Page 47 - How It Works - Book Of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, Volume 05-15

Technology

Unused waves 4G frequency 5G plans
High-frequency 4G uses low-frequency
waves are more 800MHz-2.6GHz radio Professor Rahim Tafazolli from
readily available as waves, which can travel the 5G Innovation Centre
they aren’t typically long distances and pass (5GIC) explains the current
used for other forms through buildings. outlook for the next generation
of communication. of mobile networks.

Why is there a need for 5G?
5G will be fully focused on
Data transfer users and their needs, unlike
Data is transmitted via previous mobile
radio waves, which are communication networks. The aim will be to give
split into different

frequency bands the user the impression of infinite capacity and
reserved for different availability while juggling available resources.
types of communication. Two ways of achieving this will be to predict user
demand better so that applications perform
bandwidth-heavy tasks when the network is
least loaded – optimising network response
times where needed using a measure known as
‘latency’ – and to make better use of all available
wireless networks.
Millimetre-waves
For 5G, companies are What problems need to be overcome in
looking into using higher- developing 5G?
frequency millimetre- In developing the 5G network there will be a
waves at between pressing need to reduce end-user costs: given
3-300GHz.
that data requirements may grow up to a
hundred-fold, monthly bills cannot increase by
the same amount if emerging technologies are to
be accessible for mainstream use. Reducing
energy consumption will be another key focus,
both in order to lessen emissions and to improve

end-user benefits such as enabling longer
battery life and providing innovative energy
solutions for wearable devices. One result will be
that in the future, there will be a wide range of
Speed and capacity business models – for example, as well as paying
The greater spectrum of operators to provide us with coverage, we may
radio waves enables data to be able to charge others for the coverage we
be transferred much faster provide with our Wi-Fi routers or femtocell
and more devices to be home-base stations.
connected at once.
Direct connection What will be the main benefits of 5G?

These base stations could 5G won’t be simply a new network like 2G, 3G
be fitted to buildings, and 4G were. It will be a heterogeneous network

lampposts, buses and cars (HetNeT) that will provide wireless coverage in
for closer, direct access to an environment with a wide variety of wireless
our mobile devices.
zones, ranging from an open outdoor

environment to office buildings, homes and
underground areas. In particular, the network
and devices will decide how to use the access
Tokyo’s 5G stadium networks available in that location (2G, 3G,
variations of 4G, Wi-Fi, small cells, wide-area
In the race to develop 5G, it seems most companies are mobile etc) and different frequency bands in

setting global sporting events as their fi nish line. order to deliver sufficient capacity to all active
Samsung hopes to launch a temporary 5G network in users so that they have the impression that the
time for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South capacity is always suffi cient.
Korea, while Huawei is aiming to trial 5G at the 2018
FIFA World Cup in Moscow. However, it’s Japan that’s
hoping to play host to the world’s first commercial 5G

network, just in time for the 2020 Olympic Games in
Tokyo. The Japanese government has invested in
several local companies to develop the next generation
of mobile technology, and plans to implement it into its
Olympic Stadium. It is hoped the planned 80,000-seat
venue will feature several small base stations, providing
each spectator with a whopping one gigabit per second
Tokyo’s futuristic-looking Olympic Stadium of data-transfer speed. This will make it possible for © Zaha Hadid Architects
could host its own 5G network everyone to share their opinions, photos and videos 5GIC at the University of Surrey is the UK’s centre for 5G
from the games in real-time. research and development

How It Works 47