For me, it feels like only yesterday we were getting our heads round 4G and its benefits, now EE have committed to delivering 5G by the end of 2019. In fact, EE have already launched 5G and the initial rollout will be London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester. Of course EE are not the only network committing to 5G, Vodafone demoed a 5G holographic call in September and have since set up a comprehensive 5G trail across Manchester. It’s refreshing to hear Vodafone are ‘serious about connecting rural areas’ as its long overdue but I’ll believe it when I see it. One thing is for sure, 2019 will be the year of 5G. So before we all rush out and upgrade our mobiles, what are the benefits and do we really need 5G?
A lot of customers are frustrated with coverage ‘non spots’
Industry commentators predict each person in the UK will own 27 internet-connected devices by 2020. Goods like thermostats, dishwashers, microwaves and fridges, appliances we never even considered will be connected to the internet and will now tell us if they need a repair, need restocking or defrosting. You may have heard of the phrase ‘internet of things’ or ‘IOT’ well this is the term used for this arrangement.
With all this data being uploaded, downloaded, shared and sent it’s important we have a solid infrastructure to handle all this information. 5G is going to be so much more than just ‘faster internet on our phones’ Having a 5G infrastructure will facilitate ‘smart cities’, cars, IOT and change how we consume entertainment. Picture yourself watching live sport- with 5G’s significantly lower latency (vs 4G) you could view an alternative angle of the action in real time. Ref cam anyone?
5G will change the way we consume entertainment.
Modern Britain very much needs 5G and I am personally excited about the possibilities and solutions 5G will bring. What’s for sure is that each and everyone one of us will be taking advantage of increased coverage and speeds, even if we are just asking our smart fridge if we need milk..
