5G NETWORKS AND THEIR IMPACT ON IOT

5G NETWORKS:
5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G,
and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually
everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices. 5G wireless
technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, low latency, more reliability,
massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more
users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects
new industries. 5G promises the higher bandwidth and ultra-reliable communication needed for
the next generation of IoT devices to drive the digital transformation of business processes,
transportation, smart IT, and public safety.

HOW 5G NETWORK WORKS:

There are several things that distinguish 5G from previous generations, but the way it uses the
frequency spectrum is likely the most important. To deliver ultra-high speeds with the lowest
latencies, 5G networks leverage radio frequencies in two groups:
 FR1, also called the sub-6 GHz range,
 FR2 between 24 and 52 GHz.
The latter, FR2, extends into the extremely high frequency (EHF) range, also known as
millimetre wave (mmWave) frequency. mmWave defined as the band of spectrum between
30 GHz and 300 GHz. Instead of viewing 5G as a single technology, an important thing to
understand is there are three different “flavours” of 5G, each meeting different wireless
technology needs.

IMPACTS ON IOT:
5G is used across three main types of connected services, including enhanced mobile broadband,
mission-critical communications, and the massive IoT. A defining capability of 5G is that it is
designed for forward compatibility—the ability to flexibly support future services that are
unknown today.

ENHANCED MOBILE BROADBAND:

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In addition to making our smartphones better, 5G mobile technology can usher in new immersive
experiences such as VR and AR with faster, more uniform data rates, lower latency, and lower
cost-per-bit.

MISSION-CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS:
5G can enable new services that can transform industries with ultra-reliable, available, low-
latency links like remote control of critical infrastructure, vehicles, and medical procedures.
MASSIVE IOT:
5G is meant to seamlessly connect a massive number of embedded sensors in virtually
everything through the ability to scale down in data rates, power, and mobility—providing
extremely lean and low-cost connectivity solutions.

INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CONNECTED DEVICES ALLOWS FOR

SMART CITY AND BUILDING SOLUTIONS:
The increase in the number of connected devices will allow for many more sensors to be
deployed in smart cities and buildings. Right now, smart city sensors are generally relatively
limited; they’re put on lamp posts and cover the area very coarsely. For better or worse, 5G
allows for saturation of an area with small sensors. This allows for uses that range from detecting
pedestrian movement to turn on lighting – with current systems, it’s possible to have issues with
the lights failing to detect a stationary person and going back off.
Inside buildings, Bluetooth technology is already creating the ability to track people, vehicles,
and equipment. 5G, however, will allow for the transmission of a lot more data with the Internet
of Things. Imagine hospital beds that constantly update doctors on the vital signs of the patient
within.

AI INTEGRATION IMPROVES TRAFFIC CONTROL:

Imagine how a smart city with thousands of cameras could direct people around traffic accidents,
or tell people where there are places to park. On top of that, autonomous vehicles will begin to
take off. 5G networking with IoT allows cars to talk to each other and their environment,
reducing the risk of accidents and allowing for far more efficient traffic patterns. Combining all
these things will reduce traffic jams, shorten commute times, and save energy by reducing the
amount of time vehicles need to idle at red lights or wait in line.
Cars could also record the condition of their oil or brakes, notifying the owner and connecting
them directly to their chosen repair facility. Not only that, but self-driving cars could record and
transmit data back to their manufacturers that could then be used to improve both the software
and future designs.
TELEHEALTH:
Telehealth, right now, is subject to the potential of blackouts, and to poor connectivity for those
most in need of it; those in rural areas where a doctor may be an hours-long drive away.
5G will increase internet speeds in remote areas and may allow for such things as specialist
surgeons working, via robot, in small rural clinics. Combined with the personal medical kits
being worked on, it will also allow for people with contagious diseases to be diagnosed remotely,
without having to come into an office or hospital and spread it around.
Wearable health monitors increase patient engagement and improve outcomes, and are expected
to reduce hospital costs; thus freeing up money that can be better spent elsewhere.

RETAIL:
Imagine walking into a store and having your phone… or better yet, your AR glasses, tell you
where the item you are looking for is. Imagine that you can look at a dress and your gear will
pull up a picture of how it will look on you using virtual reality. Smart tags and digital signage
will allow for a much smoother and more fun shopping experience. Ultimately, there may even
be clothing printers that take your measurements and instantly make the clothes in your size.
If going to a restaurant, 5G and Internet of Things would allow your phone to connect to the
network and transmit to the hostess the number of people in your party, any food allergies, etc,
before you even walk in the door.

INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAINS:

Factories and warehouses are already using real-time tracking for inventory control and to track
parts, products, and equipment throughout the entire cycle thanks to IoT in manufacturing. 5G
promises the ability to use a single system to, for example, track a product from manufacturing to
the end-user, seamlessly, without any need to check it in or out and with the vendor being alerted
when a product is delivered… and when one is “lost in the mail.” Integrating supply chains will
reduce costs, allow for better customer service, and reduce the loss of product in transit. Such 5G
tags, if cheap enough, could also reduce porch banditry by allowing law enforcement to track
missing parcels.
For the industry, it would allow for tracking of production bottlenecks, and improvement of
processes.

NETWORK SLICING:
One of the best things about 5G is the ability to implement virtual networks. These will create
subnets that can have different traffic priorities. For example, in a hospital, the network could be
designed to ensure that a connection between a surgeon and a robot was prioritized over, for
example, communications being used by patients. Emergency transmissions can thus be
protected even if the network is reaching capacity.

FUTURE OF 5G NETWORK:
5G and IoT technology is more than just a new generation of wireless technology. It represents a
fundamental change in the mobile ecosystem, unleashing a powerful combination of
extraordinary speed, expanded bandwidth, low latency, and increased power efficiency that is
driving billions of more connections in the next five years and changing our world.
 According to the GSMA, 5G connections are expected to grow from 10 million at the end
of 2019 to 1.8 billion by 2025
 In June 2020, the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) identified 81 Mobile
Network Operators (MNOs) in 42 countries who had launched 5G commercial services,
and more than 385 MNOs in 125 countries were investing in 5G development

5G IOT APPLICATIONS IN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION:

The key benefits of 5G in the industrial automation space are wireless flexibility, reduced costs
and the viability of applications that are not possible with current wireless technology.
Industrial automation is in use today, and most likely you have seen videos showing
synchronized robotics at work in factories and supply chain applications. Today these
applications require cables, as Wi-Fi does not provide the range, mobility and quality of service
required for industrial control, and the latency of today’s cellular technology is too high. With
5G, industrial automation applications can cut the cord and go fully wireless, enabling more
efficient smart factories. As stated by the 5G ACIA, “Industry 4.0 integrates the IoT and related
services in industrial manufacturing, and delivers seamless vertical and horizontal integration
down the entire value chain and across all layers of the automation pyramid. Connectivity is a
key component of Industry 4.0 and will support the ongoing developments by providing
powerful and pervasive connectivity between machines, people and objects.”
For example, with Industry 4.0, humans and robots will be able to interact and work together; a
machine can lift heavy parts and the worker can attach them. For this to work, the robot needs to
be in constant communication with the factory and its surroundings. It has to be mobile, have
complete physical range of motion, and environmental sensors.  These advances will enable
symbiotic human-machine partnerships where each plays the role it does best.

AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) AND VIRTUAL REALITY (VR):

The low latency of 5G will make AR and VR applications both immersive and far more
interactive. In industrial applications, for example, a technician wearing 5G AR goggles could
see an overlay of a machine that would identify parts, provide repair instructions, or show parts
that are not safe to touch. The opportunities for highly responsive industrial applications that
support complex tasks will be extensive.
In business environments, you can have AR meetings where it appears two people are sitting
together in the same room, turning boring phone or 2D video conferences into more interactive
3D gatherings.
Sporting events and experiences will likely be some of the top applications for 5G in the
consumer space. Anytime you need to react quickly to a stimulus, such as in a sports training
application, it must happen with minimal latency. For example, if two people wearing 4G LTE
goggles were trying to kick a a soccer ball back and forth, it would be very difficult to correctly
time their response, because by the time their brain has received the input that the ball has come
to them, it’s too late. But with 5G goggles, the lower latency enables the receiver to see the ball
and kick it back before it passes.
We will also see more immersive experiences with AR in sports arenas. If you have a 5G phone
and AR, virtual players will welcome you and cheer you up as you walk in. And during the
game, you will be able to see larger-than-life replays and player stats.In entertainment, expect to
see more hologram entertainers and greeters. For example, we will be able to bring Elvis Presley
or Patsy Cline back to life via holograms. Or you can create your personal AR dance partner.

5G IOT APPLICATIONS FOR DRONES:

Drones have a vast and growing set of use cases today beyond the consumer use for filming and
photography. For example, utilities are using drones today for equipment inspection. Logistics
and retail companies are looking at drone delivery of goods. The trend will continue, and
together with 5G we will be able to push limits of drones that exist today, especially in range and
interactivity.
Today drones are limited to line of site and distance of the controller. If you can’t see the drone
or it is out of range, you cannot see where it’s going and maintain control. With 5G, however,
you will be able to put on goggles to “see” beyond current limits with low latency and high
resolution video. 5G will also extend the reach of controllers beyond a few kilometers or miles.
These advances will have implications for uses cases in search and rescue, border security,
surveillance, drone delivery services and more,