5G technology

5G technology, or fifth generation of mobile networks, is the most recent standard of wireless communications, which started to be implemented in 2019, fruit of years of research and the development of network infrastructures. It is characterized because it uses a frequency range wider than previous technologies, and by having represented a large advance in different aspects of mobile connectivity.

On the one hand, the 5G network is characterized by a much greater speed than that of its predecessor, of up to 20 Gbps, compared to the maximum speed of 1 Gbps of 4G. To give us an idea, if with 4G we could download a high-definition film in around 3 minutes, with 5G technology we can do it in a few seconds.

Moreover, 5G connectivity has drastically reduced the time devices take to send and receive data (latency), to just a few milliseconds. This advancement not only allows us to hold much more fluid online meetings, but it means, for example, enabling the carrying out of remote surgical interventions or the implementation of driverless vehicles.

On the other hand, 5G technology allows the mass connection of devices to the network, a very important step in the development of smart cities and the Internet of Things.

The jump to 5G has opened a door to the use of applications that were out of our reach with the 4G network. In our daily lives, this standard already allows us to make, without interruptions, ultra-high-definition video calls, as well as play online without delays and download multimedia content in seconds. It has also allowed the increasing implementation in our homes of smart appliances and other devices of the Internet of Things and home automation, such as thermostats, lighting systems, or smart locks.

In important fields such as medicine, the 5G network makes it possible to supervise the vital signs of patients in real time, carry out operations from different parts of the planet, and multiply the speed of diagnoses and research processes, amongst other achievements.

In transportation, 5G makes the real-time update of routes in our navigation applications possible, as well as instant communication between autonomous vehicles and operational infrastructure. In industry, it has opened doors to the automation of certain jobs through connected robots and the supervision and maintenance of machinery in real time.

Moreover, 5G, thanks to the advances it allows in connectivity, has represented the revolution of virtual reality and augmented reality, such as simulators and immersion devices for training, professional, or entertainment purposes.

At Repsol, the potential of 5G technology is helping us to advance in the digitalization and sustainability of our industrial operations. A clear example of this is the project driven by the IRIA consortium, whose aim is to promote the decarbonization and digitalization of one of our industrial centers. Through a reliable, robust, and scalable communications network, based on 5G, this project seeks to enable new operations and applications that optimize production processes.

Both in speed and in the connection capacity of devices and the reach, 5G has made our wireless communications evolve in an exponential manner, if we compare this technology with 4G and 3G:

• 3G networks allowed a speed of up to 2 Mbps. With 4G technology, we went to a speed of up to 10 Gbps, and with 5G, up to 20 Gbps.
• Data sending and receiving time with 3G networks was from 100 to 500 milliseconds; with standard 4G it was reduced to 50 or 100 milliseconds, and with 5G, to 1 or 2 milliseconds.
• If 3G technology allowed thousands of devices to be connected, and 4G, tens of thousands, current 5G allows the connection of millions.
• 3G connectivity applications were reduced to basic browsing and the sending of emails. 4G technology brought with it streaming and sending and reproduction of high-definition videos. 5G has represented an enormous leap with regards to the possibilities of mobile networks, with the development of the Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles, among other applications.

5G technology presents great potentiality that it is already allowing huge technological advancements, but it also faces challenges, technological, economic, and social challenges. On the one hand, the universalization of the 5G network requires the implementation of much more base transceiver stations and antennas than previous networks, which implies a high cost and complex logistics, which can also delay its implementation in countries with fewer resources.

Moreover, from the legal point of view, the development of 5G networks requires international agreements and regulatory adaptations in each country ahead of the assignment of the frequency range necessary for its implementation. And, from the cybersecurity point of view, mass connectivity also increases cyberattack risks. They are all challenges that will have to be faced in the coming years to be able to explore the entire potential that 5G gives us.