Simply put, the impact 5G (fifth-generation) wireless broadband will have on your business will be unprecedented. Internet speeds will become much faster and in today’s business, there’s no such thing as an internet connection that’s too fast—at least if it doesn’t come at a significantly higher price.

Cloud solutions are becoming the go-to technology, and consumption of rich-media content such as VR and streaming 4K video will become an everyday experience for most. As the amount of data that businesses store increases, bandwidth is increasingly becoming one of the most valuable commodities of our age.

Key features of 5G:

The main benefits of 5G technology include:

Faster Speeds

5G is set to be significantly faster than previous generation networks, with some alleging as much as 100 times faster than existing 4G networks. It is suspected that 5G will offer speeds as fast as 10 gigabytes per second, which means having the ability to download a full HD movie in less than 10 seconds (on a 5G network) compared to 10 minutes on a 4G network.

Lower Latency

There will be significantly less delay or lag when using your phones and other mobile devices. Presently, with 4G networks, latency is around 40 to 50 milliseconds, whereas with 5G it would be 1 millisecond or less, which is virtually undetectable to the user.

Reliability

5G is expected to be ultra-reliable, meaning no dropped calls or spotty connectivity, and it will allow for more critical use cases such as those related to connected cars and digital health.

Greater Capacity

The networks will be able to cope better with many high-demand applications simultaneously, from connected cars to smart technology and simultaneous HD video streaming.

Flexibility

5G networks promise increased flexibility. Network slicing allows a physical network to be divided into multiple virtual networks so the operator can use the right slice depending on the requirements necessary for use.

Improved Battery Life

Although one would reasonably assume that 5G would drain your battery life more quickly, 5G is being heralded for its ability to extend the battery life of devices by up to 10 times.

Several Ways 5G Will Directly Benefit Businesses

Make no mistake about it, 5G will markedly improve businesses of all sizes and types. Here are several ways:

Productivity

A key benefit of 5G is that it will enable businesses to work more quickly and efficiently, in turn saving costs and increasing revenue.

Lower Costs

The shift from a hardware to a software-based network environment will bring about lower overhead for mobile operators. Those savings will then be passed on to business customers.

Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR)

The augmented and virtual reality applications that 5G is expected to support could have significant applications in various industries—particularly retail, property, manufacturing, gaming and tourism. Experts say the AR and VR markets will reach $292 billion by 2025, thanks in part to 5G.

Rural Innovation

Many countries are looking to 5G to better connect rural communities, allowing more people to start businesses from home and opening up opportunities in agriculture, broadcasting, and utilities.

Tailored Networks

With network-slicing, it will be possible for a business to practically own their own private 5G network, specifically set up for the specific needs of its business. Not only will 5G offer a much greater capacity across a much wider range of spectrums, it will also use that space far more intelligently, only assigning the resources necessary for each application.

Remote Working

Though remote working has existed for more than a decade, it hasn’t taken off as much as initially thought. With 5G, businesses will have constant uninterrupted access to a fast, reliable internet connection.

If 5G delivers on its promises, many expect the introduction to ignite the fourth industrial revolution-where everything is connected, digitized, and processed. Not only will this transform many existing industries, it will create new ones, along with other exciting opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

As 5G makes switching to cloud technology even easier, Heritage Communications can help streamline the transition to take advantage of the faster speeds. Learn how Heritage Voice can boost your organization’s productivity or give us a call today to get started.