and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. As with the transition from 3G to 4G, there are many uncertainties. Where is the value coming from, and who is going to capture it? What are the use cases where 5G performance enhancements will generate the most value and demand? And which applications will most benefit from 5G? McKinsey Report

Areas of 5G research and development

Enterprises building their future with 5G and Wi-Fi 6

Organizations moving to adopt next-gen wireless strongly believe it has the potential to provide competitive advantage, unlock the power of other emerging technologies, and transform their organization and industry in the next three years.

Private 5G networks: Enterprise untethered

5G’s new standards for enterprise will open the floodgates to a host of previously infeasible applications, allowing for industrial-scale internet-of-things networks in factories, warehouses, ports, and more.

5G New Radio (NR) is the global standard for a unified, more capable 5G wireless air interface. It will deliver significantly faster and more responsive mobile broadband experiences, and extend mobile technology to connect and redefine a multitude of new industries. Read More

Cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) will serve as the foundation for vehicles to communicate with each other and everything around them—providing 360º non-line-of-sight awareness and a higher level of predictability for enhanced road safety and autonomous driving.
Read More

LTE Advanced Pro (3GPP Release 13+) is expanding LTE to a wide range of new industries and enabling new use cases beyond smartphones, such as automotive and IoT. It is comprised of a rich roadmap of technologies that will be submitted with 5G NR to meet IMT-2020 requirements. Read More…

Connected world: An evolution in connectivity beyond the 5G revolution

5G is not appearing in isolation. A new discussion paper,  takes a more expansive look that ranges from fiber and satellites to Wi-Fi and short-range technologies. To illustrate what is possible, this research looks at how connectivity could be deployed in mobility, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. McKinsey Report

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