08/03: Technology trends : 

Introducing 5G

This lesson will be a lecture and discussion.  

If you like you can download the handout to supplement our lecture/discussion.

We will use this lesson to present our class.  So no PowerPoint this week!

Our topic for this week is technology trends.  At first, I wasn’t sure what would be included in this lesson.   But once I got started, it just happened.  A topic stood out in front of the others, a topic which has caused confusion, fear and excitement all at once.  The topic is 5G.  And in the process, we will discuss safety, infrastructure and the use of 5G in artificial intelligence and augmented reality.  

Let’s start with the obvious:  What is 5G? 

 (Duffy, 2020) (5G, 2020)

5G stands for 5th generation mobile network.  It is a new global standard.

Previous generations of mobile networks are 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G.

1G:  1st generation.  1980s.  This was the technology behind analog voice. 

2G:  2nd generation.  Early 1990s.  2G was the beginning of digital voice.

3G:  3rd generation.  Early 2000s.  3G brought mobile data.  The beginning of smartphones.

4G:  4th generation.  2010s.  4G was the front for mobile broadband

5G:  5th generation.  Now.  5G is designed to provide more connectivity.  It has high speeds, superior reliability and negligible latency.  It can impact every industry, including transportation, remote healthcare, precision agriculture, digitized logistics and more.

What makes 5G better than 4G?

It is significantly faster than 4G (up to 20 Gbps)

It has more capacity (supports a 100X increase in traffic and network efficiency)

It has lower latency (the amount of time it takes for the cellphone to make a request and get a response)

It has a unified platform, meaning that it can work across all devices

It uses spectrum better (can work with low bands, mid bands and high bands)


What will it do for me?

With the benefits of 5G (speed, capacity, platform), you can add more technology to your experiences.  Two interesting technologies that will work better because of 5G is artificial intelligence and augmented reality. 

To see how it would work, let’s look at 2 scenarios.  One is a search for a good restaurant, the other is the search for a new couch.

Scenario: A good restaurant

These days if we want to go out to eat, we need to look at reviews for restaurants, turn on location settings on our phone, search nearby, view ratings and learn the distance.  Then pull up Google maps to find the restaurant.   That is today.

Tomorrow (the near future) you will be able to hold up your 5G phone to scan the surroundings.  Nearby restaurants will show up on the phone’s screen, along with information on the menu, ratings, customer reviews and even directions. 

How does this happen?  The phone is capturing full resolution video of your environment and sending that information to the cloud.  The higher the resolution, the greater the accuracy, but also using significantly more bandwidth.  But since 5G has such a huge capacity, the increased bandwidth can be handled easily.

It is also a lower latency issue.  Low latency means that phones can start up almost immediately.  When the data hits the cloud, computers using 5G are able to differentiate restaurants from other buildings.  The data is process, and send back to your device where the augmented reality (AR) capacities will overlay the digital call-out.  Something like this:

Scenario: A new couch

You are looking for a new couch.  You may go in person to a number of furniture stores, looking for just the right one.  Or you might save a little time and do it online.  But you also need to decide where to place it, measure the space, and think about how it will look with your other furniture. That is today.

Tomorrow (in the near future), 5G will enhance and simplify this process.  With the 5G smartphone, you are able to download details specs from the store, and use your phone to view a 3D model of where you are imagining it.  In this scenario, the 5G smartphone camera will work with the on-device artificial intelligence (AI) to measure the dimensions to make sure the couch fits.  See how this works below.





How does it work?

With 5G, signals run over new radio frequencies.  This will require updating radios and other equipment on cell towers.  There are actually three different ways to build a 5G network:

·         low-band network (wide coverage areas, but only slightly faster than 4G)

·         high-band network (super-fast speeds but signals don’t travel well and do not travel well with hard surfaces)

·         mid-band network (balances speed and coverage)

Internet service providers are building 5G networks. To do this, they install lots of small cell sites (about the size of pizza boxes) to light poles, walls or towers, and are often close to each other.  This work is being done city by city. 


How can you use it?

As consumers, you have to have a 5G enabled device.  Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, LG, OnePlus and some other device makers have already released 5G phones.  Apple is likely to release a 5G phone in fall.  And some companies are working with carriers to install personal 5G networks so they can enjoy the benefits without waiting for nationwide rollout.


