5G: First commercial services in the world promise a "big leap"

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A woman uses 5G services on a virtual reality device in Seoul in April 2019 — Legend

A woman tests 5G services on a virtual reality device in Seoul

South Korea and the United States launched this week the world's first 5G commercial services, promising a new wave of features for smartphone users.

Samsung has announced that its Galaxy S10 5G device would offer speeds up to 20 times faster than current phones because it began selling handsets on Friday.

Countries are looking to build 5G networks that will be crucial for future technologies such as driverless cars.

Countries are also working to address network security issues.

What is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile Internet connectivity. Users will get more data faster, with less delay. It also promises wider coverage and more stable connections.

Ed Barton, chief television and entertainment analyst at Ovum, said the move from current 4G networks to 5G would be significant.

He added that voice, 2G with text, static 3G pictures or photos and 4G video were compatible with first generation or 1G networks.

"We expect that the transition from 4G to 5G is much more important than ever."

Part of the "leap forward" will come from the ability to transfer much larger volumes of data over networks. The 5G means that more devices can be connected to the network at a better speed.

Nikhil Batra, senior research director at IDC Asia Pacific, a technology consultant, said the speeds would be 10 times faster than what is possible with 4G. Samsung said that its 5G device would be up to 20 times faster.

What will 5G allow?

Initially, 5G will bring better quality streaming and the ability to stream the streaming stream to a wider audience – a more enjoyable experience for people watching live sports or games in the cloud.

Mr Barton, of Ovum, said on the track that he was going to allow more augmented reality features, such as better mapping applications and shopping experiences. The 5G will be crucial for driverless cars.

The range of possibilities is vast, from remote surgery to holographic video calls. Mr Barton said we did not know what the "most deadly applications and use cases" would be.

"It's a bit like no one had predicted that ubiquitous smartphones with payment and localization knowledge would give birth to Uber," he said.

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Where is it available?

The technology is being tested around the world, but commercial applications are just starting to be available.

South Korea's top three mobile operators launched 5G services this week, while the US telecom network Verizon also launched 5G services in parts of two cities this week.

DJ Koh, president of information technology and mobile communications at Samsung Electronics, said the company was entering "a new era where the incredible speed and connectivity of the 5G become a reality".

Quah Mei Lee, a telecommunications analyst at Frost & Sullivan, said South Korea and Japan have been leaders in the development of 5G. She said that South Korea has always been strong in consumer applications but there is "more than what it can do" in 5G.

"We are going to see more apps come on the market over the next three to six months."

Legend

South Korea is one of the leading countries in the development of 5G

What about security issues?

Many discussions on 5G infrastructure focused on potential security risks, namely the participation of Chinese Huawei.

Huawei, the world's largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, has faced resistance from foreign governments to the risk of its technology being used for espionage.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand have all prevented local companies from using Huawei equipment in 5G networks.

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In principle, the control of technology that is at the heart of vital communication networks gives an operator like Huawei the ability to conduct espionage activities or disrupt communications.

This becomes a bigger problem as more and more things – from autonomous vehicles to home appliances – are connected to the Internet.

The United States argues that Huawei could use malware updates to spy on 5G users, highlighting a Chinese law that requires organizations to "support, cooperate, and collaborate in national intelligence activities."

In addition, Mr. Batra of IDC said that the fundamental difference between 4G and 5G networks lies in the possibility of remote control, which raises "potential security issues".

Mr. Batra said that with 4G, software and hardware were very closely related. In 5G networks, the hardware is separate from the software.

"It allows you to remotely control … the network resources, all of these things can be managed virtually, which complicates security."

Nevertheless, he said that authorities around the world are working with operators to address these concerns and that "we have not yet seen any hard evidence about the nature of the problem."

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