5G: The Futuristic Mobile Communication Technology
Manas Khanna, Neerja Modi School, Jaipur and
R.K.Khanna, Ex-Professor, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur
Abstract:
All new 5G mobile communication technology is expected to rollout by
2020.Every one is looking forward to know, what it is? It is therefore crucial to
know the direction of research and developments enabling 5G technologies. This
paper provides an inside of this technology’s key goals and associated challenges.
How this generation of mobile technology is different from pervious generation is
presented here in brief. Beyond mobiles, it will have lot of impact in industrial
environment at global level.
Keywords
5th Generation, Mobile phones, Smart phones, Internet system
1. Introduction:
Every one is talking of 5G technology these days, without knowing much of it.
This next generation communication network is just not only the fast data rates and
greater capacity, as most of us take it but it’s about the interaction between humans
and large number (extending to billions) of inelegant devices (1-3). It is assumed
that by 2020, 50 billion devices will be connected to the global IP network, which
would appear to present a challenge (4). This new technology, which is evolving
fast, promises a reliable hyper- connected world to us. 5G new radio (NR)
technological innovations and developments are presenting significant challenges.
Certainly, one is expected to have more connected world with 5G internet system.
This technology will make our mobile phones much smarter. It will also open
doors to a lot of different consumer as well as industrial unbelievable applications
because they are so futuristic. In a true “networked society” remote controlled
operation of appliances and critical commercial machines over a reliable 5G
network will be possible with zero delay. Real-time control of machines by using
mobile devices will be possible, making the Internet of things (IoT) more available
to all.
The first fairly substantial development in the 5G technology was in South Korea,
April 2019, where SK Telecom claimed 38,000 base stations, KT Corporation
30,000 and LGU plus 18,000 in six major cities. They were using 3.5 GHz
spectrum in NSA mode and tested download speed were 193 to 430 Mbps. In May
2019, Verizon opened 5G services on a very limited number of base stations in US
cities of Chicago and Minneapolis using 400 MHz of 28 GHz spectrum of NSA
mode with download speed in Chicago were from 80 to 900 Mbps and upload
speed were from 12 to 57 Mbps and round the trip delay time was 25 msec.
2. Different Generations of Mobile Technology - Evolution
During last two decades, the world has witnessed rapid evolution of mobile
phone technologies from the 2G Global System for Mobile (GSM) to the 4G Long
Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) system. The main motivation has been the
need of more bandwidth and lower latency.
The first generation (1G) mobile technology was analogue in nature with low band
with of 30 kHz and was introduced in 1980s. Its speed was limited to 2.4 kilobits
per second (kbps). The mobile phones working on this technology was quite large
and not handy at all. In 1991, 2G Global System for Mobile (GSM) technology
started in Finland with higher bandwidth, 30-200 kHz and was significantly
efficient compare to 1G. It offered services like voice calls, SMS, text messages,
picture messages and MMS with a speed of 64 kbps. Here all text messages sent by
2G phones are digitally encrypted and with greater date security. Together with
performance enhancements measures some allied parameters, such as jitter,
inter channel interference, connectivity, scalability, energy-efficiency, and
compatibility with legacy networks, are also taken into consideration when
developing new mobile technology.
Next generation called 3G, brought quality changes in the voice and text messages
with much higher bandwidth, 15-20 MHz. First 3G network was launched in Japan
in 2001. When technology advanced from the 2G GSM to the 3G Universal
Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), higher network speed and faster
download speed allowed real-time video calls. This technology reached the US in
2003 and by BSNL in Bihar in 2008. In 2010, MTNL brought 3G services to Delhi
and Mumbai.
Presently operating, 4G services brought a revolution in the field of mobile
telecommunication. 4G truly constitutes mobile broadband. This technology
works totally on packet technology and offers bandwidth of 100 MHz.
3. Goals and Challenges in the Way of 5G:
One of key goal is to achieve is better level of connectivity and coverage and
achieve data rate of 10 Gbps, in contras to 1 Gbps in 4G network. Another key
goal is ultra-low latency, means time it takes to send packet of data between to
connected devices. Presently in 4G network, the latency rate is 50 ms but in 5G, it
will be reduced to 1 ms. It is required for activities requiring quick response such
as virtual reality, driverless cars, factory robots, emerging technology of Internet of
Things (IoT), machine to machine communication, on line gaming etc. How ever,
it is likely in time to come, the primary use of 5G will be beyond delivering of
services on personal mobile devices but to provide services beyond expectations.
