Processing...

Unisol International 8024 NW 90th St.
Miami, FL 33166, USA.
Tel. 1-305-885-2656 Fax. 1-305-489-2685

By Alberto Jessurun / June 14, 2023 / Blog

The Future of 5G: Benefits, Applications, and Challenges

5G telecommunications technology has the potential to transform the way we communicate, work, and live, but we must address key challenges to realize its full potential.

Key takeaways:

5G will offer faster download and upload speeds, ultra-low latency, and improved connectivity for businesses and individuals
There is potential to bring about significant changes in various sectors, including healthcare, education, transportation, and manufacturing
We must address challenges such as network security and the cost of infrastructure to reap the full benefits of 5G

The 5G revolution is upon us, and it's moving rapidly. While many people have not used a 5G-enabled device, full-scale commercial availability will happen in the next few years. Leading the race to dominate the technology are the United States, China, South Korea, and Japan, who have spent billions of dollars to get the right infrastructure in place.

The next-generation cellular network will transform how people communicate, work, and live through better connectivity, reduced lags, and unprecedented speeds for a broad range of devices. According to IHS Markit, this digital transformation will contribute to $12.3 trillion of global GDP by 2035.

Currently, 5G is ripe with opportunities for industries as varied as healthcare, education, transportation, manufacturing, retail, and entertainment. Business leaders looking to create new value or provide new services in these fields should consider tapping into 5G early to get an edge.

This article explores the future of 5G, its potential in different industries, and the challenges to overcome to realize its potential fully.

Overview of the future of 5G telecommunications technology

5G technology will bring many benefits to individuals and businesses. One of the top benefits will be increased connectivity due to 5G’s faster speeds, ultra-low latency, superior reliability, and huge network capacity.

These enhancements will allow more devices to connect to the internet and enable new technologies and applications, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), that aren’t feasible with 4G.

Additionally, 5G will enable faster and more efficient communication between people, devices, and machines, allowing individuals and teams to collaborate remotely in real-time with high-quality audiovisuals and without lags, using AR and VR tools.

Beyond collaboration, 5G will boost productivity and efficiency within organizations by enabling greater automation of repetitive tasks and processes. It’ll also help companies to gather more valuable insights to make better decisions.

Potential 5G applications

Here’s a closer look at how 5G adoption will affect some industries:

Healthcare

5G applications in healthcare are potentially vast. Still, the most transformational will be remote surgeries. With the technology’s low latency and high speeds, medical professionals can safely conduct emergency surgeries and life-saving procedures using robotic surgical tools from anywhere in the world.

Similarly, its greater speed and negligible latency will promote faster information flow to first responders, helping them save more lives and keep communities safer.

Other potential applications of 5G in healthcare include 3D imaging, telemedicine, advanced AI diagnostics, wearable sensors, monitoring patients remotely, and transferring large medical files.

Essentially, 5G technology will help create a new healthcare ecosystem that is cost-effective, convenient, and efficient.

Education

Deloitte estimates that 5G applications in education will enable $264 million of global real output in 2035. Some values that 5G will bring to higher education include increased access to education, enhanced learning experiences, and greater inclusivity and learning.

Having 5G universally accessible will level the playing ground, enabling students from rural communities and disadvantaged backgrounds access quality education. Additionally, it will promote VR/AR-aided learning –more immersive than traditional training methods – leading to higher student information retention and educational outcomes.

Transportation

One of the most promising 5G applications in transportation is enabling vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, where cars linked to a smart traffic management system can share information such as speed, location, and destination.

Not only does V2V communications help reduce traffic congestion, but cars with this technology can also alert drivers of road conditions and potential hazards ahead of time, further reducing vehicle accidents.

Manufacturing

The low latency, faster connection, and increased bandwidth of 5G technology will be crucial to AR and VR applications in manufacturing.

It will allow trainees to learn about difficult and potentially dangerous tasks faster through AR/VR simulations and without physically operating the machinery. Furthermore, it will boost interconnectivity between people and machines, increase safety, and aid in assembling products with multiple parts and complex configurations.

5G technology will undoubtedly unlock new efficiency, capability, and productivity levels. But we must address two key challenges to realize its potential fully.

Challenges of 5G telecommunications technology

The main challenges of 5G technology today include:

Network security

One of the biggest challenges of 5G technology is its security. While fifth-generation wireless networks boost security in some ways, such as user authentication, segmented networks, and encrypted data, they present many security vulnerabilities, including spying, hacking, and cyber attacks.

The U.S. government has on several occasions raised concerns about Huawei having security vulnerabilities in its 5G infrastructure that the Chinese government could use as a backdoor to access data and information in the network.

Furthermore, the United States has banned Huawei equipment on domestic networks and even lobbied other states against using the tech giant’s 5G network.

The virtualization of network functions in software, multiple connected devices, and diversified suppliers that characterize 5G networks further widen the attack surface, making it harder to defend against hacking and other cyber threats.

Cost of Infrastructure

Deploying a 5G network isn’t cheap – a significant investment in software and hardware is necessary. On top of that are the costs for installing the infrastructure, testing the network, spectrum licensing fees, and deployment fees required by regulators. Without careful consideration, these costs can quickly add up and frustrate migration into 5G.

While many service providers have mitigated the challenge by sharing passive and network equipment, it’s necessary to find a more cost-effective solution to realize the potential of 5G fully.

Power your migration to 5G with Unisol International

With 5G technology gaining momentum, mid-market companies and system integrators must quickly join the evolution or risk losing to competitors.

Unisol International can aid your 5G migration while keeping your network’s security, reliability, and speed at the forefront. With a focus on providing solutions with a turnkey approach, our experts can help you build a stable end-to-end system with complete network visibility.

Book a free consultation and let us know how we can help.

Working on a Project?

We'll help you find the perfect product and service package for your needs. Speak to a specialist today for immediate assistance.

305-885-2656 Hablamos Español