5G Will Revolutionize The Way India Communicates

Remember the time when 4G came to India and everybody was gearing up for the mobile internet revolution? That feels like forever now. While we were still grappling with 4G, the next big frontier of cellular technology- 5G is about to arrive. Now, when you think of 5G, think of a connected environment where your gadgets and apps can communicate with each other, cars can self-drive, VR entertainment becomes a reality, and you get to browse the internet on break-neck speeds. With every new generation of data technology, we experience higher levels of network connectivity and with the arrival of 5G, the mobile revolution will get many times bigger.

If we are to go by the buzz that has taken over the tech world, it looks like the day is not far behind. Telecom major Airtel which has redefined the way the country communicates with its high-speed internet is all set to bring 5G to India. The tech giant is a flag bearer of internet connectivity and was also the first telecom service provider to initiate 4G in India. This time again, Airtel has been conducting multiple tests around the county to make India 5G-ready. During one of the testing sessions, Airtel achieved an incredible 3Gbps internet speed on 5G and recently, it also successfully operated a drone from a remote visual line of sight, which is an achievement par excellence in the 5G ecosystem.

With Airtel work-horsing to build an expansive 5G environment in India, here’s how its arrival will change the way we browse, connect, and live.

Increased bandwidth

Almost a decade back, the progress bar on our web browser wouldn’t load web pages as swiftly as it does now. This is simply because bandwidth- the amount of ‘space’ available for people to download, upload, browse, and watch videos, was small. With the foray of 5G technology, bandwidth size will see a drastic increase that will make internet connectivity fast and even more reliable. 5G can, in fact, offer a download rate of up to 20Gbps and an upload rate of up to 10Gbps, enabling people to do a lot more on their devices with the use of the extensive bandwidth.

A world of connected devices as the Internet of Things (IoT) attains real-world application

As smart devices gain popularity, the onslaught of 5G cellular technology can also give way to a connected world as the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes a reality. How, you ask? IoT, at its simplest level, is a network of smart devices connected to the internet so that they disseminate enough information for you to control them even from
remote locations. As 5G connectivity arrives to provide superfast bandwidth speeds, ultra-low latency, and ten-times the geographic coverage, it will give a major overhaul to the IoT ecosystem by allowing the rapid transmission of enormous amounts of data between connected IoT devices, and powering applications that demand real-time connections.

Entertainment reaches new planes with reduced latency

Latency is the time taken by a network to garner a response to a search or request made by an internet user. With 5G set to provide low latency rates, network communication delays will become much lesser. It is an important advantage in areas where the time taken between sending and receiving data needs to be the least. This feature will not only allow 5G cellular connectivity to provide new things but it will also aid in modestly improving what internet users are already doing. Things like VR entertainment, multiplayer mobile gaming, self-driving cars and quick response activities can become a reality with low latency 5G networks.

Energy efficient consumption

5G network, being super fast and efficient, will also ensure that the battery drained by devices to keep connected to the network will be lesser. This holds long-term benefits in saving energy and reducing the overall carbon footprint of our internet devices. But in the short-term, you’ll have to worry a little less about your phone discharging.

Heralding new innovations across industry vertical

5G, as a fresh technology, also holds the potential to act as a blank canvas for future applications, most of which are yet to be invented. While it might be too early to predict, the innovations that 5G technology promises can be expanded and adapted to both current and future technologies. The advantages of 5G are hence not just limited to the entertainment, transportation and the service sector but can also stir industries and military facilities.

If we are to go by the words of Bharti Airtel’s CTO Randeep Sekhon, the 5G future looks quite spectacular. He said, “Airtel has built a world-class network that is ready to serve the explosive growth in high-speed data services in a market with over one billion subscribers. Partnering with Cisco will help us transform our network architecture to enhance customer experiences while concurrently preparing for 5G and the era of connected things.” In fact, this is one of the many partnerships that Airtel has made to make India 5G-ready. Under this partnership, Airtel collaborates with Cisco Customer Experience to expand IP services to the remotest markets.”

With Airtel’s 5G services in the country expected to roll out by 2020, there’s no doubt that the next big shift in the way we live is about to happen.―Times of India