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The Malta Independent | Thursday 25 February 2016
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The Malta Independent | Thursday 25 February 2016
What will a world with 5G look like? “Mobile is everything” is the theme of Mobile World Congress 2016 whereby 5G is one of the hot topics discussed by multinational companies such as Intel, Huawei, Nokia and more. These enterprises are demonstrating their vision of a more connected digital society. What is 5G? 5G is a term used to describe the forthcoming fifth generation of mobile network technology. Right now, it doesn’t signify any particular type of technology. While 4G has become synonymous with LTE, there’s been no publicly agreed upon standard for 5G networks. However, a couple of likely technologies are emerging. The main quality of 5G networks compared to 4G will be speed. It’s going to be many times quicker than what we have now, and by quite a way. Digital Agenda for Europe The “fifth generation” of telecommunications systems, or 5G, will be the most critical building block of our “digital society” in the next decade. Europe has taken significant steps to lead global developments towards this strategic technology. The Digital Agenda for Europe sees 5G as the medium that provides virtually ubiquitous, ultrahigh bandwidth, “connectivity” not only to individual users but also to connected objects. Everyone in the wireless industry agrees that 5G is coming by the end of the decade but no line has been yet drawn on its actual capabilities. A white paper published by the EU Commission outlines that 5G will transform EU manufacturing, health, energy, automotive, media & entertainment sectors. These sectors all have the poten-
tial to use 5G as part of the business models and operations. The EU considers 5G networks and services as the backbone of our future economy and society. The white paper also outlines a number of case studies (which are being reproduced below) from various sectors of how such technology can be used. The automotive sector considers that 5G will be used for cooperative automated driving so thousands of vehicles can exchange information between each other in real-time. For the lightening-speed data transmission time (low latency) of 5G networks means that future connected cars will have a “see through” security application which enables the user to see the road much far ahead of the vehicle in front of them, overtake safely and avoid accidents. The health sector finds 5G useful for assets and interventions management in hospitals, for robotics for remote monitoring and for smart medication. For example, 5G could improve the quality of experience of surgeons using operating robots. The super-fast data transmission of 5G networks would mean that a robot surgeon reacts instantly to instructions or movements by a surgeon performing a virtual operation remotely. Smart factories. 5G could be useful for time-critical process control, factory automation, remote control, enterprise communication and connected goods. It would be vital for robot-based manufacturing processes where the detection of an incident may require ultra-fast response from the network.
The Malta Independent ICT Feature MITA Communications and PR Team 5G is a term used to describe the forthcoming fifth generation of mobile network technology. The main quality of 5G networks compared to 4G will be speed. It’s going to be many times quicker than what we have now, and by quite a way.
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5G will give birth to the next phase of human possibilities, bringing about the automation of everything
Marcus Weldon, chief technology officer at Nokia
All ICT Features are available on www.mita.gov.mt/ictfeature Energy. 5G will be essential for grid access, as a grid backhaul and a grid backbone. It could help energy companies balance supply and demand in a future when a growing proportion of energy is generated by solar and wind (sometimes unpredictable) and the growing number of electric vehicles place varying and unpredictable demand on the network. The Media and entertainment sector will use 5G for Ultra High Fidelity media, on-site live event experience, immersive and integrated media, cooperative media production and collaborative gaming. For instance, games based on virtual reality could be played across continents, or football games watched in 3D and with immersive lenses from a living room but as if you were in the stadium.