There’s plenty of confusion about 5G, or fifth-generation mobile technology, since it’s a work in progress and one that’s subject to extensive testing and development. First, 5G is neither an established industry standard nor does it apply to specific devices. For now, this “new type of mobile connection” is primarily a marketing term that refers to the successor of 4G (or fourth-generation) mobile technology.
One thing’s for certain, internet speeds are only going to get faster, which means cloud solutions and employee mobility are only going to become more important to doing business. Despite the confusion surrounding 5G, there’s no doubt that it will have a profound impact on both businesses and consumers, even out here in Ashburn. It will create new opportunities with faster connections and better mobile coverage, just like previous mobile developments.
Accelerating the Growth of 4G Networks
Perhaps one of the most interesting and surprising consequences of 5G is that it will encourage the growth of its predecessor, 4G. Many parts of the US and the rest of the world still lack 4G mobile connectivity, especially rural areas. As governments and telecommunications providers start implementing newer and faster 5G networks, 4G will likely become the new minimum standard. For many small businesses that is great news, particularly for those who are stuck with painfully slow 3G networks.
5G is also likely to accelerate the adoption of cloud solutions, which have already become mainstream in small-business technology. Although it will be some time before 5G becomes available to consumers, the rollout of 5G will have an immediate benefit to organizations that already embrace the mobile workforce trend. Cloud solutions require fast networks and reliable internet connectivity, which means outdated mobile technology could hurt your bottom line.
Encouraging Better Business Communications
Every major telecom provider will be fighting to release the first and best 5G plan. In the US, companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are already working on releasing their high-speed 5G networks. Businesses should expect to see download speeds of over 500 Mbit/s, which for reference is some five times faster than current 4G networks. In fact, speeds could be even higher since the technology is still in the experimentation phase.
Once these speeds become standard the opportunities presented to businesses and consumers alike will be enormous. These performance levels will allow you to hold ultra high-definition video conferencing, communicate without ever worrying about your connection, and access resource-intensive cloud apps.
Furthermore, cloud providers will be able to offer a wide range of services to allow even the most hardware-hungry of businesses to migrate to the cloud. For example, hardware-intensive workloads such as 3D graphic design, virtual reality, and video editing could be streamed over the internet to your phone. Currently, that’s not even close to possible due to bandwidth restrictions and slow connections.
Will Your Business Really Need 5G?
In today’s business, there’s no such thing as an internet connection that’s too fast, at least not if it doesn’t come at a significantly higher price. Where we’re heading, cloud solutions are going to become the go-to technology, and the consumption of rich-media content such as VR and streaming 4K video is going to become an everyday thing for many of us. As the amount of data that businesses store grows, bandwidth is becoming one of the most valuable commodities of our time. Keep an eye on the 5G news so you can be one of the first companies to reap its benefits once it becomes available.
SinglePoint Global helps businesses in and around Ashburn get more from their technology with tailor-made solutions built to align with your corporate goals. Call us today if you’re ready for IT services and support you can depend on.
BACK TO MAIN PAGE