This is the next high-tech game-changer, and it will have a huge impact on your organization and how your teams work.
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past year, you’ve heard about the advent of 5G. However, you’re not alone if you don’t know exactly what it is or how it will impact your business. Help is on the way. Read on for details about 5G, how it works, and what it will mean to your organization.
Here is what you should know about 5G:
- 5G stands for fifth-generation cellular wireless. It involves larger channels to speed up connections, lower latency for quicker responsiveness, and the ability to connect many more devices simultaneously.
- Coverage maps are different for 5G; so there may be outages where 4G and 5G coverage maps don’t overlap.
- 5G uses low-, middle-, and high-band wave spectrums. The high-band wave spectrum is new; and it involves very short-range frequencies, which are incredibly fast but require more towers. In fact, speed will be 10 to 100 times faster than 4G.
- There isn’t any scientific evidence that these higher-band radio waves will constitute a health risk, despite some misconceptions about this.
- 5G networks will need to manage more cells that change size and shape to provide faster speeds.
- 5G will make it easier for carriers to offer both home and business internet than traditional 4G.
- 5G will enable high-resolution, fast-streaming video, industrial automation, and driverless vehicles that interact with other cars and even the road.
- 5G may promote a boom in smart devices and sensors.
- With 5G, you’ll be able to do more with virtual and augmented reality.
- Expect costs to upgrade hardware. Start budgeting for these now.
It is likely to be months or even longer before 5G is fully up and running, but it is in your best interest to start planning now. Don’t get caught by surprise. Talk to your carrier and your IT team. Find out what upgrades will be necessary and what costs will be involved in making these. Think about how you will train managers and staff and whether the advent of 5G will require additional workers on your tech teams.
