THE COMING OF 5G NEXT GENERATION NETWORK

Many of us remember the early days of wireless communication, and marvel at how rapidly we’ve come to today’s standard. Mobile devices, from laptops to tablets to smartphones, are now commonplace thanks to the fast data rates that modern Wi-Fi and cellular networks. New wireless devices are entering the market virtually every week, offering consumers everything from Smart Home controls and security to e-commerce devices for fast and secure on-the-go purchases. Technology has become a vital part of our lives.

The increasing demand for faster connection speeds, mobile Internet and high-definition video streaming is pressing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Carrier Service Providers (CSPs) to find newer, higher-powered, and more cost-efficient systems to meet demands.
5G Mobile Networks, also known as tactile networks, are the next generation of major telecommunications standards.
While 5G network systems are still several years away from wide deployment, infrastructure creation is taking place now. Some of the latest developments include:

• Google has recently announced the expansion of its Gigabit fiber network in several major southeastern cities. AT&T is also rolling out a fiber solution to more than 100 cities. This will enable Gigabit (1,000 Megabits) network speeds. Once available, this infrastructure will make our home networks 100 times faster.
• On the software side, open source software development is providing a cost-effective platform for enterprises, data centers and service providers.
• On the hardware side, server virtualization is making it possible to run up to six virtual servers on one piece of hardware. Experts expect that one device could soon support up to nine virtual servers, a major advance in cost and efficiency.
• New tools like Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) are making networks less dependent of hardware and more flexible for handling peak volume times and network failures.
• Many current 4G data technologies are converging to provide a common network to support the developing Internet of Things.

5G networks are the next step in powering a true mobile infrastructure and providing a wide array of multimedia services. Coupled with cloud computing, 5G is expected to bring the power of desktop computers to our mobile PCs and provide a seamless experience across a wide range of connected devices.

5G service is still under development, but is expected to be deployed in London by 2020 and should be widely available in other areas soon after. When deployed, the increased speed and bandwidth will be the basis of a whole new generation of connected devices, from smart home appliances to self-driving cars.


Written by David Greenhill, Lenovo