The marketing of 5G began well before the public had any opportunities to see it utilized. Mobile phones advertised themselves as being 5G capable, even when the customer had no real opportunity to access it. Service providers were touting their 5G maps when they were little more than visual goals for the future. And the public began demanding 5G without even knowing what it really was or what it could do for them.
Today, 5G is more than a promise. It’s prevalent in most major cities, and providers are making it more accessible for fixed and mobile networks. And if the details are still a bit unclear, now is the perfect time to assess its ability to transform your business.
What is 5G?
5G, as the name implies, is the fifth-generation mobile network. While previous generations introduced new technologies, such as digital voice or mobile data, 4G was hailed for ushering in mobile broadband and the speed and advantages that come with it. Now, 5G takes all of those advantages and makes them faster, more reliable, and more accessible to more devices.
But if “faster, more reliable and more accessible” were the only description of 5G, it would be a poor one. Because 5G is a lot more than just a general progression of tweaks that improve and build on existing infrastructure. It’s more of a quantum leap from anything users have experienced before and provides seamless solutions that didn’t seem possible just a few years ago.
Decreased Latency
Take latency, for example. While 3G networks could expect to experience around 65 milliseconds of latency, 4G reduced that time to around 40 milliseconds. Now, 5G has reduced that number by more than 97 percent, with as little as one millisecond of latency.
When measuring in milliseconds, all the numbers sound fast. But when you cut the time delay between sending and receiving information, new possibilities emerge in terms of productivity and operating possibilities. From transportation to agriculture to holographic medicine, reducing latency to near-zero levels will take testing-stage technology and make it practical for regular, reliable use.
Increased Speed
Speed is also a significant advantage for 5G users. It uses higher radio frequencies than previously allowed, meaning more data can be transmitted faster. And while those frequencies are susceptible to interference from physical barriers, there’s a solution for that, too.
The giant towers that were necessary for a strong signal aren’t a requirement with 5G. The network will maintain its connections with smaller transmitters that can be placed almost anywhere, from buildings to parks, to any area that needs a signal boost to maintain its speeds and connectivity. The smaller, efficient form factor (sometimes resembling a small utility pole) means they can be spaced close enough to ensure superior speeds without interruption, and don’t obstruct their surroundings like a giant tower.
The end result is a sharp increase in traffic speed. While users can regularly expect to see an increase over 4G by a factor of 10, in some cases they’ll see data download and upload up to 100 times faster. A 5G connection can handle whatever devices most businesses could use to access it, with significantly more devices able to enjoy these speeds at one time. Bandwidth issues and high-traffic periods are no longer obstacles to productivity, and the ability to slice the networks opens up opportunities to segment usage and access public or private networks as needed.
5G for Your Business
While 5G is an obvious advancement from 4G, is it something your business really needs? If you plan to innovate, compete and serve customers in the modern business arena, the answer is yes. The move to 5G isn’t designed to make the way you do business a little faster. It’s designed to transform the way you do business.
High-definition video calls to anywhere, from anywhere, and using any device with no lag time or hiccups will be standard. Augmented reality can be used to help with sales, customer service, employee training, in-depth troubleshooting, and collaborative teamwork on special projects. Tens of thousands of devices can deliver data to the cloud, have that data processed, and access it again at speeds that were impossible with 4G. Data can go from user to user – no matter where they are or what device they’re using – in the literal blink of an eye.
And these aren’t just benefits you’ll notice. Your clients, vendors, and customers will, too. The move to 5G not only improves what you’re already doing but allows you to do things you simply couldn’t before.
Logging as a Service (LaaS)
By now you’re probably familiar with several “as-a-service” models, but you might not be as familiar with Logging as a Service (LaaS). This service allows you to collect and centralize log files, no matter where they come from. Those files can be aggregated and analyzed for troubleshooting, predictive modeling, and archiving, making it a valuable service for businesses that collect logs from several points of origin.
Of course, the sheer volume of data and the need to analyze so many logs with different formats and layouts means the job can be cumbersome and slow, even with advanced technology. Or, at least, it was. With 5G, collecting, analyzing, and processing those logs can be done quickly and efficiently, making the process simple and the finished product usable for everyone. Headaches associated with a massive volume of log files virtually disappear, and the speed you enjoy in your everyday business can be harnessed to aggregate and process data without any slowdown to your critical functions.
What’s Next?
Making the switch to 5G requires a couple of steps. It needs to be readily available in your area, and you’ll need the technology to take advantage of it. Fortunately, Imperium Data can help assess your current situation, identify how 5G can help your business specifically, and detail what hardware requirements are necessary to make the switch as seamless as possible. We can answer any questions and guide you to the most cost-effective solutions that will enable you to utilize 5G to your company’s maximum benefit. Use our contact page to begin the conversation.
