5G MASTER CLASS

By WP Creative Group

June 12, 2020

The first three generations of cellular connectivity brought us groundbreaking technologies. As connectivity has evolved, we’ve become dependent on mobile voice calling, text messaging, mobile internet services and even new frontiers like social media and video streaming.

Now the world is filled with connected devices, and as additional billions of devices connect, we’ll need much more speed and capacity. And faster, more reliable and security-rich connections are now more important than ever, as millions of Americans rethink how they work, learn and interact in the face of a pandemic.

5G, the fifth generation of cellular networks, is the revolutionary innovation platform for the next decade, aiming at improving not just communication, but also other critical aspects of our lives, from health to education. It is specifically engineered to increase the speed, capacity and responsiveness of wireless networks to allow us to download and transmit huge amounts of data in near real-time. With 5G capabilities, Internet of Things devices like smart electric meters or autonomous cars will be able to connect faster and more reliably.

Cellular technologies like 5G operate in the radio spectrum of electromagnetic waves, and are limited by the range, or bandwidth, over which they can function. What makes 5G faster and better able to handle large amounts of data traffic is its ability to operate on a wider bandwidth than 4G. The ability to use more bandwidth translates to less crowding and faster, more robust transmission.

With exponential improvements in connectivity performance, capacity and reliability, 5G is poised to change the way homes, schools, workplaces and even entire cities function. “We believe that the true vision of 5G is to eventually be the connectivity fabric for everything around us,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager for 4G/5G at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the U.S. firm that has been a driving force behind the development, launch and expansion of 5G.

This will depend on governments at national, state and local levels to facilitate the integration and expansion of 5G into all communities. Industry and policy leaders will need to help provide access to the vastly improved connectivity that will create a future with entirely new inventions, developments and experiences.

5G transforms industry and society

5G’s use cases will span many industries and will leverage speed, capacity and reliability to improve how we live and work. For example, as remote work environments become the new norm, connectivity is paramount. By equipping workers with fast, 5G-connected phones, tablets and laptops, virtually any business is able to communicate and collaborate worldwide.

In the vital areas of healthcare and telemedicine, 5G offers patients and doctors superior, security-rich connectivity to allow virtual diagnoses and other support when it’s most critical. In education, 5G breakthroughs will help connect teachers and students, in both remote and urban areas, which may in turn help level the educational playing field.

Manufacturing, transportation and agriculture also will be transformed by faster automated decision-making, more reliable connections between devices and sensors and more capacity for the data that powers artificial intelligence. The desired effect? More efficient, productive and sustainable operations. “5G is an operational technology that expands beyond traditional mobile networks. It’s a critical platform on which to do business, to connect to each other and to inspire tomorrow’s innovations,” Malladi said.

An ally in connectivity

As 5G deployment is already well underway, government leaders and policymakers’ role is to promote continued innovation and facilitate 5G access to their respective communities. This will not only benefit constituents, but also support global economic benefits that could add up to $3.8 trillion in gross output by 2035 and support up to 22.8 million new jobs.^[1] This boost could revitalize entire communities, if not the world at large.

The expertise of proven technology leaders is key to the implementation of 5G networks. Qualcomm, the world’s leading wireless technology innovator, is positioned to be a key contributor to 5G deployment. “A company like Qualcomm can help with educating both policy makers and the public, first and foremost. Especially when you’re drawing up legislation—getting that support from a knowledge standpoint is absolutely critical,” said Carolina Milanesi, principal analyst at Creative Strategies, a technology market research firm in Silicon Valley.

With decades of R&D experience and foundational innovations in 3G, 4G and now 5G, Qualcomm can be an invaluable asset to policymakers tasked with navigating the new landscape.

Realizing these new benefits and fostering the growth of 5G will revolutionize society. Smarter towns and cities mean smarter citizens leading better lives all due to faster connectivity. The connective tissue of 5G will offer people a kind of safety, health, comfort and convenience we have never seen before. It’s this unprecedented access that will help to pave the way for a brighter future—not just now, but in the generations that follow.

^[1] The 5G Economy, an independent study from IHS Markit, commissioned by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. November 2020.

Explore Qualcomm’s 5G revolution

In the next two, more advanced lessons of our 5G master class series, we will dive deeper into 5G’s benefits to society, to industry and to the global economy.