Why 5G Will Be Way More Important than you Think

For those who are unfamiliar with its exact meaning, 5G is a catch-all name for the fifth generation of wireless technologies in much the same manner that 4G, 3G, 2G, and 1G are names for the previous generations of wireless technologies. It is relevant because the relevant parties came up with a consensus on the first shared standard for 5G, which has enabled them to start launching 5G services. As a result, seeing as how there are now numerous service providers out there that are either launching 5G service or in the process of launching 5G service, consumers should read up to make sure that they have a general idea of what they can expect. By being informed, they should be able to maximize their chances of choosing the right wireless services for themselves, thus maximizing the value of their spending.

Speaking of which, it is important to note that the distinction between different generations of wireless technologies can be rather difficult. Generally speaking, people assume that there is a clear distinction between them based on their speeds. However, this is an over-simplification of the situation, not least because each generation can encompass a range of speeds. Something that should be familiar to those who have ever shopped for wireless service. Instead, it is more useful to note that different generations of wireless technologies are distinguished by their different standards, which cannot be used between generations. With that said, speed can actually prove useful as a way of distinguishing between different generations of wireless technologies provided that interested individuals don’t overdo things in the process. For instance, 1G was analog, whereas 2G was digital. Meanwhile, 3G was when speeds began reaching a few megabits per second as opposed to a mere 200 kilobits per second. Finally, 4G has reached the point of being able to provide a maximum of multiple gigabits per second, though in practice, this service is still rare. Naturally, 5G promises to be better still.

Why Is 5G So Important?

For a lot of people, increased speed will be the stand-out characteristic of 5G. However, it is important to note that the standard promises to provide other benefits as well, with examples ranging from better responsiveness by reducing latency to the ability to connect more devices at the same time. Something that will prove critical as more and more people make more and more use of smart devices.

As a result, 5G promises to be a critical foundation of the further rise of smart devices. For example, driverless cars are already seeing use. However, there are people who expect that future driverless cars will communicate with one another while they are out on the road, thus enabling them to share information that can be used to provide better performance. Said driverless cars won’t be exchanging a great deal of information, but they will be needing to exchange a fair amount of information on a constant basis, meaning that they are going to need the kinds of latency made possible by the adoption of 5G. Provided that everything works out as expected, it is clear that 5G will play a pivotal role in making these more advanced driverless cars possible, which in turn, promises to provide safer travel than otherwise possible.

Of course, driverless cars won’t be the sole example of smart devices that will benefit from the adoption of 5G. As a result, 5G promises to be one of the factors that will speed up the creation of the Internet of Things, which promises to connect more devices than most people would have ever expected. On top of this, the speeds offered by 5G means that consumers could very well see further improvements in their existing services, with an excellent example being the potential for augmented reality on their phones and other mobile devices.

The Future is looking more futuristic

Summed up, the future is looking more and more futuristic, which is something that is being helped along by the adoption of 5G. However, interested individuals need to remember that 5G is just starting up, meaning that what they see in the near future won’t be everything that it will be capable of. For that matter, they might want to be careful about buying too much of the marketing hype that is starting to ramp up for 5G, seeing as how they need to remember that it is such a generic term that it doesn’t necessarily say much of anything about the specifics.