Will 5G replace Wi-Fi? No, but in some use cases it might

2022.02.18

5G is well suited for a number of emerging use cases and may replace Wi-Fi or other technologies in some cases. Let's explore a few key 5G business use cases. The journey to ubiquitous 5G is well underway, and many people now have the latest cellular technology in their pockets. But true 5G performance remains uncertain because of the variability of the band and deviations from strict performance specifications. However, no matter how you slice it, 5G and its potential remains impressive. Early predictions that 5G would somehow eliminate Wi-Fi proved wrong. In the meantime, however, 5G is adapting well to some emerging use cases and may replace Wi-Fi or other technologies in some cases. Let's explore a few key 5G business use cases. Many different 5G use cases fall into this broad category. Road sign and sensor networks, port and fleet operations, and mobile broadcasting are just a few of the many examples where the low frequency of 5G can provide connectivity to remote network devices. With the higher speeds and lowest latency of any cellular technology to date, such technologies will continue to enable even more possibilities. Of course, in order to use these systems in sometimes inhospitable environments, the network needs to exist. This will be an area of interest as 5G replaces earlier technologies and how carriers expand their coverage to deliver more of the promise of 5G. 2. High customer density, challenging RF environments Wi-Fi network designers have struggled to build successful Wi-Fi environments in places like professional sports arenas and industrial manufacturing facilities. Packing hundreds of Wi-Fi units tightly into a large public venue (LPV) and managing the radio frequency (RF) on the infrastructure and clients can be a painful paradigm when thousands of clients are present with a wide variety of device types and behaviors. Whether in the public or private sphere, 5G has the potential to redraw the LPV space and reduce reliance on fragile Wi-Fi designs. 5G's controlled negotiation and ability to accommodate more customers per unit make it a potentially exciting option in the LPV space. As with stadiums, manufacturing facilities may also pose a challenge to Wi-Fi designs and restrictions on unlicensed frequencies at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Production equipment often requires wire-speed timing to operate in the most efficient manner, and 5G at least claims to do this better than 4G and Wi-Fi. Private 5G in the 3.5 GHz band offers the clean spectrum options that manufacturing once dreamed of. And, where 5G's short-range millimeter wave frequencies are available, high-bandwidth wireless options - such as video surveillance - become very real. Backhaul for short-term connectivity There are places in the world today that don't have LAN or Wi-Fi coverage, but may need it next week. If the need for connectivity is short-term, then traditional methods are expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes unjustifiable. Think of outdoor festivals or short-term COVID-19 test sites that may sit idle for years after immediate use. In these cases, 5G used as an ISP or VPN backhaul for temporary setup is a simple use case. The model is simple: a 5G router or hotspot provides the infrastructure building blocks for an internal LAN or wireless LAN, while providing connectivity to the Internet or back to the corporate network. Sometimes referred to as a pop-up network, 5G enables an endless number of scenarios in this space in an extremely convenient way. We are just beginning to understand the practical value of 5G. The media is full of distorted stories about the ultimate dominance of 5G, but this is by no means a narrative where the technology has to "win". There will continue to be countless personal and business use cases where Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet and 5G are "best in class" in specific situations. Sure, it's nice to have flexibility. But, as we've discussed here, 5G may be becoming the most interesting option in many market niches. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)