The ever-increasing capacity of the nation’s wireless infrastructure has been the backbone of the mobile revolution we experience every day. Without the power and speed of our current 4G wireless network, many of things we do—from video viewing to playing games—wouldn’t be possible. Technology never rests, however, and we are about to embark on a new phase of wireless capabilities and promises with the advent of the 5G wireless network.

The Revolution Extends Beyond Mobile Communications

5G promises an enormous leap over current 4G technology, offering:

• Operating speeds up to 10 times faster than the current standard
• Greater bandwidth, enough to connect billions of people with trillions of applications and data repositories
• Reduced energy demand
• Greater reliability
• Enhanced security

The smartphone will undergo significant upgrades in capabilities. One such advance will be mobile augmented reality, with applications ranging from overlaying data onto the real world (imagine visiting Paris, standing near the Arc de Triumph and turning 360 degrees to determine the cafes and galleries in each direction), or being inside your favorite band’s music video and viewing your surroundings in all directions. (The Black Eyed Peas have already created such an app.)

5G, however, won’t just make our smartphones smarter, but it will make almost every human endeavor smarter. Consider some of these very real-world applications.

Autonomous driving simply doesn’t happen without 5G, since it requires that thousands and even hundreds of thousands of cars be connected to one another and through other transportation infrastructure in order to operate efficiently and safely. That can’t happen until there is a wireless infrastructure capable of instantaneous response times and unfailing reliability.

Managing cities will also get smarter. By connecting the varied infrastructure and operations of a city (e.g., water pipes, city lights, emergency services, public transit), and having them communicate with one another, public services will be managed more efficiently and city residents will enjoy an improved living environment.

Manufactures should also benefit as they connect factories, suppliers and even machines on the factory floor to gain greater production efficiencies.

Health care will see some dramatic advances as well, from adoption of telesurgery to smart bandages that can communicate the status of the healing process wirelessly.

In the future, you may also find that your client interactions, including presentations rich with visuals and data, will be done by wireless connection regardless of location.

The developments in technology are ever-evolving, and this is yet another advancement that will change how the world operates.  Whether personally or professional, the arrival of the 5G wireless network will have a lasting impact.

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