Although it is estimated that there will be 25.4 billion internet-connected devices worldwide by 2030, network requirements for latency, bandwidth and security among these devices vary greatly. For example, a sales representative using a smartphone to check an order status will need far less bandwidth and be less latency sensitive than a semiautonomous truck on the highway.
Fortunately, new capabilities and features can allow businesses to tailor experiences for different users, devices and applications connected to a 5G mobile network. Processes such as network slicing and the ability for operators to provide Network as a Service (NaaS) options could open up a myriad of new use cases that could let businesses take greater advantage of 5G.
Companies that wonder how 5G technology could help change the world may find answers in these new services. The networking innovation of 5G helps to further enable new applications and tasks such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality.
Benefits of 5G capabilities
5G mobile networks offer opportunities for higher speeds, lower latency and greater capacity than previous mobile networks, such as 4G.
- Higher capacity can support bandwidth-hungry applications. For businesses, 5G can enable better videoconferencing and AR collaboration tools for remote teams.
- Low-latency communications support applications for which even small amounts of lag can pose large issues. Examples include enabling near real-time health monitoring for medical staff or giving physicians AR overlays to provide relevant, near real-time and complex data during surgery. It can also give devices on the edge—such as autonomous vehicles—the low-latency they need to help make and execute split-second decisions that could save time, money and even lives.
Across many sectors, organizations in retail, education, construction and beyond can discover how 5G can allow them to provide new and exciting experiences. For example, manufacturers with heavy industrial equipment could use new 5G capabilities to monitor the state of their machinery and perform smart, proactive maintenance, order new supplies or anticipate logistics challenges on the horizon before inventories get low. Better yet, 5G allows almost instant communication with supply chain partners.
Network slicing the 5G mobile network
Network slicing enables operators to provision a customer’s network into logical segments for different sets of use cases, devices, and applications, meaning that the traffic from one slice does not interfere with that of another. While crude forms of network slicing have been available on previous network technologies, network slicing with 5G will open up a host of new opportunities.
For example, an autonomous vehicle that will need to have a real-time feedback loop through connectivity with the edge data center can have that via its 5G network slice, while the computer vision application that will send large data bursts at intervals over the network will be able to use its network slice without being concerned about whether the network be able to perform when and how it is needed.
Network as a Service options
5G capabilities and network slicing could allow businesses to make the most of NaaS offerings, in which customers consume their network infrastructure on demand or when needed. Similar to how companies adopt cloud-based applications such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), NaaS offerings virtualize the servers, routing, storage and switching devices, with management handled by a third party. This approach could allow companies to try new technologies without having to buy additional networking equipment, which could potentially become outdated as technologies advance. Other potential benefits include:
- Increased performance and agility as NaaS can be ramped up or down depending on business needs.
- Simplified and optimized resources as the network is handled by experts providing automated and centralized control and visibility. Meanwhile, an organization's IT team can focus on other business priorities.
Learn more about how Verizon's Network as a Service and 5G capabilities can transform your organization.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.