Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Tuesday 12 February 2019
AP Explains: The promise of 5G wireless - speed, hype, risk

By MAE ANDERSON and ABLE?
TALI ARBEL A true U.S. mobile rollout
NEW YORK (AP) — A much- will start in 2019. It will take
hyped network upgrade a few years to go national,
called "5G" means different and even then more rural
things to different people. areas of the country will not
To industry proponents, it's be covered in the "millime-
the next huge innovation in ter wave" frequencies that
wireless internet. To the U.S. promise the highest data
government, it's the back- speeds and capacities,
bone technology of a fu- said Michael Thelander,
ture that America will wres- CEO of wireless consultan-
tle with China to control. To cy Signals Research Group.
many average people, it's Thelander predicts that
simply a mystery. China may lag the U.S. by a
The technology is one of year in its initial rollout, but
the issues expected to take will ultimately have the big-
center stage at the MWC gest deployment, while Eu-
mobile conference in Bar- ropean countries will build
celona, Spain, this month. out more slowly.
The interest goes well be- Beware of confusion,
yond engineers: In Wash- though. Wireless carriers
ington, there are fears that have a history of rushing to
China could take the lead In this Jan. 9, 2019, file photo a sign advertises 5G at the Qualcomm booth at CES International in slap the latest-and-great-
in developing the technol- Las Vegas. 5G is a new technical standard for wireless networks that promises faster speeds; less est label on their networks,
ogy and sell equipment lag, or “latency,” when connecting to the network; and the ability to connect many devices to and this time is no different.
the internet without bogging it down.
that could be used to spy Associated Press AT&T has already applied
on Americans. the name 5G on a service
What, exactly, is 5G wireless WHAT IS 5G? — the fifth, naturally — that connecting to the network; that's not really 5G. (Sprint,
— and will you even notice 5G is a new technical stan- promises faster speeds; and the ability to connect upset, then sued its larger
when it comes online? dard for wireless networks less lag, or "latency," when many devices to the in- rival.)
ternet without bogging it Once the network is ready,
down. 5G networks will ide- you'll need a 5G-enabled
ally be better able to han- phone to connect to it.
dle more users, lots of sen- The first ones should be
sors and heavy traffic. available in the first half
Before we can all use it, of 2019, but a 5G iPhone
wireless companies and isn't expected until 2020.
phone makers have to up- 5G phones will most likely
grade. Phones need new be more expensive than
chips and radio antennas. current 4G phones. Don't
The phone you have today worry, even when 5G turns
won't work with a 5G net- on, you can keep using
work. 4G phones, just not at 5G
Wireless companies have speeds.
been getting ready. WHAT CAN 5G DO?
They've been revamping There's a considerable
their network equipment, amount of hype over the
buying up chunks of radio promise of 5G. Industry
spectrum for carrying 5G groups say it will promote
signals, and installing new smart cities by connecting
5G antennas on cellphone sensor networks that could
towers, utility poles and manage traffic and quickly
streetlights. Wireless provid- identify streetlight outages.
ers will invest $275 billion in 5G could connect self-
5G-related networks in the driving cars and fuel new
U.S., according to CTIA, an applications in virtual and
industry trade group. augmented reality. Its high-
WHEN WILL IT BE AVAIL- speed connections could
enable better remote sur-
gery and other telemedi-
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