5G is the fifth generation of cellular network technology. It is designed to increase transmission speed, reduce latency, and improve flexibility of wireless services. 5G networks are virtualized and software-driven, and they exploit cloud technologies. Some key features of 5G include:
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Speed: 5G has a theoretical peak speed of 20 Gbps.
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Latency: 5G is designed to have lower latency than previous generations of cellular technology.
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Capacity: 5G can operate in both lower bands and mmWave, substantially increasing capacity, multi-Gbps throughput, and low latency.
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Connectivity: 5G supports the Internet of Things, meaning that it can wirelessly connect several thousands of smart devices like cameras and sensors to automatically collect data in real-time.
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Wireless broadband: 5G Home Internet is unlimited broadband service with no data caps, no messy wires, and no hidden fees.
5G networks are cellular networks, in which the service area is divided into small geographical areas called cells. All 5G wireless devices in a cell communicate by radio waves with a cellular base station via fixed antennas, over frequencies assigned by the base station. The base stations, termed nodes, are connected to switching centers in the telephone network and routers for Internet access by high-bandwidth optical fiber or wireless backhaul connections.