What are the drawbacks of 5G? 

(O'Flaherty, 2020)

First, it will take years for all mobile connections to be 5G.  Users will have to have the device enabled for it, and it must be part of the wireless carriers set up.  They are estimating it might be 2025 before only half of mobile connections will be 5G.

There are also concerns about the security of 5G, since it will be used for things like self-driving cars and health care systems. This is because there are more vectors that can be attacked with 5G.  By its sheer speed and capacity, it will enable a huge number of connected devices, known as the Internet of Thing (IoT).  But the security of IoT devices may be at risk, since it relies on the company creating the device to ensure its security.

Left unchecked, these IoT devices (connected appliances, wireless inventory trackers, traffic cameras, wearable health monitors) can become a botnet, as these devices perform a number of unwanted tasks which can affect entire networks.  How bad can this be?  Two examples:  connected cars and healthcare.  The solution to this lies in the people who design these devices.  5G requires that all players in the system (mobile operators, manufacturers, and companies) must work together so that all pieces are connected.  And because the technology shares the structure with other players, it has the potential for mass failure across multiple networks.

Possible negative effects can include shutting off service (think of the city’s water supply), the inability of a provider to handle the older technology (4G or 3G) when 5G is not available, or even the fear that the manufacturer will create a “backdoor” allowing it to see your data.

The positive of this is that the different players are aware and (in most cases) committed to making 5G work.  And if they are successful, 5G can actually be more secure than 3G and 4G. 

Common questions regarding 5G 

(Sims, 2020)

Anytime we see something new, there are a number of questions and concerns from the public.  Much of this is due to the unknown.  Ask anyone about 5G and chances are they will provide some snippet of information, possibly false.  Here are some of the questions which have been asked in Google and Bing search engines, along with some of the correct answers.

When will it launch?

Not for some time.  And when launched, it will start in major cities, and perhaps only in the center of the city.  This is because 5G requires so many of these small transmitters to make it work.  So, in the city of New York, with so many devices requiring Internet, you would need basically a cell tower on each street corner.  The reality is that the 5G we are hearing about will most likely be a 4G+.  As said earlier, it is thought that in 2025, maybe half of devices will be connecting to 5G 

Does 5G cause cancer?

If you hear something enough, you will believe it is true.  Such is the case of 5G and cancer.  Dr. Bill Curry, in 2000, raised the question with a single graph, one showing that there is an increase in microwave absorption by the brain at higher frequencies, such as 5G.  What he didn’t show was that the study used exposed tissues in a lab and not cells within the body.  In fact, our skin can actually block radio frequencies.  In 2019, the FCC deemed cellphones with 5G to be tech safe.  (Readon, 2019) Researchers are continuing to look at this possibility, recognizing the importance of research for such a massive task.  But at this point, there is no clear consensus.

Read what the Cancer Society says about Cancer and technology.


Can 5G be used to spy?

At this point, little evidence to suggest that it can be used for espionage, but the 5G network and the hardware (cameras, devices) should continue to be evaluated for national security.  There is concern that the UK, for example, allow Chinese manufacturer Huawei to supply its 5G infrastructure.  Researchers stress that more vendors of 5G are needed.  Currently, there are three of them (Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia).  But, at this point, there is a risk that the 5G network can be highly vulnerable to cyber attack.

Can 5G be weaponized?

Can you be zapped from a cell tower with high-frequency radiation?  Most people agree that this is not an issue.  However, that is not to say that there might be a little truth to it.  The US military has been working on a prototype for crowd control.  Called Active Denial System, this device emits millimeter waves as a beam to penetrate the top layer of skin and produce an unpleasant heating sensation.  There are no lasting damages, but it can be unpleasant.  

Will 5G replace broadband?

Broadband is the high-speed Internet in your home.  And the answer is no.  The radio frequency that 5G uses has trouble with long distances and going through walls.  Even with the right hardware, it would be difficult to get a 5G signal inside.  It is a mobile technology, good for mobile things.  You will still need WiFi.

Should I buy a 5G device?

