The Telecom Revolution has been characterized by a number of transformations more recently. The tech world now celebrates the birth of a new technology which is 5th Generation Technology (5G). What really is 5G? Different connotations have been given to describe this latest technology. 5G entails a Fifth Generation type of mobile internet connectivity that is characterized by faster downloads if not at super speeds, extensively wide coverage as well as truly stable connections (Eddolls 2). Chicago large technology businesses are hoping for massive advancements in 5G in 2020 so they can use the newly built 5G network to scale their businesses.
Being the fastest new telecom technology, 5G is rated to have the ability to work with 45 Mbps that is megabits per second (Verizon 1). Its outstanding features leave businesses with no other choice but to grasp onto it, imagine 10 and 20 times faster navigation and download speeds. “The Adoption of 5G will be even faster than what we saw on 4G, which was already fairly fast” (Green). 5G is connoted as telecom technology that is faster than any other wireless connection (Green 2). A brief look on 5G shows that it started being pilot tested in 2016 in many Latin American countries that include; Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Peru amongst others.
When taking a glance at the evolution of telecommunications we are able to see many important technologies that came before 5G such as Edge, 3G, 4G, and even 4G LTE. The United States is the leader in developing innovative telecommunications networks and services being followed closely by China (Green 5). Telecommunications has dramatically transformed in the past few years thus posing either positives or negatives for businesses. Several decades ago wireless networks were on the come up and had invested millions into major research in improving communication and wireless technology which led to the birth of 4G and subsequently 5G. In the same vein, the race to continue to advance the industry can be seen in our Nation’s history with Bell Systems at the forefront and even Lucent technologies following closely behind until the establishment of telecom providers that used hybrid fiber and coaxial cables (Eddolls 4). This went on until the development of the internet as well as the rise of huge tech players that include; Google, Microsoft and Cisco. Off late, the wireless market erupted which resulted in the birth of 5G that we have today. Major businesses in Chicago have already started using 5G technologies in which we see Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T being the leaders in Chicago to adopt the technology (Green 1).
These and other various technology transformations paved way for much broader benefits of using 5G. “5G is the fundamental platform for the fourth industrial revolution and will become an integral part of societies and civil infrastructures just like roads, energy and transportation” (Verizon 6). According to Deloitte Insights Report, the global success in business we have today has been created by advancement of telecommunications technologies such as the internet and other wireless communications. New markets have emerged, product sourcing, online markets, increase in revenue and strengthened communications for businesses (IBM 2). It is widely noticeable that major companies have been able to network with other companies through the use of the internet and other wireless technologies that do not exclude 4G and 5G amongst others. Chicago will see true transformation out of using 5G technology for many different settings such in hospitals, financial institutions and other businesses. Additionally, now tasks that were once considered impossible can now be remotely done for example, operating machines remotely (Syncsort 7). Furthermore, 5G can potentially provide all of these advantages; greater speed in transmissions, lower latency, increased number of connected devices as well as network slicing.
On the other hand, 5G technologies have been snubbed by some businesses to be associated with high costs. The adoption of 5G appears to be a heavy cost for growing companies as well as some in developing Nations (Deloitte Insights report 23). In addition, the consumers in Chicago still have mixed reactions about the impact of 5G as a whole considering misconceptions about the health implications of massive 5G networks. In addition, mobile devices that are using 5G are still trending at very high costs thus negatively shaping the quick adoption of the technology.
In a nutshell, the emergence of the new 5G network technology in Chicago has promised a worthwhile change for business as well as economic growth. The problems associated with 5G are not yet pronounced leaving some uses uncertain.