Three sectors are perfectly primed for expanded investment in 5G: government, education and manufacturing
Today’s enterprises are increasingly distributed and dynamic, with the need to connect remote workers, branch offices and mobile assets — and turn the data from billions of endpoints into actionable business intelligence, using wireless WAN as the primary connection. Gone are the days of one big office with one hard-wired internet connection and a monolithic technology stack. This era requires connectivity capabilities that are easily accessed anywhere at any time, without sacrificing performance, speed or security.
Enterprises worldwide are realizing the need for a powerful, robust, 5G-enabled corporate wireless network to power digital transformation. A new study from Google Cloud and Omdia reports that eight out of 10 businesses believe that 5G is “indispensable.”
Additionally, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act authorized $1.1 billion to be tapped for 5G mobile networks and innovation — the government, education and manufacturing sectors are especially well positioned to benefit from this expanded investment.
In part one of this two-part story, we will take a look at how 5G will impact the public sector and education. Tune in next week as we explore 5G’s impact on manufacturing, as well as the challenges faced by each category.
Government/public sector – strategic streamlining
5G will be a transformative force as part of government infrastructure. 5G-enabled technology will enhance government operations by delivering real-time information to help cities become smarter and more efficient. This translates into better traffic management and public safety systems, stronger security at airports and streamlined supply chain logistics at shipping ports. It also enables improved public infrastructure, with connected communities and public spaces.
The deployment of 5G also helps reduce the total cost of ownership by allocating resources on a “just-in-time” basis and extending the life cycle of hardware to make the most of taxpayer dollars. Nemertes Research recently interviewed technology leaders and found that Wireless WAN provided significant value over legacy wired connections. Organizations using this technology were able to save an average of 53% while experiencing improved performance.
The power of a robust 5G infrastructure doesn’t end there. It will act as a force multiplier for other innovative technologies (e.g., AI and edge computing) — transforming or augmenting public services like health care, law enforcement and transportation. From a military standpoint, commanders and troops are leveraging new technologies at the network edge such as AGVs and drones, sharing information instantly to optimize operations and shifting plans based on real-time data.
5G delivers the strong network connectivity needed for realistic training and simulation exercises. The benefits of these advancements are what fueled the U.S. Department of Defense to establish the “5G to Next G” program in 2021. The program was to accelerate implementation of advanced wireless communications to perform tests, pilot deployments and full-scale implementations that would achieve the individual project outcomes enabled by 5G for military purposes. The initiative, along with other contributions from individual armed services, has upwards of $2 billion budgeted towards 5G innovation.
The security that 5G technology delivers, as it’s inherently more secure than previous wireless technologies, is another critical benefit for government agencies and the public sector.
Government and military agencies send and receive countless communications every day. Much of this information is sensitive and requires a high-level of clearance to access and review. With 5G technology, organizations can operate without fear of cyberattack and know that their networks have the best security possible. This same level of protection applies to 5G fixed and mobile CPEs, including those that offer a direct 1:1 tethered connection for when Wi-Fi connectivity is not allowed.
Education: A technology evolution for future generations
In many ways, education is at a crossroads. How educators teach, how schools are operated and what students are learning are pivoting with the help of technologies like 5G. The emergence of Covid-19 forced educational institutions from the college level all the way down to Pre-K to include distance learning in their standard operating plans.
While the majority of students are back to in-person learning, the option of distance learning will continue to be part of the education landscape, likely for good. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the U.S, said it is considering up to six new online schools for students who are unable to or don’t want to return to in-person education for the 2022-23 school year. There’s also a surge in the fully remote virtual school market. It’s clear that 5G is going to be critical to next generation classrooms — whether remote or in person.
In terms of operations and teaching tools, the rollout of 5G is making a huge difference in the way students are being educated. With augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), students of all ages will have the opportunity to have a much more immersive learning experience, resulting in increased student engagement and personalized learning. Market experts predict that the VR market in education is on a dramatic upswing. It’s safe to assume AR will see a rapid uptick during this period as well. All these tools, as well as EdTech products like smart boards, will require robust 5G enterprise networks to deliver solutions with low latency, high speeds and comprehensive capabilities.
The Digital Divide has become an important issue for now and in the future. 5G is key to closing the digital divide, especially in rural systematically underserved communities, often of color, where internet infrastructure is inconsistent and there is limited student access. For example, tribal lands are slated to benefit from $65 billion in broadband expansion thanks to recent government funding. This massive investment will deliver faster connections, quicker downloads and lower latency, meaning that students and teachers, regardless of location, can learn and do classwork without disruptions because of old technology. In short, 5G networks help level the educational playing field and will continue to be crucial to future-proof learning.
This is part one of a two-part article. Part two can be found here.
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