5G - 4th industrial revolution or crime against humanity? Pt 1

To understand 5G and what it means to this planet, Supernal Magazine has taken a very in-depth look at this area.

This is not about scaremongering but rather to offer up links and detailed information as best we can, to help educate our readers and point them in the direction of understanding the drivers behind 5G.

5G for many mobile phone and internet users is about upgrading from 4G. It’s the next level upgrade to keep up with technology. But is 5G just another upgrade for higher speed and quicker download or is it more complicated? This article aims to explore 5G and investigate the technology behind it. What is its history? What are the benefits and disadvantages of 5G and is the disruption an opportunity or a global health catastrophe?

A brief history of 5G Historically, we have witnessed wireless technology development from the first-generation 1G to 5G. Introduced in the early 1980s, 1G provided voice calls. Next came 2G that spawned the first digitally encrypted telecommunications to improve voice quality, data security, data capacity and transmission. In the late 1990s, 3G networks provided voice calls, faster data transfer speeds, data streaming and mobile internet access. In 2008, 4G featured data transfer 10 times the speed of 3G, enhanced quality video data and increased network speed.

Now in 2019 the buzz is 5G. According to the Whistleout 1 comparison site marketing to the noninternet savvy consumer, it is about faster network speeds, as fast as 20Gbps and a minimum download of 100Mbps. The minimum speed is equal to the fastest current NBN rate. It features lower latency, which is the speed data travels from your phone to the internet and back. 5G will provide more simultaneous device connections. Other benefits include autonomous cars, connected machinery and the Internet of Things 2 (IoT) devices. 5G is considered to have unlimited potential.

Drivers of 5G So, what is driving 5G worldwide? What are the market conditions? According to the Defense Innovation Board (US, 2019) 3 , 5G will enable new technologies that will change the standard of public and private sector operations, from autonomous vehicles to Smart Cities, virtual reality and battle networks (cyber warfare).

First movers in the telecommunications industry are positioned to set industry and technological standards for those that follow. First movers make billions, generate jobs and lead in technology innovation. The first mover sets IT architecture. For example, in the early 2010s, AT&T and Verizon deployed LTE (Long Term Evolution) in the US winning the auction (2008) for the 700MHz spectrum. The network was rolled out to 10 times the consumer network compared to 3G networks. The stepchange in performance drove adoption of new handsets (iPhones) and new semiconductors moving more data and faster.

Companies such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Netflix built new applications using the bandwidth. This initiative drove global US dominance in wireless and internet services as an ecosystem over the past decade.