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TopThe Fifth Generation Of Communication Technology And It’S Applications
What exactly is this fifth generation of communication technology? 5G is the shared name for technologies and systems that make up the world's future networks in order to meet an increasingly great demand for capacity and performance. Users of these networks will expect a zero-latency experience with gigabit speeds of data transfer available at their fingertips, and 5G seeks to fulfill these demands (Gupta, Jain, & Chan, 2016). Specific performance parameters sought to be accomplished in these kinds of networks include device data rates up to 20 Gbps (Gigabits per second) with less than 1ms (millisecond) latency contribution of the radio hardware (Filkins, 2019). With the introduction of 5G technology, MNOs are touting speed improvements up to 100 times over 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) (see Figure 1), with reduced latency by more than ten times (Glass).
Figure 1. Comparison of 4G/LTE and 5G Speed
MNOs will deploy 5G New Radio (5G NR) across multiple radio spectrum bands to bring 5G enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) to the masses. Carrying this out will complete the first phase of 5G, which itself will be a significant upgrade in performance over 4G LTE. In the next few years, 5G networks will be further developed and utilized in a wide range of use cases in both industry and consumer segments, including those leveraging 5G's ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC) capabilities (Filkins, 2019). 5G uses these new technologies such as eMBB and URLLC to increase the speed and reliability as well as the range of types of devices to which it can connect. eMBB brings the promise of high speed and dense broadband to subscribers of connectivity products and services that MNOs provide. With gigabit speeds promised by 5G, consumers are also allowed an alternative to traditional fixed-line Internet services. This alternative fixed wireless access is based on mmWave radio technology, enabling MNOs to support high bandwidth tasks such as video. URLLC focuses on services that are critical to maintaining a persistent connection, such as industrial automation and telesurgery (Geller & Nair, 2018).
To facilitate a smooth transition from old generations of communication to 5G, the mobile industry has devised a roadmap whereby 5G is divided across two architectures. The first consists of non-standalone (NSA) 5G, where older generation 4G LTE antennas and other hardware remains as is, with the 5G NR (New Radio) being deployed over the existing radio access network (RAN). This hybrid method allows mobile operators to begin to proliferate their 5G services now commercially. Most operators are taking this approach before moving onto Standalone (SA) 5G architecture. While NSA 5G can be seen as a less complicated evolution of SA 5G, the mobile network's performance still improves since 5G NR exhibits better performance in throughput, latency, and capacity (Filkins, 2019).