The concept of 5G Internet has been theorized for several years, but now the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has finally agreed on how to define the network. A 5G network is one that can achieve maximum speeds of 20 gigabits-per-second.
The ITU is an organization apart of the United Nations (UN), which regulates issues having to do with global communication technologies. A case in point, definiting exactly what 5G will mean when it is introduced as a consumer product. The ITU hosted a conference in June, where the specifications of 5G networks were decided, the Korea Times reported Thursday.
Many involved in the development of 5G Internet, including smartphone makers and telecommunication companies, say the standard could be commercialized by 2020. The recent defining of 5G Internet puts us one step closer to that goal.
Here are some examples of what 5G Internet might be able to do once it is a commercialized standard.
- 5G or 20 Gbps would be fast enough to download an 8 gigabyte HD movie in six seconds.
- 5G networks are expected to run constantly without sudden drop outs.
- 5G would power the Internet of Things, in which everyday objects could have network connectivity and would be able to communicate with each other without human manipulation.
- 5G could allow a driverless car and a 5G connected road to communicate information about a car accident ahead, which will stop the car before it could crash.
- 5G could allow people to remotely control heavy machinery from miles away.
- 5G could allow companies to deploy advertisements to patrons in a public area based on their mobile browsing history.
- 5G could allow people to use a mobile device to find available parking spaces in a city, without having to sign up for a specific service.
- 5G could allow doctors to perform surgery remotely, by controlling a robot in the operating room.
While these are examples of what 5G may be able to do when it is commercialized, some say that the real technology that comes with 5G will come only after there is an existing 5G network on which to develop.
The ITU hopes to implement 5G during the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Korea, which would be the first time 5G is used commercially. After that the Union wants to begin distributing international spectrum for 5G networks in 2019, in preparation for a 2020 launch, according to the Korea Times.
Now that we know what 5G is, the standard must be further finalized. This will take place at the ITU’s Radio Assembly in Geneva in October. The 5G standard will be formally named IMT-2020, following IMT-2000 or 3G and IMT-Advanced or 4G.
