What is 5G? | CNBC Explains

Summary

5G, the next-gen mobile network, promises a 100x capacity boost over 4G, drastically cutting download times and enhancing response speeds from 50ms to 1ms. It's poised to revolutionize the Internet of Things, offering personalized network slices for tailored experiences. Despite its potential, widespread adoption faces challenges like high costs and infrastructure overhauls. Countries like China are aggressively pursuing 5G, while the West may see a slower, more competitive rollout.

Takeaways

• 📶 4G is the current mobile network used globally for communication and internet access.
• 🚀 5G is the upcoming generation of mobile networks, promising faster speeds and the potential to revolutionize the internet.
• 🌐 5G operates on a software-defined network, which could reduce the reliance on physical cables by leveraging cloud technology.
• 🔋 5G is expected to have 100 times the capacity of 4G, significantly enhancing internet speed and reducing download times.
• ⏱️ 5G will offer much faster response times, approximately one millisecond, compared to 4G's 50 milliseconds.
• 🚗 The reduced latency of 5G is crucial for technologies like self-driving cars that require real-time data processing.
• 🌟 5G is anticipated to be a key enabler for the Internet of Things (IoT), supporting the growth and connectivity of various devices by 2025.
• 🎮 Network slicing, a feature of 5G, allows for the creation of customized networks tailored to specific user needs, like gaming or social media browsing.
• 💼 5G has the potential to benefit businesses by providing personalized and scalable network solutions, especially during high-demand events.
• 🌎 The widespread adoption of 5G faces challenges such as high costs and the need for new infrastructure, which may lead to varied deployment timelines across regions.
• 🏦 Some countries, like China, are taking a more coordinated approach to 5G, which could give them an edge in technology leadership and production.

Q & A

What is 4G used for globally?

4G is used globally for making calls, sending messages, and surfing the web.

What is the main difference between 4G and 5G networks?

5G is a software-defined network that operates largely on the cloud, offering 100x better capacity and dramatically improved internet speeds compared to 4G.

How much faster is 5G expected to be in terms of downloading a two-hour film?

On 5G, a two-hour film can be downloaded in just over three and a half seconds, which is significantly faster than the 6 minutes it takes on 4G.

What is the improvement in response times with 5G compared to 4G?

5G will have response times around one millisecond, which is 400 times faster than the 4G network's response time of just under 50 milliseconds.

How does 5G enhance the functionality of self-driving cars?

5G provides a continuous stream of data to self-driving cars, allowing for quicker information delivery, which improves their performance and safety.

What is the potential impact of 5G on the Internet of Things by 2025?

5G could become the connective tissue for the Internet of Things, linking and controlling devices such as robots, medical devices, industrial equipment, and agriculture machinery, with the industry set to grow threefold by 2025.

What is network slicing, and how does it personalize the web experience?

Network slicing is a technique that creates separate wireless networks on the cloud, allowing users to create bespoke networks tailored to their specific needs, such as faster response times for gamers or data capacity for social media users.

How can businesses benefit from 5G during large events?

During large events, 5G allows organizers to pay for an increased slice of the network, boosting internet capacity and improving visitors' online experiences, especially in data-heavy situations.

What are some of the challenges faced by the mainstream adoption of 5G?

The mainstream adoption of 5G faces challenges such as high costs, the need for new infrastructure, and the potential for network operators to overhaul their current business models.

How are countries like China approaching the deployment of 5G?

Countries like China are taking a more coherent approach to 5G deployment, with government, operators, and companies like Huawei and ZTE launching large-scale trials, positioning them at the forefront of equipment production for the new technology.

What is the predicted timeline for 5G adoption in the West?

The West is expected to adopt 5G more gradually, with key industrial zones likely to adopt the technology quickly, while rural areas may have to wait longer. Some analysts predict that by 2025, nearly half of all mobile connections in the U.S. will be 5G.

Outlines

00:00

📶 The Evolution to 5G: Speed, Efficiency, and Connectivity

The script introduces 4G as the current global mobile network used for communication and internet access, and discusses the impending shift to 5G. 5G, a software-defined network, promises a significant leap in capacity and speed, with the potential to transform the internet experience. It could offer 100 times the capacity of 4G, reducing download times dramatically. For instance, a two-hour film would take over 26 hours on 3G, 6 minutes on 4G, and just over 3.5 seconds on 5G. The response time is also set to improve from 50 milliseconds in 4G to a mere 1 millisecond in 5G, which is crucial for real-time applications like self-driving cars. The script also touches on the concept of 'network slicing,' allowing for personalized network experiences tailored to different user needs. While 5G is not yet widely available, with some analysts predicting mainstream adoption by 2020, it faces challenges such as high costs and the need for new infrastructure. The script highlights the global competition in 5G development, with countries like China taking a leading role, and the potential for 5G to revolutionize home and work internet connectivity by replacing traditional phone lines and cables.

