The fifth generation of mobile communication i.e. 5G is not going to be a mere traditional upgradation of Internet speeds from the already available 4G mobile communication technology. But it is exp-ected to be the key to unlocking the future wave of disruptive innovation in a digital economy. Known to propel the Internet of Things (IoT), and be a catalyst for a world of interconnected devices, 5G is set to upscale the impact of digital technology driven products and services on a variety of stakeholders, in multifaceted ways. Some of them, we do not even know today, but will happen tomorrow due to ingenuity and need. Therefore, we need to welcome it in India as well.
Looking at the history of the telecom sector, every transition from 1G till 4G mobile communication brought with it various benefits. This evolution not only marked a growth in mobile technology, but also demonstrated how the technology underwent a shift in terms of its utility functions.
It’s safe to say that starting from a point where voice calls were so expensive that one would be conscious of the duration of the call, to reaching a point where video calls are virtually free with mobile data being cheaper than ever before. The lives of modern consumers have been made much easier today, with constant upgrades in mobile communication technology. So what more will 5G do for consumers, and how will it disrupt business as usual, is what needs to be understood.
5G is being seen as more than just a mobile communication service for consumers, but instead as an advanced technology acting as the backbone for integrating several other technologies for simplifying mechanical functions, as well as large scale industrial applications. Not only will its enhanced speed enable Ultra HD video streaming and lightning fast downloads, its capability of Machine to Machine (M2M) communication is set to transform businesses as we know it.
Seen from the lens of consumers, 5G is set to bring real-time augmented reality and virtual reality services, ena-ble massive content streaming and real time HD gaming, introduce smart retail and also bring autonomous vehicles to life. Many social and public utility services such as health monitoring systems, tele-health services, Public Protection and Disaster Response services, smart grids and metering, mission critical security and safety services, etc. are also some of the known use cases which would be reliant upon the successful deployment of 5G.
Moving onto a business perspective, various industrial applications are likely to open up with 5G. These include smart logistics and smart factories, robotic applications and industrial automation, among others.
