The 5G
Revolution
How speed and latency are set to impact the
world as we know it and how IBM will play
a pivotal role.
The 5G
Revolution
How speed and latency are set to impact the world as we know it and how IBM will play a pivotal role.
Why all the buzz
around 5G?
We live in an era defined by speed and change. All the new technology created to make life easier, safer, and healthier requires permanent availability and incredible data transfer speeds to deliver real-time results.
5G at its peak potential could be instrumental for developing revolutionary applications unlike anything that exists today outside a wired environment. These applications are varied, but there is predicted growth in fields like autonomous driving, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Beyond speed and latency, 5G standards will have a much higher connection density, allowing networks to handle immense numbers of connected devices.
Massive IoT
Massive conectivity
Gigabytes in a second
Smart city cameras
Voice
Sensor networks
Capacity enhancement
Enhanced mobile broadband
Gigabytes in a second
3D video - 4K screens
Work and play in the cloud
Augumented reality
Industrail and vernicular automation
Low latency
Ultra high reliability and low latency
Self driving cars
Mission critical broadband
Sensor networks
A much better
broadband
Generally, “better” means “faster” in terms of wireless communication, but having throughput is a byproduct of a larger goal. Wireless communication happens over a set spectrum of frequencies. Since existing frequencies are limited, 5G uses various aggregated bands to unlock bandwidths of over 1GHz. Today, many of us enjoy streaming videos on our smartphones. 5G will improve that experience by making it 10x better not just for one individual, but for anyone streaming a video at the same time by creating a data super-highway. This enables industry-specific applications by allowing connectivity between millions of devices in a square mile.
Better broadband
5G wireless network infrastructure revenue will nearly double between 2019 and 2020.
Extended reach
Telecom carriers can expand their market to remote locations that were previously unreachable and increase connectivity levels in areas that currently rely primarily on wireline communications.
Faster everything
5G technology makes it possible to deliver connectivity, communications, and any type of content anywhere with virtually no perceptible delay.
Better broadband
5G wireless network infrastructure revenue will nearly double between 2019 and 2020.
Extended reach
Telecom carriers can expand their market to remote locations that were previously unreachable and increase connectivity levels in areas that currently rely primarily on wireline communications.
Faster everything
5G technology makes it possible to deliver connectivity, communications, and any type of content anywhere with virtually no perceptible delay.
Massive Machine-Type Communication
An estimate of over 5 billion mobile devices are currently in use around the world 2 and all these devices need a safe, fast, and secure wireless connection to perform in the way they were intended. This includes devices that require connectivity, such as the meters that record gas and water consumption, the chip in your dog’s collar or all the sensors on an automated assembly line in a smart factory.
5G and the massive number of connected devices and sensors that communicate with each other via wireless technology (described as the IoT - the Internet of Things) are key in creating the interconnected world of the future.
Smart tech
We are on track to a future where we can get tech support for our entire infrastructure with the help of an AR app, or we can safely train staff anywhere with the help of virtual reality. The number of applications is endless.
Industry 4.0
5G increases the real-time cooperation across the globe. Imagine that technicians with specialized skillsets are able to control machinery from everywhere in the world, reducing risk in hazardous environments. Production lines can be almost completely automated and, since everything can talk to everything in real-time, efficiency can surge dramatically.
IoT saga
The Internet of Things has barely scratched the surface of its own potential. 5G is poised to facilitate the connection of everything requiring a low latency internet connection, from home devices and appliances to autonomous vehicles, paving the way for an environment in which every device is “smart” and connected.
Smart tech
We are on track to a future where we can get tech support for our entire infrastructure with the help of an AR app, or we can safely train staff anywhere with the help of virtual reality. The number of applications is endless.
Industry 4.0
5G increases the real-time cooperation across the globe. Imagine that technicians with specialized skillsets are able to control machinery from everywhere in the world, reducing risk in hazardous environments. Production lines can be almost completely automated and, since everything can talk to everything in real-time, efficiency can surge dramatically.
IoT saga
The Internet of Things has barely scratched the surface of its own potential. 5G is poised to facilitate the connection of everything requiring a low latency internet connection, from home devices and appliances to autonomous vehicles, paving the way for an environment in which every device is “smart” and connected.
Ultra-reliable low latency communication
Latency, in wireless speech, is the time it takes for the round-trip from the request to the response. 4G networks have a 100-millisecond latency, yet video conferencing still lags -- 5G is set to reduce latency tenfold.
