With continued nurturing and support, 5G can play a significant role in the next administration’s plans.
The 21st century has already witnessed some of the most powerful, influential innovations in history. From major investments in wired and wireless networks, to the development of wearable technology, the most recent decades have been a revolution in the tech space. But we’re far from done.
“5G” wireless networks are coming and they will help bring about innovation only once dreamed about.
President Barak Obama captured the nation’s increasing pace of innovation in a September opinion piece, highlighting how “self-driving cars have gone from sci-fi fantasy to an emerging reality with the potential to transform the way we live.”
Without getting into the technical details, 5G will be much different than the current networks we use and know today. These 5G networks will be much faster, more reliable, use less energy, support higher densities and offer lower latency.
“That’s nice,” you say, “but what does it all mean? And why should I care?”
According to Ericsson’s most recent Mobility Report, mobile data traffic in the U.S. continues to grow at a staggering pace – with a 50% increase this past year alone. Of note, the report also indicates that by 2022, global monthly data traffic per device is expected to climb to 25 gigabytes – significantly higher than most services offered today. 5G connectivity will allow this explosion in traffic to be managed more efficiently, meaning webpages will load much quicker, and you will be able to download pictures, emails and songs in a fraction of the time.
“Faster” in the 5G world also means the development of never before seen applications and the advancement of existing ones. For example, one of the biggest improvements 5G could provide is to those who are unable to go online at home due to a lack of broadband infrastructure in their area. Often experienced in rural areas, this issue is known as the “last mile” problem. With 5G, those living in these communities would have rejuvenated opportunities through a high-powered, ubiquitous wireless network.
In addition to the online adoption implications, 5G networks offer tremendous prospects for growth in telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. With increased wireless speeds and the ability to support larger quantities of data, it will be easier for patients to connect virtually with medical practitioners to assess health issues. In this 5G world, an ambulance team could use a wireless device to both talk and stream high-quality, real-time images to a medical team from the site of an accident. When it comes to emergency care, time equals lives and getting help on the spot will help drastically increase the number of lives saved.
Lastly, the spread of the “internet of things” (connected refrigerators, coffee makers, thermostats, etc.) depends on denser network infrastructure. With current networks there is a limit on how many devices you can have online and still work efficiently. 5G will eliminate that issue entirely. Further, not all IoT applications are designed to be used in the home. A common example of this is in agriculture, where farmers increase efficiency through the use of censors in their fields. With 5G networks, censors could be more widespread and more numerous, decreasing water usage, waste and costs.
“So, when is 5G coming?” you ask. That’s where things get a bit murky.
Industry experts anticipate a “5G arrival” in the U.S. around 2020 or 2021, but the standards have not yet been agreed upon. In an attempt to accelerate this timeline, the Federal Communications Commission in July voted to open up much needed wireless airwaves for 5G, which was a significant first step.
While there are numerous partisan fights to be had in the next few years, technology policy must not be one of them. As the nation heads into somewhat uncharted tech waters under the Trump Administration, it is incumbent upon our nation’s leaders to continue to enact policies that spur innovation and move the 5G ball forward.
In this vein, President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration have a fantastic opportunity in 2017 to not only build on President Obama’s broadband legacy, but exceed it and use the benefits of 5G connectivity to deliver on the promise to make America’s local towns “great again.”
President-elect Trump campaigned on his capacity to negotiate deals for Americans – with 5G he has a golden opportunity to do just that.
Todd Fitch is a professor at the University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and principal of Fitch Consulting.
Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Reality Check section is where C-level executives and advisory firms from across the mobile industry share unique insights and experiences.
