Race Is Now On For 5G
While we punters may think there is much more work to do on 4G mobile telephony, this will be the year in which the industry moves on to concentrate on 5G.
The main network operates in the UK all claim to have penetration of 4G that leaves ‘just a few per cent’ of the nation uncovered.
As we carry our 4G smartphones around, the picture on the ground is somewhat different.
Outside the areas of highest population density, 4G kicks in and out with the regularity of waves over sand.
Its performance when it does show up to play cannot be complained about.
It has transformed the stodgy downloading of earlier generations and, on occasion, can give home broadband a run for its money.
You would think the operators would be looking to consolidate its performance and get their money back on their whopping investments in forests of cellular transmitters across the land.
However, apparently, even faster services are demanded, for modern lifestyles with a need to consume ever more video, music and other bandwidth hungry content on the move.
Accordingly, 5G, claimed to be able to download a feature film in less than a second, is now at the top of the agenda.
The industry movers and shakers will be gathering at Olympia in June for the ‘5G World’ exhibition and conference as development plans step up a gear, trials are planned, financing for roll outs is considered and everyone looks for an edge.
It will take a few years yet, but industry watchers are clear, 5G will be with us for the 2020s.
It will be super-fast and it will transform our communications once again.
