5G Technology, Deployment, and Innovation | Corning

5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks, and it is expected to be one of the fastest wireless technologies ever created. (This is not to be confused with the 5G that you may see on your Wi-Fi router, which refers to 5 GHz frequency for your home broadband network.)

5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connect new industries.

Wireless communications systems use radio frequencies (also known as a spectrum) to carry information through the air. 5G operates in the same way but uses higher and lower radio frequencies than those used by its predecessors – 2G, 3G, and 4G.

Higher radio frequencies allow 5G to carry more information at a much faster rate since this part of the frequency spectrum is less cluttered. These higher bands are called 'millimeter waves' (mmWaves) and will be used mostly in dense urban environments in the form of small outdoor cells placed at the street level on facades and poles. In lower-density areas, 5G will operate using the lower radio frequencies, known as Sub 6 GHz, transmitted by big macrocells placed on top of the towers and rooftops.

Keyword 5G vs. 4G. The three major differences between 4G and 5G are faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and lower "latency," or lag time in communications between devices and servers.

Every region of the world has its own 5G calendar since the level of investment required by operators in each country varies greatly depending on the frequency spectrum allocation, the density of the existing mobile towers, the competitive landscape, etc. However, some important global organizations predict we will see high-bandwidth 5G coverage for all streets, highways, and rural areas around 2027.

5G is expected to be the key to innovation in tomorrow's future, as it will be more than just an upgrade for faster data networks. 5G will bring about major changes in how we connect since it was designed to enable large-scale, smart, real-time connectivity.

One of the most impactful features of 5G is its low latency, referring to how fast the mobile network responds or how fast the information travels back and forth from our terminals and the network. 4G has a latency of about 50 ms, while 5G will reduce this to less than 1 ms. This low latency will allow for large-scale, precise, real-time remote control across longer distances. In practice, it could turn extremely delicate operations, such as remote surgery, into reality.