Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo has given a clearer definition of 5G technology at the second Quarter Open Forum of the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) for the Year 2021 on Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Abuja.
Presenting his lead paper; titled: “Deployment of New Technology for Improved Consumer Experience, 5G Misconception and Conspiracy Theory,” he averred that “5G is the next generation of wireless network technology. It is expected to provide faster connections with much higher capacity and very fast response times, allowing many more users and devices to access faster internet connections and large amounts of data at the same time.
“It is the fifth generation of wireless telecom technology (a progression on 2G, 3G & 4G) predicated on the twin pillars of increased speed and reliability.5G will offer a significantly improved user experience by reason of its enhanced latency capabilities evidenced by much faster data exchange and response times.
In comparison to 4G, 5G is expected to be up to 10 times faster and provide near 100% availability, coverage, and reduction in energy usage.
In Q3 2020, the worldwide median download speed over 5G was 954% faster than over 4G while the median upload speed over 5G was 311% faster than 4G.
5G is also expected to provide efficient support for larger numbers of connections, enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). According to OfCom, 5G offers greater capacity, allowing thousands of devices in a small area to be connected at the same time.
“5G delivers improved data rates (up to 100 times faster than current mobile networks), supporting virtually instant access to services and applications, with network latency significantly reduced. In addition, it offers network slicing technology making it possible to dedicate a unique part of a 5G network for a particular service”
Continuing, Adebayo noted that “5G is expected to see a greater number of small cells (low powered base stations that can be mounted on buildings and street furniture) and will require wider deployment of full-fibre broadband infrastructure.
“5G networks and the Internet of Things (IoT) generate great opportunities.
Therefore current permitting and site acquisition regime will not work in the deployment of 5G due to very many stations that would be required and the high cost of permiting and site approvals.
“The deployment of 5G will also require significant investment from mobile operators and other stakeholders. We need more investment in the sector.
He said “In terms of possibilities and use cases, the following examples are instructive:
• Improved data rates: Due to its increased speed (likened to that of broad band) and ultra-high frequencies, more data is moved compared to previous cellular broadband network standards. For customers, it translates to supply of information much more quickly and in turns increases productivity and efficiency. According to the GSMA:
• Enhanced Communication capabilities: 5G enables increasingly intelligent personal assistant in the cloud providing information and offering on-demand services to Customers.
• Connectivity to Edge Computing: 5G promises to improve the operations of enterprises through cloud-native 5G networks with strategically distributed computational power allowing for more data to be processed and stored. In effect, will scale up their use of data for insights and decision making.
• Sports and Entertainment: 5G’slatency efficiencies which result in faster data exchange times, promises improved entertainment experiences at sporting events with options like virtual reality content streaming (higher resolution videos) and augmented reality enabling real-time data insights on players. Better crowd control at sporting venues using data analytics and machine learning.
• Retail and Product Delivery:5G enables smart manufacturing through the deployment of intuitive, machine-assisted systems which will free-up manpower and manhours for more strategic purposes. Itcan empower drone to facilitate product & service delivery to remote and otherwise inaccessible locations
• Urban Development:5G enables smart buildings, smart homes, and smart cities through the deployment of control systems which use 5G connectivity to intelligently enhance daily activities like parking, traffic control& waste management. This also includes the deployment of autonomous/self-driving vehicles that use the latency and bandwidth of 5G to remain connected to intelligent navigating networks, and by so doing reduce traffic and emissions
• Agriculture: the increased connectivity which 5G allows for real-time collation of information and sharing of learning/experiences across borders – resulting in enhanced yields and output.
