History of wireless technology systems and 5G (CbInsights)

History of wireless technology systems

Wireless communications have existed for over a century, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s and early 1980s that they became a commercially viable consumer service. The first generation (1G) of wireless technology systems came with the introduction of cell phones. These devices and networks allowed for mobile voice calls, but nothing more.

The second generation (2G) provided improvements to voice calling and introduced text messaging via SMS (and later media messaging via MMS), which ultimately helped the cellular industry to gain widespread adoption in the early 2000s. Later iterations of 2G introduced data transmission, but it wasn’t until 1998 that 3G allowed for media-rich applications like mobile internet browsing and video calling.

The most recent iterations of 3G are able to reach data speeds up to 4 Mbps. The most recent generation of wireless technology, known to consumers as 4G (now 4G LTE), is able to reach real-world speeds of between 10-50 Mbps, depending on the carrier. These speeds allow for mobile online gaming, live stream HD-TV, group video conferencing, connected home solutions, and even emerging experiences like AR/VR.

That said, downloading or buffering is typically required at 4G speeds. For most consumers, this is a small price to pay for media-rich wireless freedom. But for industries like transportation or healthcare, latency (the delay before data transfer) can have a direct impact on system outcomes. For example, 5G will enable near-instant communication between autonomous vehicles — communication that may prevent fatal accidents. 5G will have the biggest impact on these mission-critical systems while also providing the necessary infrastructure for tomorrow’s connected technologies.

What is 5G wireless technology?

5G is the next (and fifth) generation of wireless technology systems. It will provide speeds faster than any previous generation, comparable to those delivered via fiber-optic cables. Early testing of this technology shows real-world speeds of 700-3000 Mbps (3 Gbps), which consumers may experience once 5G becomes commercially available. Movies that took minutes to download with 4G will take seconds with 5G.

While smartphones and other mobile devices are the obvious use cases for 5G, there are many other applications for the technology. The internet of things (IoT), for example, will benefit tremendously from the speed and bandwidth provided by 5G, especially as the industry grows: Gartner estimates that over 20B IoT units will be installed by 2020, while IoT-related spending will reach nearly $3T. Autonomous vehicles, robotic surgery, and critical infrastructure monitoring are just a few of the potential applications of 5G-enabled IoT.

Industries being disrupted by 5G

Industries being disrupted by 5G

• Heathcare
• Manufacturing
• Automotive
• Retail
• Entertainment
• Energy
• Agriculture
• Financial services
• Supply-chain management