From the internet of things (IoT), driverless cars and augmented reality, 5G is going to be an enabler for a whole new wave of applications.
By embracing 5G, companies can ensure they stay at the top of their industry and keep competitors at bay.
“5G is going to give businesses the power to embark on more ambitious projects, through the high-speed, reliable connectivity it offers. In the current competitive business environment, anything that you can do faster and better than someone else is going to be a clear advantage,” says Carl Grivner, chief executive of Colt Technology Services, a leading provider of high-bandwidth connectivity solutions.
These innovative solutions will necessitate a much denser network and major upgrades to the conventional 3G and 4G networks if they are to reach their full potential. But many other elements need to come together to create a suitable 5G ecosystem.
The 5G technologies of tomorrow rely on mobile networks being not only able to fulfil low-latency requirements, but also to be physically closer to 5G device users, which means the creation of small cell locations all around high-population centres.
“There is certainly a discussion right now about the business cases that go with 5G and I believe that is where some of the mobile carriers are working to answer the question, ‘Are we going to deploy a new network, which is going to cost billions of pounds to construct?’ If so, what are the economics going to look like?” says Mr Grivner.
As the deployment of this technology will prove to be highly expensive, new models of network sharing that haven’t been seen in the past are expected to become popular, he says. Consumers, too, will drive the emergence of 5G.
“When the new generation of 5G-enabled mobile phones and devices is released by manufacturers and purchased by consumers, there will be a major shift in the industry. Consumers, who use 5G-enabled phones and are not receiving access to 5G, or even 4G, will start to put a lot of pressure on mobile operators to up their game,” says Mr Grivner.
In an increasingly complex ecosystem, faster data speeds are going to become more important if companies want to meet the needs of the customers of tomorrow. The growing demand on wireless networks will require robust fibre connections as this data has to be sent to a location that can handle a high level of data.
Colt has spent the past 27 years preparing for advanced mobile connectivity, with their Colt IQ Network connecting major datacentres across the globe. Today, this network covers over 27,500 on-net buildings and more than 850 datacentres.
“From our perspective, the Colt IQ Network enables 5G technology. It’s now the most suited backbone for mobile operators who need dense, metro connectivity to bring about the next generation of mobile networks. Fibre has many more capabilities than wireless spectrums and therefore can connect to anywhere in the world at phenomenal speed and greater bandwidth,” says Mr Grivner.
By partnering with Colt, companies are able to make use of an intelligent network architecture that enables them to embrace a multitude of exciting technologies, including IoT, advanced wireless connectivity, as well as transformative big data solutions.
“The impact of many applications based on 5G technologies that are currently in development have yet to be fully realised; they simply just haven’t been thought of at this point in time. Over the next 24 months, expect to see a lot more innovation in terms of new devices and new capabilities, all powered by 5G,” Mr Grivner concludes.
For more information please visit www.colt.net/powering-the-future-of-connectivity
