If you’ve been paying attention to the tech news of late, you will no doubt have come across the term 5G. But what is 5G, exactly?

5G is an acronym for “fifth generation” mobile internet. It’s a service that mobile network operators like AT&T hope will transform the way that people use mobile devices.

5G is the latest and greatest mobile telephony data standard. It will allow data rates up to a theoretical 100 Mbps, opening up a whole world of new real-time applications.

 

The Impact of 5G on Businesses

Many businesses see 5G as just a slight improvement over 4G. The technology, however, is surprisingly different and represents a genuine step-change in capability.

What is 5G? 5G promises that it will allow companies to connect everything in real-time. It, therefore, makes the internet of things a real possibility. It will enable firms to communicate data about deliveries, supply chains, vehicles, and equipment in real-time and help to make use of data in the field.

You can eventually imagine a situation where companies use AI, drones, and robotics to automate vast tracts of their production processes. 5G will provide the communication backbone that will make technological integration possible.

 

Advantages and Challenges of 5G

5G offers both advantages and challenges. The main benefits are higher bandwidth for all users on the network and greater speed. Higher bandwidth makes it easier to download large files or communicate large amounts of data without slowdown. Faster speeds decrease the time you have to wait to receive a file.

 

The challenges of 5G, however, have to do with the limitations of the technology.

The higher bandwidth of 5G means that each cell tower has to have a smaller range. A single 5G node may only cover the area of a single city block. It’s likely, therefore, that unless you’re in a city, you won’t be able to benefit from the technology.

One of the other 5G risks is that non-5G signals already crowd the 5G frequency. Radio and satellite emit in the proposed 6 GHz range.

 

What is the Importance of 5G Security?

5G comes with a range of security challenges too. One of these challenges is how to secure high-risk assets, like autonomous vehicles, using the network.

A hacker, for instance, could try to break into a 5G network responsible for managing driverless vehicles and cause chaos on the roads. If successful, people could die.

There are 5G risks in healthcare record-keeping too. While 5G will make it possible to transfer patient medical records quickly from device to device, it also requires stronger security.

 

How 5G will Affect Businesses

5G stands to affect businesses in two ways. The first is that it will make mobile communications much faster, just as 4G was an improvement in speed over 3G.

The second is that it will give companies the potential to launch new products and services that weren’t possible before. New frontiers include augmented reality experiences delivered via 5G in real-time and fleet management of autonomous vehicles.

 

What will be the Benefits of 5G?

5G benefits extend beyond faster speeds. Businesses on 5G networks will experience lower latencies, better security protocols, a reduction in power consumption, and an ability to use more internet-connected devices in a given geographic area.

5G will open up a world of new possibilities, owing to these features. For instance, the low latency will make it possible for surgeons to carry out operations using robotic arms over 5G networks.

5G will also open up the benefits of drones for businesses. At the moment, 4G bandwidth limits the connectedness of drones. With 5G, companies will be able to issue fine levels of control over the mobile network.

 

Use the Field Engineer to Start Benefiting from 5G Today

5G isn’t just coming: it’s here, and your company needs to be ready.

At Field Engineer, we’re here to help. While 5G is an impressive technology in its own right, businesses need talented people to do the hard work to turn it into genuine business solutions. With Field Engineer, you can connect with the 5G engineers and specialists you need, anywhere in the world.

Field Engineer is a truly global platform. You can hire freelance 5G engineers on-demand, whenever you need them. There are more than 40,000 engineers on the platform working in more than 180 countries.

5G benefits are extraordinary. Use Field Engineer today as a one-stop destination to find the freelance 5G specialists you need.