Is 5G what the human ecosystem has been waiting for?
Published: 2021-02-27 15:14:58

Today's cyberspace is shaping more like a transportation network. These smart roads continue to evolve to make our journey smoother and faster than ever. 

Wireless communication 📶  is something that lays the foundation for these *smart* things to exist. In other words, wireless communication is becoming a fundamental necessity for most activities in this modern era. 

In case you were living under a rock, or somehow you exist in an alternate dimension wireless communication has had a breakthrough with the announcement of the 5G protocol. 


##What is 5G?
The infamous 5G, as a simple google search would tell you is the 5th Generation of technology standard for broadband cellular networks. 5G can provide quicker, more reliable, and more flexible data transmission than the generations before. This quantum jump in connectivity has created a tremendous opportunity for varied industries e.g. remote monitoring devices in healthcare and allowing improved vehicle-to-vehicle communications. Making the future of autonomous cars more feasible. 

[This article explores the effect of 5G on individual industries. Have a look at it if you feel frisky.](https://www.cbinsights.com/research/5g-next-gen-wireless-system/#what)

Unlike the previous generations “5G” employs the millimetre wave (mmWave) frequencies where the connection range is short however the speed is comparable to that of a wired fibre connection. The question then is how would "5G"  be able to cater to a large area? Well, the answer is more cells (in simple terms more points for connections), small [cells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_network) that are going to be distributed in clusters counting on where users require a connection will complement the macro network which gives wide-area coverage. 
##Why it excites me?
The thing fascinating about 5G beyond the speed of data transmission (for me at least) is its design. The core network in 5G is redesigned to better integrate with the internet and cloud-based services and also includes distributed servers across the network improving response times (latency). Many of the advanced features of 5G including network function virtualization (as the name suggests it is the virtualization of internet technologies into nodes so that they may be able to join together for communication) and network slicing for various applications and services, is to be managed within the core. 

[If you want to take a detailed look at the underlying principles of 5G I would recommend you check out QUALCOMM’s page.](https://www.qualcomm.com/invention/5g/what-is-5g#:~:text=A%3A%205G%20is%20designed%20to%20deliver%20peak%20data%20rates%20up,just%20how%20fast%20it%20is.)

##Conclusion 
As the 5G era is approaching, it's not merely about being a medium for communication; it's about being a catalyst for the transformation of technology and blurring the boundaries between a more traditional broadband network and the wireless network. 5G alone perhaps cannot change the direction of the world in this matter, but it certainly has levelled up the playing field. To an extent where I would get it as soon as it launches in Pakistan, but  I would have to wait for more than an eternity. An eternity accommodated by the devil (PTCL).


<a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/5g">Cover Image</a>