5G Networks and the Internet of Things [WATCH]

Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices that link over 5G networks are coming within the next four to 10 years, and they are going to be numerous. Estimations reported by Techjury predicts the worldwide deployment of IoT devices to have reached seven to 10 billion in 2018.

This number is expected to increase to at least 22 to 25 billion by the years 2021 to 2025. Intel estimates that the number of IoT devices may reach 200 billion in the same timeframe, depending on the pace of 5G deployment. A faster 5G network deployment means more IoT connected devices will be possible.

IoT Devices and 5G

The expansion of connected IoT connected devices is highly dependent on the widespread deployment of 5G network capabilities. 5G is necessary for the improvements possible in reduced latency, more efficient bandwidth utilization and increased signal strength that will enable the connection of billions of IoT devices to a global network.

Without the 5G technology enabling this IoT expansion, the rapid explosion in the use of IoT connected devices would not be possible. One of the main advantages of the 5G network is the frequency range used for the transmission signal can more easily penetrate buildings and other structures to allow signal connections.

Additionally, with 5G bandwidth speeds achieving transmission rates of up to 10 gigabytes per second this makes the 5G networks competitive with the transmission speeds over fiber optics. Moreover, 5G deployment is achieved by the strategic placements of antennas, which are far easier to install than fiber-optic connections to the same locations.

These advantages and others make the 5G technology the impetus for a major disruption in many industry sectors.

Disruptive Solutions Impact Everything

There will soon be the increasing ability to connect vast numbers of IoT devices to a cloud-based network monitoring system that can provide data for processing by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The impact of this capability cannot be overstated. Enormous opportunities exist for the data mining of “Big Data” that is collected in this way.

4G and 4G/LTE Networks

While 5G network deployment plans at a massive scale are exciting, they are still not yet completely viable. In the meantime, developers who make use of the existing 4G and 4G/LTE networks benefit by being able to create solutions that work now.

This is an effective strategy while waiting for enough 5G deployment that maybe four to 10 years in the future. It is important to use 4G networks now and then upgrade to the 5G networks when they can support the IoT devices in the multiple tens of billions.

5G networks are coming and will have a major impact on IoT device deployment. Developers who recognize this and work with the existing 4G and 4G/TE network capabilities, with a planned upgrade path to 5G systems when they are available, will likely be the ones that thrive in the face of this major global technological upgrade.