5G Technology "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sought inputs from telcos and other industry experts on the sale and use of radiofrequency spectrum over the next 10 years, including the 5G bands.

What is 5G technology?

5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks
5G is the fifth generation cellular technology that apart from increasing the downloading and uploading speeds over the mobile network, also reduces the latency i.e. the time taken by a network to respond.
5G will provide download speed of 1 Gbps, which is at least 100 times the existing data speeds.
It also increases energy efficiency and offers more stable network connections.
5G will have a wider area in the frequency spectrum (range of frequencies) that will ensure no network congestion.
In addition, it will also ensure connectivity to a full circle i.e. everything is connected to every other thing.
The standards for the usage of 5G are defined and driven by 3rd Generation Partnership Project.

Evolution from First Generation to Fifth Generation

1G was launched in the 1980s and worked on analog radio signals and supported only voice calls.
2G was Launched in the 1990s which uses digital radio signals and supported both voice and data transmission with a Bandwidth of 64 Kbps.
3G was launched in the 2000s with a speed of 1 Mbps to 2 Mbps and it has the ability to transmit telephone signal including digitised voice, video calls and conferencing.
4G was launched in 2009 with a peak speed of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and it also enables 3D virtual reality.

How does 5G work?

All 5G networks chiefly operate on three spectrum bands.

The low-band spectrum has been proven to have great coverage and works fast even in underground conditions. However, the maximum speed limit on this band is 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
In the mid-band spectrum, though the speeds are higher, telcos across the world have registered limitations when it comes to coverage area and penetration of telephone signals into buildings.
The high-band spectrum offers the highest speed but has extremely limited network coverage area and penetration capabilities.

What does it mean to be 5G ready?

Globally many companies have been deploying 5G networks across their service areas as early as 2018.
Not only the network, but the devices will also have to be 5G ready for customers to be able to enjoy the maximum benefits of the latest upgrade in mobile broadband.
One of the major improvements in 5G is the use of beam tracking to follow all devices on the network to ensure consistent connection in real-time for the device.
5G networks are also designed to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) efficient which improves signal throughput for all devices on the network.

Three bands of 5G

The low band spectrum has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
This means that while telcos can use and install it for commercial cellphones users who may not have specific demands for very high-speed internet, the low band spectrum may not be optimal for specialised needs of the industry.
The mid-band spectrum, on the other hand, offers higher speeds compared to the low band but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.
Telcos and companies, which have taken the lead on 5G, have indicated that this band may be used by industries and specialised factory units for building captive networks that can be moulded into the needs of that particular industry.
The high-band spectrum offers the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.
Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G have been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.

Where does India stand in the 5G technology race?

On par with the global players, India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G services as soon as possible, with an aim to capitalize on the better network speeds and strength that the technology promised.
Indian private telecom players have been urging the DoT to lay out a clear road map of spectrum allocation and 5G frequency bands so that they would be able to plan the rollout of their services accordingly.
One big hurdle, however, is the lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with some companies due to their AGR dues.

Global progress on 5G

More than governments, global telecom companies have started building 5G networks and rolling it out to their customers on a trial basis.
In countries like the US, some companies have taken the lead when it comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their users.
A South Korean company, which had started researching on 5G technology way back in 2011, has, on the other hand, take the lead when it comes to building the hardware for 5G networks for several companies.

Applications

5G is expected to offer enhanced mobile broadband that can meet high coverage requirements.
It will offer very high upload and download speed.
5G can diversify services and has potential to demonstrate spectral efficiency.
High data speed of 5G Network might help cloud systems to stream software updates, music, and navigation data.
5G will help to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our daily lives.
It will also facilitate the ecosystem for the Internet of Things (IoT).
It will help in digital growth of country that will result in rise of GDP and employment generation in the country.

Internet usage in India

In India, the reliance of people on mobile networks to stay connected as well as work from home during the pandemic has resulted in average traffic per smartphone is the global highest.
Low prices for mobile broadband services, affordable smartphones and increased time spent by people online all contribute to monthly usage growth in India.

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