Age of Interconnectedness

5G is the breakthrough technology that will unlock the whole new age of interconnectedness.

21:29 23 August 2018

A number of great inventions, such as autonomous vehicles, smart home devices, and mobile VR, are upon us. These inventions are set to revolutionise the way we live our lives and connect us not just to other people but also to our own homes and cities. However, their full potential can only be realised when 5G is finally launched.

 

5G is the next generation mobile connection that promises up to 100 times speeds and ultra-low latency. While every generation of mobile network has been about connecting people, 5G is designed to connect people and things.   

 

Its initial impact is zippier internet on your phone. However, Rahim Tafazolli, director of the 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey, said: “Speed is not really the transformative, game-changing aspect. What is transformative is that 5G is being built from the ground up to guarantee a reliable signal with low, predictable latency (that’s the lag between an action and a reaction over the network). These are both qualities that Wi-Fi or 4G have never been able to guarantee. This dependability is what makes 5G as much a network for “things”, which is why it is expected to usher in a new wave of automation.

 

He added: “Robots don’t understand delays. If you say ten milliseconds between action and reaction then it has to be ten milliseconds. Envisage a system of fast-moving autonomous cars: the vehicles will need to be able to communicate reliably with each other and the smallest delay could prove catastrophic – 5G should provide the fabric of connectivity.”