The advent of 5G means latency restrictions over data networks will come to an end. For manufacturing this is not an incremental improvement over previous communication protocols. It’s revolutionary. I will let Dijam tell the rest of the story.
Gone are the days when we wished for a seamless collaboration environment interconnected by a powerful network. Why? What was thought to be impossible has become a reality with the advent of 5G (which stands for fifth generation) networks. When it comes to manufacturing, 5G is making a noticeable difference.
Its true potential is realized when integrated with Industry 4.0 technologies. What are these?
What 5G allows is high-speed generation of data that can be translated into real-world manufacturing applications. Based on data analysis, these technological capabilities not only improve productivity and efficiency but also enable more informed decisions. From manufacturing to supply chain strategies and logistics, IoT sensors can harness the potential of 5G to create a connected, intelligent ecosystem, transforming the way companies operate.
5G is the successor of 4G, the fourth generation of mobile network technology. A quick comparison between the two is warranted. 5G can be up to 100 times faster than 4G. That means for the average consumer downloading a feature-length movie, the wait time is reduced from 50 minutes to 50 seconds. Another key measurable difference is delay or latency, going from 50 to as much as 200 milliseconds in 4G to 1 millisecond with 5G. It takes the average human 250 milliseconds to react to a visual stimulus. 5G is 250 times more responsive which is an important advantage for an autonomous robot or vehicle.
In the 2010s, 4G set the standard as the fastest and most innovative cellular technology. 4G’s promises included enhanced cell density, improved Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities and greater bandwidth. LTE, a wireless broadband standard, was introduced with 4G. The combination of 4G and LTE continues today to support traffic over cellular networks and the Internet to this day.
The beginning deployment of 5G began in 2019. Deployment was slow because telecommunications providers had to dramatically expand infrastructure to support its emergence. They are still in the process of making those changes to their networks.
The low latency that 5G networks provide means reductions in the delay between sending and receiving data. For real-time communications and control in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution this is critical. Low latency ensures millisecond response times making 5G suitable for time-sensitive tasks in industrial automation, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and other automated systems.
The higher data transfer rates, the feeds and speeds, allow for rapid and seamless two-way communication and the transfer of large amounts of data. This is essential for high-definition spatial data and video streaming, complex sensor data, and other data-intensive applications.
With 5G support for IoT devices has dramatically increased. A 4G network can support up to 2,000 devices per square kilometre. A 5G network can support 1 million. For telephone networks, utilities, and the energy grid, 5G represents a generational leap. For industry, it means the deployment of sensors, actuators, and devices making it possible for autonomous vehicles, smart factories, and smart infrastructure.
5G introduces the concept of network slicing, allowing a network operator to create dedicated slices or subsets of the network for specific uses. Dedicated network slices can control mobile communication, environment monitoring, smart homes, smart agriculture, smart meter reading, live streaming, video uploading, mobile healthcare services, the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), smart grids, and industrial control services, all requiring millisecond-level latency and near-100% reliability.
5G’s eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) is key to making augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) work for manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and other supply chain applications.
For AR and VR applications which require continuous and seamless data flow, 5G is a must. It means VR users can experience ultra-high-definition content without lag or buffering. For AR applications, high-speed real-time data streaming means digital information and 3D digital twins can overlay what a user sees when working to manufacture, assemble, operate or maintain machinery.
5G transforms the mobile AR landscape by enabling richer and more complex experiences. On smartphones, AR with 5G networks delivers more detailed, interactive content for retail applications. AR with 5G in warehousing provides pickers and packers with visual cues and directions for locating items. AR with 5G also assists in the management of inventory by providing real-time reporting on stock levels. VR with 5G allows for simulations to train warehouse staff when facing new processes or building layouts.
In supply chain training applications, 5G significantly impacts AR/VR through advanced simulation and modelling. In engineering 5G with AR/VR can help with design and prototyping. And 5G with AR/VR helps customer support by enhancing communication and collaboration.
