5G Network

What is 5G Network?

 5G is the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications. It succeeds the 4G LTE, 3G  and 2G      systems. 5G performance targets include high data rate, reduced latency, energy saving, cost reduction,  higher system capacity and massive device connectivity. 5G network will hit the market by 2020.

What is the difference between 4G / LTE and 5G?

The next (5th) generation wireless network will address the evolution beyond mobile internet to massive Internet of Things for the horizon 2019/2020. The main evolution compared with today’s 4G and 4.5G (LTE advanced) is that beyond data speed improvements.

Unlike current Internet of Things services that make performance trade-offs to get the best from current wireless technologies (3G, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc…), 5G networks will be designed to bring the level of performance needed for massive Internet of Things.

5G technology is driven by 8 specification requirements

• Up to 10Gbps data rate  - > 10 to 100x improvement over 4G and 4.5G networks 
• 1-millisecond latency
• 1000x bandwidth per unit area
• Up to 100x number of connected devices per unit area (compared with 4G LTE)
• 99.999% availability 
• 100% coverage 
• 90% reduction in network energy usage 
• Up to 10-year battery life for low power IoT devices 

5G Cellular systems overview

As the different generations of cellular telecommunications have evolved, each one has brought its own improvements. The same will be true of 5G technology.

• First generation, 1G:   These phones were analogue and were the first mobile or cellular phones to be used. Although revolutionary in their time they offered very low levels of spectrum efficiency and security.
• Second generation, 2G:   These were based around digital technology and offered much better spectrum efficiency, security and new features such as text messages and low data rate communications.

• Third generation, 3G:   The aim of this technology was to provide high speed data. The original technology was enhanced to allow data up to 14 Mbps and more.
• Fourth generation, 4G:   This was an all-IP based technology capable of providing data rates up to 1 Gbps.

Any new 5th generation, 5G cellular technology needs to provide significant gains over previous systems to provide an adequate business case for mobile operators to invest in any new system.

Facilities that might be seen with 5G technology include far better levels of connectivity and coverage. The term World Wide Wireless Web, or WWWW is being coined for this.

For 5G technology to be able to achieve this, new methods of connecting will be required as one of the main drawbacks with previous generations is lack of coverage, dropped calls and low performance at cell edges. 5G technology will need to address this.

How 5G Works?

In their most basic form, cell phones are basically two-way radios. When you call someone, your phone converts your voice into an electrical signal. It transmits that electrical signal to the nearest cell tower using radio wave. The cell tower bounces the radio wave through a network of cell towers and eventually to your friend’s phone. The same thing is happening when you send other forms of data (like photos and video) across the network.

Typically when a new mobile wireless technology comes along (like 5G), it’s assigned a higher radio frequency. For instance, 4G occupied the frequency bands up to 20 MHz. In the case of 5G, it will likely sit on the frequency band up to 6GHz. The reason new wireless technologies occupy higher frequencies is because they typically aren’t in use and move information at a much faster speed. The problem is that higher frequency signals don’t travel as far as lower frequencies, so multiple input and output antennas  will probably be used to boost signals anywhere 5G is offered.