The number of 5G connections is expected to grow from approximately 10 million in 2019 to 1 billion in 2023, a compound annual growth rate of 217%. Impressive as these numbers are, they don't convey the full significance of this development, and that's because 5G is much more than just a new generation of wireless technology.

Its combination of superior bandwidth, reliability and extremely low latency will undoubtedly fundamentally change mobile communications. But it will also boost the performance of other technologies, notably IoT, cloud and edge computing, to unlock use cases previously thought impossible. In return, these technologies will give 5G its purpose, and the means to realize its potential.

Scaling the Internet of Things to Enable Edge Computing

Since 5G transmits data 100 times faster than 4G, it will allow IoT devices to communicate faster than before. Being highly reliable, it will provide a stable connection, which is critical for devices that must work in real time, such as those used in security cameras, self-driving cars or immersive entertainment. With latency reduced to (nearly) zero, devices that require real-time network performance will be able to work without interruption, even from faraway locations – think sensors in hazardous environments like oil fields or robots used in remote surgery .

As billions of IoT devices communicate over 5G networks, all this data needs to be processed somewhere. Depending on the criticality or computing power required, this data can be processed at the edge (on the device itself), on the cloud, or somewhere in between. Self-driving cars do most of the processing in the vehicle itself because they have zero tolerance for latency. Home automation systems, voice assistants, and location-tracking applications are also suitable for edge computing. On the other hand, temperature and weather sensing devices, which typically don't require real-time analysis, can easily send their data to a central server in the cloud. But there are also use cases with processing in between (also known as fog computing) - oil wells transmit large amounts of data which cannot be processed in the sensors as this would require considerable computing power, so they are at the edge (in the sensors) A portion of the data is processed and the remainder is sent to a computer fleet located somewhere on site.

By opening the floodgates to edge computing, 5G localizes computation and storage, reducing the consumption of expensive bandwidth, as devices only need to send data they cannot process on their own to central servers or the cloud. Having said that, 5G networks will also need IoT and edge computing to demonstrate their capabilities; without this combination, data processing will continue to take place on a remote cloud somewhere, negating the low latency advantage 5G offers.

give back

In 2020, the cloud has become a game changer in IT infrastructure provisioning. When the pandemic hit, it became a lifesaver, enabling people around the world to work and collaborate safely from home. The scalability and security of the cloud make it ideal for sharing large files and providing backup and recovery in the event of a cyber attack or natural disaster; these attributes also allow the cloud to compensate for poor network speed and stability.

Now, 5G is returning the favor. With fast networks, IoT devices will generate so much data that huge cloud capacities of various forms – public, private and hybrid – will be required.

symbiosis

5G may be one of the most exciting developments of the decade, but it will only deliver on its promise when combined with other technologies such as the Internet of Things, cloud and edge computing. There is a symbiotic relationship between all these technologies, and they will go hand in hand to inspire future use cases.