There are many challenges ahead in evolving the 5G technology. The standard for
5G technology has not been finalized yet and there are many problems with it
because of business interests of various countries. Many groups in many countries
are working on it (5-9). To achieve 1000× speed enhancement, the first step is to
use the mm-wave spectrum (3–300 GHz range). At NYU WIRELESS, have
experimented for 5G with an mm-wave propagation model and path losses in two
cities, New York and Austin (10,11). 5GIC, UK’s only research body dedicated to
5G research, recently achieved a remarkable breakthrough in wireless speed gain: a
speed of 1 Tbps point-to-point communication. Its members are also considering
ultra-low latency-sensitive application services for futuristic purpose (12).The
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Korea, in its
GIGA 5G project, is focusing mainly on improving reliability, Device-to-Device
communication technologies, and the mobile hotspot network (MHN) protocol
stack (13,14). 5Gforum, the Republic of Korea, is also seeking innovations and
market research for the future standard. In another part of the world, 4G-
Americas is the “voice of 5G” for the Americas. It has recently published (October
2015) its white papers on 5G evolution and recommendations, where information
centric networking (ICN) is emphasized.
Much higher bandwidth, possibly 1-2 GHz, also poses new challenge for
affordable cost, low weight and small size, hand set development. The 5G
technology operates at higher frequency spectrum (3-300 GHz) than 4G mobiles,
bound to create real challenges in terms of the circuit design, use of technology and
development of proper system. This technology is going to use mm- waves which
are unable to cross solid objects, therefore buildings, trees etc acts like obstacles
for these waves. Apart from that bad weather – rains or presence of humidity in air
cause absorptions of mm-waves. The attenuation of wave signal due to absorption
and obstacles generated interference provides a big challenge to service provider to
give good connectivity to the users. In order to offset this, many base stations with
network of mini base stations are required. It means large number of installation of
antenna towers and involving huge amount of investments and large amount of
technical manpower. Issues around spectrum, which had already been witnessed
with 4G, are likely to cope up.
Many groups and organizations are opposing installation of 5G networks,
assuming it may be danger for life. Many studies are linked cell phone and cell
tower radiations to memory loss, head aches, changes in vision and mood, sleep
disorder, and leukemia etc. The rollout of 5G and infrastructure will only increase
our risk of suffering major health issues down the road. It will make all of us to
large exposure of unwanted harmful EM-Radiations emitted by gadgets and
towers. However industry proponents of 5G technology argue that EMR are of safe
level and of non- ionizing nature. Now the big question for future studies is
whether there is any mechanism by which the non-ionizing radiation could harm
human health?
4. Indian Scenario Related to New Technology:
A government of India panel on 5G says that we plan to rollout new technology in
market by 2020 but experts of IT predict it to be by 2022 (15). Panel also says that
network of earlier generation mobile technology will continue to remain in use for
many more years. Government of India making all efforts to keep the set timeline
of 5G technology rollout in India because it could have an economic impact of
about one trillion dollars. In June 2018, Department of Telecommunication (DoT)
had invited various top companies such as Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Cisco and
NEC, for running trails and for development of 5G in India. DoT had willfully
excluded China Telecom equipment vender Huawei for these trails, though, in
Feb., 2018 Huawei had conducted 5G trials with Bharti Airtel in India, where it
achieved successfully broadband speed of more than 3 Gbps in 3.5 GHz spectrum
band. America ban on Huawei by President Trump may slow down the Global
connectivity and effect may be on Indian progress in this field. USA is putting
pressure on different countries, not to buy 5G network equipment from Huawei,
but Britain and Germany are not accepting USA request. DoT is pushing hard to
bring 5G to India as soon as it is available for commercial rollout globally.
Ericsson has installed a 5G test bed at IIT Delhi for developing applications in the
broadband and low latency area. This will help to develop India- specific usage
scenarios and applications.
We will have to wait, when and how the things unfold after the rollout of 5G
technology in India. One thing is sure that it will bring revolutionary changes in the
field of cell phone communication and various applications in different industries.
5. Conclusion
This article provides basic information of 5G mobile technology and its present
status. Problems attached with its developments are present. Comprehensive
review of some recent initiatives by various groups toward flexible, and mostly
dominant 5G mobile communication standards are given as references China at
present is well ahead of many country including USA. Indian Government is also
in the race to rollout this technology in the country by year 2020. However, there
are many issues that could not be presented because of space limitations.
6. References:
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reliable communications networks, in: Proceedings of the IEEE ICCS,
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