05:02

🎥 Engaging with Tech Content: Viewer Interaction and Subscription

The second paragraph shifts focus from the technical discussion of 5G to viewer engagement, encouraging viewers to explore more tech-related videos and to provide feedback on future content they would like to see. It also serves as a call to action for viewers to subscribe to the channel, emphasizing the interactive and community-building aspects of the platform.

Keywords

💡4G

4G, or the fourth generation of mobile networks, is a technology that enables faster internet speeds and better connectivity for mobile devices. In the video, 4G is mentioned as the current standard for mobile connectivity, used for calls, messages, and web browsing. It sets the stage for the discussion of 5G, highlighting the improvements that the newer technology aims to bring.

💡5G

5G represents the fifth generation of mobile networks, promising significantly faster data speeds and lower latency compared to 4G. The video emphasizes 5G as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize the internet by offering 100x better capacity, faster response times, and enabling new applications like the Internet of Things (IoT).

💡Software Defined Network (SDN)

SDN is a network architecture that allows network administrators to manage network services through software applications. In the context of the video, 5G is described as a software-defined network, which implies that it can be more dynamically and efficiently managed than previous generations, potentially reducing the reliance on physical infrastructure.

💡Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT refers to the interconnection of everyday objects via the internet, enabling them to send and receive data. The video discusses how 5G could serve as the connective tissue for IoT, allowing for more devices to be connected and controlled, such as self-driving cars, medical devices, and industrial equipment.

💡Latency

Latency in networking refers to the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer. The video highlights the reduced latency of 5G, which is crucial for applications like self-driving cars that require real-time data processing for safety and efficiency.

💡Network Slicing

Network slicing is a technique that allows for the creation of multiple virtual networks on top of a shared physical infrastructure. The video explains that 5G will enable personalized web experiences through network slicing, where users can tailor their network to meet specific needs, such as gamers requiring faster response times.

💡Infrastructure

Infrastructure in the context of the video refers to the physical components and systems required to establish and operate a mobile network. The transition to 5G necessitates new infrastructure due to its need for higher frequency bands with larger bandwidth, which is a significant hurdle for its widespread adoption.

💡Frequency

Frequency in telecommunications is the rate of oscillation or the number of cycles per second in an alternating current or electromagnetic wave. The video mentions that 5G requires a higher frequency with a larger bandwidth for optimal performance, which implies the need for new infrastructure and spectrum allocation.

💡Response Time

Response time in the video refers to the time it takes for a network to react to a command. It is a critical factor for real-time applications. The video contrasts the response times of 4G and 5G, with 5G being significantly faster, which is essential for technologies like autonomous vehicles.

💡Global Mobile Connections

This term refers to the worldwide adoption and use of mobile network connections. The video discusses the projected growth of 5G in terms of global mobile connections, suggesting that by 2025, 5G may still lag behind 4G and 3G in overall adoption but will see significant growth, especially in the U.S.

💡Wireless Network

A wireless network is a type of data communication system that does not require a physical connection. The video suggests that 5G could eventually replace traditional wired connections for internet access at home and work, indicating a shift towards a more wireless-dependent world.

Highlights

4G is the current mobile network used for calls, messages, and web browsing globally.

5G is the upcoming network promising faster speeds and the potential to transform the internet.

5G is a software-defined network, operating largely on the cloud, which could reduce the need for physical cables.

5G offers 100x better capacity than 4G, significantly improving internet speeds.

Downloading a two-hour film would take 26 hours on 3G, 6 minutes on 4G, and just over 3.5 seconds on 5G.

5G reduces response times to around one millisecond, 400 times faster than a blink of an eye.

Self-driving cars require fast data streams, and 5G can enhance their performance and safety.

5G could serve as the connective tissue for the Internet of Things, tripling in size by 2025.

Network slicing in 5G allows for the creation of customized networks for different user needs.

5G can provide personalized web experiences, benefiting both users and businesses.