5G complements edge computing by bringing computing resources closer to the sources of data generation. Edge computing refers to a computing paradigm where the network and devices relevant to users are moved closer. The IoT device density that 5G can support makes this possible. The immediate benefits for applications requiring automated or quick decision-making mean data delays are minimized and efficiencies gained.
If densities of 1 million IoT devices per square kilometre aren’t enough, and if a millisecond response time doesn’t cut it, then wait for 6G. Compared to 5G, 6G networks will run 100 times faster with peak data rates of 1,000 Gigabits per second. 6G will accommodate up to 10 million IoT devices per square kilometre and AI running on 6G will be revolutionary. When will we see 6G deployed? The first pilots in North America are expected to be in place by 2028, with wider commercial use available by 2030.
]]>To me this more marketing hype than reality.
5G, the new telecommunications paradigm promises worldwide high-speed wireless connectivity.
Yet there is in 5G not a lot of there, there. So far worldwide deployments amount to:
By the end of this year, 5G commercial deployments will have reached 55 in number, a small fraction of the tens of thousands of telecommunication networks in existence today.
Before 5G there was:
And now comes 5G – offering download speeds of 1 Gigabit per second and the ability to not only handle the human component of telecommunications but also the vast and growing number of non-human devices including smart sensors and switches, called the Internet of Things (IoT).
In a recent forecast, Gartner stated that 7% of communication service providers today are deploying 5G infrastructure in anticipation of the worldwide deployment of this faster paradigm. The Gartner forecast included revenue figures anticipating growth in 5G of 89% by the end of 2020 from the current $2.2 billion in 2019.
And even though we are at the beginning of 5G deployment, it is interesting to note that there are still 2G and 3G telecommunications service operators in the world. The last of them in Taiwan and Thailand, by the end of this year, may shut down permanently.
4G, LTE, and variants are currently pre-eminent, deployed by service providers globally, and likely to continue to be the dominant telecommunications platform throughout the coming decade. When you consider it took 10 years to deploy 4G in the United States, I suspect that telecommunications providers are still trying to achieve a return on their investment.
5G will make 4G deployment look easy and cheap comparatively. 5G is considerably more complex, requiring new technologies, and a far denser cellular network. Most providers will find the cost pretty steep. So even when they announce 5G deployments, what will probably be put in place is a 4G+ network that will approach the download speeds of 1 Gigabit per second but not quite get there. And as for upload speeds, don’t expect anything close to your download experience.
5G is a work in progress. The standard has yet to be finished and won’t be finalized until sometime in 2020 or even 2021. With 5G deployment it requires new chipsets, new antennas, and significantly greater cell density. For example, the EE recent 5G deployment depicted in the picture, above is promising to add 100 cell sites per month to increase speeds incrementally beyond those of 4G. Without vastly increased cell density, 5G will fail to meet expectations.
And not to put a downer on the technology, at best, 5G when fully deployed will give smartphone users the feel of a good WiFi connection, capable of streaming high-definition programming. The true promise of the technology will come about with the billions of smart sensors interacting with billions of new cellular antenna. So if you are an early adopter of a 5G smartphone like the latest Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and the Huawei P30 Pro, you may find yourself disappointed when they deliver no more than the experience of a 4G+ network.
Don’t expect 5G to become a global phenomenon in the next 5 years. 4G is showing it is more than robust enough to handle current levels of mobile telecommunications traffic. But it is far more likely if you live in South Korea, China, Japan, and the United States, (sorry the United Kingdom), we should see significant growth in 5G networks with China by 2025 representing 40% of global connectivity.
Oh, and did I mention 6G? In an article appearing on this blog site in January of this year China was already working on 6G deployment with download speeds of 1 terabyte per second and the end of any latency issues for wireless networking. The implications for IoT means instead of billions of smart sensors and devices, that number will grow to trillions, enabling autonomous vehicles, smart homes, roads, lighting, and even the emergence of an augmented reality akin to the Star Trek holodeck.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t suspect widespread 5G globally until the late 2020s and early 2030s and by then maybe it will be supplanted by 6G because in the world of telecommunications this is the ongoing state of technological disruption and innovation in our 21st century.
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