From GSM to 6G networks, the communications Revolution
Heard of 5G? Sure you have, right? While the reality is that the roll-out of 5G networks is slower than desired, we do experience a continuous bombardment of its benefits. But JUST how useful is it in our daily lives and how relevant it is for businesses to have that 5G connectivity? But if 5G deployment isn’t even complete yet, why are we already talking about 6G? In this article I will explain why. Let’s start at the beginning.
What is 5G and what are its advantages?
5G stands for “fifth generation mobile networks”. Digital mobile networks have been deployed in their evolution from the 5G and the Internet of Things
Only a few decades have passed, but the evolution has been dramatic: while in GSM we could only send text messages of 70 characters, 3G made it possible to send e-mails with attachments. The leap to 4G enabled video calls and streaming. With 5G, the qualitative leap was even greater in terms of the services supported. An example of the capability brought by 5G was massive machine type communications (or mMTC), associated with what is known as the Internet of Things (IoT). Thanks to 5G, millions of devices can connect to the network and to each other to exchange data wirelessly. 5G is driving the digitalization of companies, of all production processes and the beginning of what is considered Industry 4.0 and Smart Farms. This was not possible with 4G as it didn’t have the capacity for it. The reason is easy to understand with a simile: we cannot extract 1000 litres of water per second from a tap like the one in our house. 5G does have that capability and enables IoT and all of the above services, plus others such as virtual reality and online gaming, at least in theory. But what is it about 5G that previous systems didn’t have that makes these features possible? One of the key differences is the bandwidth, i.e. the frequencies used to send the information via radio to the smartphone. Using another simile will surely make it easier to understand. A 10-metre truck has a greater capacity to carry boxes than a 3-metre truck. When it comes to bandwidth or frequency, the same is true: the more hertz (metres of truck length) that are available, the more data (boxes) I can transmit over the air. This translates into more capacity for services such as streaming or high-quality television. The limit here is set by the equipment (e.g. the smartphone), which has a limit to the hertz it can use, just as we can’t make trucks 1 km long. Now that we know the keys to 5G, let’s explain why the deployment of 6G networks is starting to get more and more attention and exposure in some forums. If 5G is not yet fully established, why is there so much activity around 6G? There are two main reasons why this is happening. The first is that the demands and forecasts for services are well ahead of what current commercial networks can offer. One example is extended reality or XR; another is holographic communications. Such services, although it may not seem like it now, are part of the future of society and its ability to communicate. A further example, which will have an impact on important areas such as healthcare, is the remote performance of very high-precision surgical operations in real time. Such interventions require not only that the information traversing the network has virtually zero delay, but also that the video transmission is incredibly robust, without fail. If we think of a heart operation, the surgeon needs a very high-resolution video and to receive and send information in real time. These features are not within the reach of 5G. Secondly, getting a generation of mobile networks ready for commercial launch is often a matter of years of development. It also involves numerous complex technical studies, standardisation and technical testing, as well as legislative regulations, among other factors. So far, the typical cycle between generations is 10 years, which means that if 5G was launched in 2020, 6G networks should be available to users by 2030. From the experience of previous generations, that work is likely to take more than 10 years. That’s why we were able to talk about 6G in 2018 when the 6G FLAGSHIP project was launched (https://www.6gflagship.com/). If you are curious to know more about 6G networks, there will be future blog posts that will cover the technical aspects of this new generation of mobile networks in more detail. Author: José Joaquín Escudero, Head of Mobile Communications in Gradiant’s Advanced Communications Area What does 5G have that others don’t?
Why is there already talk of 6G networks?
Medical applications
A decade for full development
