The fifth-generation mobile network known as 5G promises to deliver higher multiple Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) peak data speeds and ultra low latency. This will give our telecommunications technology a massive network capacity with increased availability, as well as a more reliable and uniform experience for more users.

The network began being deployed in 2019 and will ultimately replace the existing 3G and 4G networks, which themselves previously replaced the 1G and 2G networks. The new 5G network is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together via our devices and anything else that is part of the Internet of Things.

Connections to The New Networks Increasing

The number of 5G connections in North America had reached 44.6 million by the middle of 2021, according to research organization Omdia. They also report that this number is a massive increase of 67% on the number of connections at the middle of 2020.

At the same time, there were 501 million 4G LTE connections in North America, which represents a small quarterly decline of 0.66%. This strongly indicates that the conversion to 5G is well underway, even if 4G will still be with us for some time yet.

Globally, the total number of 5G connections has now reached 429 million, say Omdia, which is an increase of 124 million from the first quarter of 2021. The rise keeps the world on track to reach approximately 692 million connections by the end of the year.

The Benefits of 5G Mobile Networks

While many firms are taking advantage of 5G as soon as they can, there are many who do not yet feel it is a justifiable disruption. The current 4G networks still work fine for them, so the advantages are not so clear. However, there are multiple ways that 5G is significantly superior to 4G.

The new network is much faster than 4G, delivering up to 20 Gbps peak data rates and over 100 Megabits-per-second (Mbps) average data rates. The capacity of 5G is also greater, having been built to support a 100-fold increase in traffic capacity and network efficiency. The fifth-generation mobile network will also have lower latency, meaning more instantaneous and real-time access.

The unified 5G platform is a much more capable platform that supports new services and interactions, such as with the Internet of Things. Another massive benefit of the unified platform is that 5G also natively supports every type of spectrum including licensed, shared and unlicensed, as well as all the bands including low, mid and high.

Users will also benefit from a wide range of deployment models including traditional macro-cells and hotspots, as well as multiple new ways to interconnect such as via multi-hop mesh or device-to-device.

To find out more about 5G and how it could benefit your business, please contact our team on +1 800 974 7219 ext. 202. Alternatively, complete the online form here.