How 5G Has Changed Engineering Design

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Numerous applications can benefit from the high-bandwidth, low-latency capabilities offered by 5G, especially as advances in technology continue to strain infrastructure.

www.eetasia.com, Sept. 13, 2022 – 

The past decade has seen unprecedented advances in technology, including the widespread use of smartphones, billions of internet-of-things devices being deployed in all areas of industry, the introduction of Industry 4.0, and the rise of edge computing. But this technological growth is not slowing down. While this is advantageous in many ways, it is also straining infrastructure. It is clear that next-generation technology will not be able to function unless this infrastructure issue is met head on.

One particularly troublesome factor is the introduction of cloud computing because it removes the need for individual devices to process their own data. Although this dramatically simplifies their design and lowers their cost, it also requires higher bandwidth and lower latency.

Edge computing is one solution that can alleviate some of the issues that cloud computing faces. However, because edge computing devices will likely be in a local network, bandwidth restrictions can see performance degradation for other internet-connected devices connected to the same network.

Network tech challenges

Numerous network technologies exist, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages. The major network technologies in widespread use include Wi-Fi, cellular, long-range (LoRa), and cables (that is, fiber).

Wi-Fi provides an excellent balance between speed, latency, and cost, which is why it has dominated the home wireless market. But the higher frequencies that 5 GHz and 6 GHz use reduce their effective range.

Cellular networks like 4G have been developed with mobile technologies in mind, and as such, they offer excellent characteristics with range and device support. However, they are impractical for real-time IoT applications. They have large download speeds but suffer from latency due to the length of time waiting for a time slot.

LoRa radio is a network technology that is gaining popularity in remote IoT applications due to its low energy requirements and long-range capabilities (over 15 km in some cases). To reduce energy consumption, LoRa has an extremely small bandwidth and is only ideal for sending bytes of data. (It is not suitable for live-streaming video.) As such, LoRa is commonly found in remote industrial sites, such as oil pipelines, farms monitoring large amounts of land, and environmental sensors identifying potential forest fire risks.

Optical fiber, also called fiber, is the ultimate solution when it comes to speed and latency, because using a physical connection removes the need for a high-energy antenna, sensitive receivers, and complex network hardware. However, the physical nature of cables means that only devices physically attached to the cable can utilize the network.

What 5G offers

Unlike its predecessor, 5G has been designed with connectivity in mind, with a key focus on IoT devices, edge computing, and cloud computing. As such, its primary aim is to give customers higher speeds, lower latency, and infrastructure that can improve network services.

5G utilizes higher frequencies in the microwave region, which increases its bandwidth (reaching as high as 20 Gbps) and utilizes multiple nonoverlapping channel frequencies. Additionally, the use of MIMO antenna and beamforming further reduces the interference between devices operating on the same channel.

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