5G deployment faces challenges such as high costs and the need for new infrastructure.

Some countries like China are taking a more coherent approach to 5G, putting them at the forefront of technology.

The U.S. is considering various strategies to stay competitive in the global 5G race.

5G adoption in the West may be gradual, with a patchy development style.

AT&T plans to roll out 5G in select cities, highlighting a targeted approach to deployment.

5G has the potential to change how we get internet at home and work, replacing phone lines and cables.

5G is coming and will eventually fulfill its potential, bringing about significant changes in internet connectivity.

Transcripts

That is 4G - the mobile network that's used around the world

to make calls, send messages and surf the web.

Now there are plans for 4G to be replaced by, you guessed it,

5G - a new, faster network that has the potential to transform the internet.

5G is a software defined network - it means that while it won’t replace cables entirely

it could replace the need for them by largely operating on the cloud instead.

This means it will have a 100x better capacity than 4G -

which will dramatically improve internet speeds.

For example, to download a two-hour film on 3G would take about 26 hours,

on 4G you’d be waiting 6 minutes,

and on 5G you’ll be ready to watch your film in just over three and a half seconds.

But it’s not just internet capacity that will be upgraded.

Response times will also be much faster.

The 4G network responds to our commands in just under 50 milliseconds.

With 5G it will take around one millisecond - 400 times faster than a blink of the eye.

Smartphone users will enjoy a more streamlined experience

but for a world that is increasingly dependant on the internet just to function,

a reduction in time delay is critical.

Self-driving cars, for example, require a continuous stream of data.

The quicker that information is delivered to autonomous vehicles, the better and safer, they can run.

For many analysts this is just one example of how 5G

could become the connective tissue for the internet of things,

an industry that’s set to grow threefold by 2025, linking and controlling not just robots,

but also medical devices, industrial equipment and agriculture machinery.

5G will also provide a much more personalized web experience using a technique called network slicing.

It’s a way of creating separate wireless networks on the cloud,

allowing users to create their own bespoke network.

For instance, an online gamer needs faster response times and greater data capacity

than a user that just wants to check their social media.

Being able to personalize the internet will also benefit businesses.

At big events like Mobile World Congress for example - there is a mass influx of people

in one particular area using data-heavy applications.

But with 5G, organizers could pay for an increased slice of the network,

boosting its internet capacity and thus improving its visitors’ online experience.

So when can we start using 5G?

Well, not yet and according to some analysts not until 2020.

5G was created years ago and has been talked up ever since.

Yet it’s estimated that even by 2025, the network will still lag behind

both 4G and 3G in terms of global mobile connections.

Its mainstream existence faces multiple hurdles.

The most significant of these of course is cost.

According to some experts, 5G could cause network operators

to tear up their current business models for it to make business sense.

In the U.K. for example, 3G and 4G networks were relatively cheap to set up

because they were able to roll out on existing frequencies, on the country’s radio spectrum.

For 5G to work properly however, it needs a frequency with much bigger bandwidth

which would require brand new infrastructure.

Some analysts believe that the extensive building and running costs will force

operators to share the use and management of the mobile network.

This has been less of an obstacle for countries like China, who are taking a more coherent approach.

The government, operators and local companies such as Huawei

and ZTE

are about to launch big 5G trials that would put them at the forefront

of equipment production for the new technology.

That may be at the expense of the West, where there is concern regarding Asia’s 5G progress.

A leaked memo from the National Security Council to the White House

called for a nationalized 5G network to keep the U.S. ahead of their global competitors.

White House officials dismissed the idea, but some experts predict that by 2025

nearly half of all mobile connections in the U.S. will be 5G,

a greater percentage than any other country or region.

It’s still likely however that much of the West will have a more gradual approach to 5G,

driven by competition but with a patchy style of development.

For example, AT&T pledged to start rolling out 5G later this year but in just a handful of cities.

For key industrial zones however, it’s predicted the technology will be adopted quickly,

while for many in rural areas 5G may be a long way off.

But when 5G does establish itself and fulfills its supposed potential,

it could even change how we get the internet at home and at work -

with the wireless network replacing the current system of phone lines and cables.

It may not happen overnight, but 5G is coming.

Hi guys, thank you for watching.

If you'd like to see more of our tech videos then check out these.

Otherwise comment below the video for any future explainers you'd like us to make,

and remember don't forget to subscribe.

Thanks for watching!