There are a few phones in the market already which have 5G capacity.  There are a number of Samsung phones, the Motorola Edge Plus, the OnePlus 8 and the LG V60 Thin Q.  They will all have 5G in their name. And you will need a 5G device to take advantage of the technology. And given the timeframe for implementation of 5G, a 4G phone is probably the best fit for most people.

Some other myths surrounding 5G (unproven)


The metal piece in a face mask serves as a 5G antenna

There is a connection between 5G and Coronavirus

Bill Gates created 5G to decrease the world’s population


View the video which addresses this myth.

Some really cool things that can be improved with 5G: 

(5G, 2020)

Let’s start with things we are already doing which use AI (a feature which will be enhanced with 5G).  This includes things like face detection, voice activation, landmark detection, hand tracking, fingerprint recognition and more.

With 5G, transportation is enhanced for security and safety.  Using a device with an AI-camera, you can have (in real time) traffic hazard warning, road safety (intersection assist, ability to detect things out of the range of site), pedestrian alerts (message to your device that someone is crossing the street) all coupled with the car which has on-device intelligence, and the ability to take all this into consideration.


5G will also enhance the smart home technologies, working with the home broadband to better communicate between the device and the Internet.  The 5G tower will work with the high-speed fiber networks to transfer data wirelessly. 


5G, using low-latency communication (less delay) can revolutionize healthcare.  Patients in rural areas can meet virtually with their doctors, and could conceivably be evaluated using additional health apps.  There can also be improvements in things like precision surgery, telemedicine, remote surgery and even physical therapy using AR (augmented reality).  Hospitals can create networks which monitor patients and track things like their habits, behaviors and activities using sensors in wearables (watches), smartphones and other connected devices.  Insurers can easily keep track of the processes and treatments.


Most exciting (and a little scary) 5G with  AI and AR

Having a strong 5G network will enhance devices that use AI (artificial intelligence) and AR (augmented reality).  This may be difficult to understand.  These videos help put it into context. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be enhanced with 5G. 

Examples of AI

Sophia, AI humanoid robot is interviewed by Tony Robbins

In this video, meet Sophia and her creator 

China is using AI in their classrooms, as they wear headbands that measure their concentration.  This video also shows show AI is used in the country. Maybe a little too much? 

Eight examples of artificial intelligence

Augmented reality (AR) will also be enhanced by 5G  

Here are some examples:

In AR, it combines the environment with virtual objects, adding layers to the experience.  You might have heard of it in the Pokémon game of 2016.  This video shows some of the future uses of AR. 

This video shows some of the newer examples of AR hardware 

This video demonstrates more the power of HoloLens 2.   (By the way,  if you want to buy one they are only $3500 on Microsoft.) 

Bottom line

5G is a new technology.  It is still in development stage, which means that research is continuing on its efficacy and safety.  There are concerns (privacy, safety, cybersecurity, health) which need to be addressed and researched.   But there are also benefits (improved communication in health, transportation, cities, commerce) which are enticing and encourage us to continue the research.  Stay tuned for more on 5G!

Activity on Discussion Board:

Discussion Topic: 

This is a really fascinating topic.  What did you take away from this lesson?  I anticipate there will be some fears on privacy, security, etc.  There may also be some who are excited about the future of transportation, or smart home devices or in the medical field.  What would you like to say about 5G?  Tell us on the Discussion board!

To get to our discussion board:

Questions? Look on our website for instructions on using the discussion board.


Works Cited

5G. (2020, May 6). Retrieved from qualcomm.com: https://www.qualcomm.com/invention/5g

Duffy, C. (2020, March 6). What is 5G? Retrieved from cnn.com: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/03/business/what-is-5g/index.html

O'Flaherty, K. (2020, February 19). How safe is 5G really? Retrieved from raconteur.net/: https://www.raconteur.net/technology/5g-2020/5g-security

Readon, M. (2019, August 8). FCC deems cellphones with 5G tech safe. Retrieved from cnet.com: https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-deems-5g-safe/

Sims, J. (2020, May 2). Browsing the Internet’s most searched 5G questions. Retrieved from raconteur.net: https://www.raconteur.net/technology/5g-2020/5g-myths-questions