5G: A hotbed for technological innovations

By Magnus Ewerbring

Networks are increasingly becoming the vehicle for a range of applications, including the Internet of Things and connected devices. This technology evolution is bringing us closer to a reality of autonomous cars, remote sensors to protect our power grids, and remote-controlled equipment that will let humans perform tasks in inhospitable environments. 

5G networks are proving to be the hotbed of innovations across many industries. 

With data rates up to 100 times faster, network latency lowered by a factor of five, mobile data volumes 1,000 times greater than of today and battery life of remote cellular devices stretched to 10 years or more. Considering these abilities, I would like to chalk out what are those technological capabilities of 5G to understand the impact in our lives and how Sri Lanka6 will make its own use cases by leveraging this technology. 

Seamless connectivity: 5G vastly multiplies the number of devices the network can handle and decreases energy requirements, spurring widespread growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). Deploying large networks of sensors, such as vehicle sensors on a road, becomes more practical—with greater network capacity and longer battery life for the devices on the network. 

Near-instantaneous communication: With 4G, a self-driving car takes about 4.6 feet (1.4m) to apply its brakes. The speed of 5G would cut the reaction time, shortening the stopping distance to just an inch (2.54cm), reducing the risk of collisions and accidents.

Agile networks: Network slicing, will enable operators to provide networks on an as-a-service basis to meet the needs of widely varied industrial use cases. Speed, capacity, and latency will be dialled up or down in network “slices” to meet specific demands, whether it be managing a large group of sensors (high capacity) or controlling a remote robot (low latency).

Precise remote control: With near-zero latency, 5G will enable the quick reaction time required for operating machinery using haptic control, which allows the remote operator to “feel” what is going on in the machine’s environment. A doctor could, for instance, “feel” his patient’s body in a distant operating room to avoid slicing through a vein; a machine operator could work remotely with great precision.

How do 

industry leaders perceive 5G?

Ericsson commissioned a detailed survey of more than 650 decision-makers from eight key industries. 

The survey sought to understand how industries use communications technology today, how they expect to apply next-generation mobile technology (5G), which use cases are likely to dominate in their industry, and what business reasons will drive them to move to 5G. 

If one can distil a common sentiment from the study, it is that 5G will be an innovation engine, bringing disruptive change across industries and society. 

Worldwide mobile subscriptions now total around 7.5 billion; by 2022, the number will grow to 9 billion.  5G will accelerate this transformation and create new use cases, new revenue streams, and new business models for industries and consumers.

With 5G, industries will have connectivity that is customised for their requirements and the agility to move quickly to meet customer needs and stay ahead of the competition. Industries that will benefit the most from 5G are those that connect something in the physical world to the internet in order to create innovative products or services, provide a better customer experience, increase efficiency, or improve safety.

5G in Sri Lanka 

Ericsson in partnership with Dialog for the first time in South Asia successfully showcased the future of mobile broadband through a live demonstration of 5G technology. 

The demonstration included Ericsson’s 5G test bed, 5G New Radio (NR) and use cases such as a motion-sensing robotic arm and live 4K video streaming. 

5G research and development is natural for Ericsson thanks to our innovation, technology leadership and thought leadership. We are working towards bringing the most advanced 5G trial systems from testbeds to labs to real-world applications that support global standardisation.

(The writer is Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Asia Pacific, Ericsson.)