Lower latency will be a prerequisite for next-generation applications and will impact many current ones. The ultra-low latency scenario could be a game-changer, enabling mission-critical applications such as:
- Industrial automation
- Drone control
- Virtual reality
- Sensors
- Remote surgery and medical intervention
- Military applications
No lag
You can access your favorite content anytime, anywhere, because 5G is built to minimize delays. It provides a fast, reliable environment for data to travel and reach your devices nearly instantly. With 5G, downloads of your favorite show can be over 90% faster.
Connect anywhere
Crowded places and events congest cellular networks and make it harder for you to enjoy your devices or connect to friends and family. 5G provides stable, fast network connection not only for you, but for everybody in the crowd using the technology, without limiting speed. You can get a signal even in remote locations.
Master devices
5G enables connecting everything to a smartphone via apps, creating a simple panel that controls and connects all the devices in your life and all the services you use, providing 10X better experience on your personal devices with faster browsing and seamless downloading and streaming.
Health benefits
The low latency of 5G helps improve areas like telemedicine, remote physical therapy and recovery, remote surgery, microsurgery, and numerous fields where AR is a business strength. Imagine having sensors in your home, monitoring your health and reporting in real time to a medic that evaluates your state and easily takes the appropriate action, from anywhere in the world.
No lag
You can access your favorite content anytime, anywhere, because 5G is built to minimize delays. It provides a fast, reliable environment for data to travel and reach your devices nearly instantly. With 5G, downloads of your favorite show can be over 90% faster. 3
Connect anywhere
Crowded places and events congest cellular networks and make it harder for you to enjoy your devices or connect to friends and family. 5G provides stable, fast network connection not only for you, but for everybody in the crowd using the technology, without limiting speed. You can get a signal even in remote locations.
Master devices
5G enables connecting everything to a smartphone via apps, creating a simple panel that controls and connects all the devices in your life and all the services you use, providing 10X better experience on your personal devices with faster browsing and seamless downloading and streaming.
Health benefits
The low latency of 5G helps improve areas like telemedicine, remote physical therapy and recovery, remote surgery, microsurgery, and numerous fields where AR is a business strength. Imagine having sensors in your home, monitoring your health and reporting in real time to a medic that evaluates your state and easily takes the appropriate action, from anywhere in the world.
Bonus:
The economic difference
5G is set to make an important economic impact. CTIA–The Wireless Association, estimates that 5G will generate $500 billion in economic growth and will help create up to 3 million new jobs4.
A current issue facing the industry is balancing income with expenses in a world where customers expect and demand better technology at low cost.
5G makes an economic difference because it doesn’t require major infrastructure investments to implement, since it builds on existing equipment. The fifth generation is expected to unleash a massive IoT opportunity, hugely beneficial for telecom companies, enterprises and end consumers alike.
Experience
IBM has a long history of running data centers and working with sensitive data. This is the precedent for products that manage virtual infrastructure with built-in security.
Private connections
Enterprises contemplate the possibility of implementing private 5G networks. These will be, in essence, next-gen LANs (local area networks) that will incorporate 5G technologies to deliver speed, latency and other benefits to dedicated networks within specific areas, enabling a secure communications channel, better connectivity and optimized services.
How IBM can help
support the 5G
transformation
5G is an evolution of the technologies that mobile carriers already use, but the sheer scope of the jump from 4G to 5G makes it revolutionary by industry standards. With the help of a more sophisticated infrastructure, algorithms, and specialized technology, the fifth generation will offer several cost-effective performance benefits that will be essential in the future.
In anticipation, operators are in the process of building networks and IBM® is ideally positioned to help. We have systems in place to help with management, service assurance, client technology, analytics and machine learning that we can provide to both operators and the enterprise. IBM offers cloud, security, and infrastructure support services that represent a trustworthy foundation to build on.
Experience
IBM has a long history of running data centers and working with sensitive data. This is the precedent for products that manage virtual infrastructure with built-in security.
Expertise
IBM understands the complexity of the telecom business and has industry and technical experts prepared to tackle the confusion and uncertainty that accompanies the advent of 5G (business process automation, digital rights management, content management, distribution agreements).
Experience
IBM has a long history of running data centers and working with sensitive data. This is the precedent for products that manage virtual infrastructure with built-in security.
Expertise
IBM understands the complexity of the telecom business and has industry and technical experts prepared to tackle the confusion and uncertainty that accompanies the advent of 5G (business process automation, digital rights management, content management, distribution agreements).
Start your journey to 5G with IBM.