- What is 5G?
- 5G Network Slicing: How it Affects Network Performance
- Final Thoughts
The vision of seeing autonomous vehicles roaming the roads, having smart cities change the cityscape, and enjoying lagless connections which will bond people together around the globe is already at the tip of humanity’s hands. With the continuous advent of mobile network technology, new generations of connectivity are born and it was just in recent years that tech experts have introduced the fifth generation of mobile networks or the 5G that people know.
The Promise of the 5G Network Connection
This promising mobile network connection is foreseen to give birth to revolutionary technologies that will soon change people’s lives and the way they work. Basically, any newer model or generation has better features and performance compared to its predecessor. However, the current commercially available network that we have which is the 4G LTE is far cry from the promising 5G which in a few years will have its major roll out.
It is said that 5G mobile network connection will be 10 times faster compared to 4G LTE. Other features of this new generation connectivity boast of is its higher network capacity which will enable numerous multiple devices to connect to the network simultaneously without affecting the speed and its low latency which decreases the “lag” time in sending signals. These are the reasons why industries and telcos are competing in the race of acquiring the said technology.
5G Providers in Australia
In Australia, Telstra and Optus, two giant telcos in the country, have already made their moves in transforming their services into 5G enabled with Vodafone following their lead. However, Aussies don't yet see and experience the full potential of this promising mobile network in the next few years. Due to infrastructural requirements which are vital in the availability of signals on different areas and development of the network per se, the major roll out is still years far from now.
Nonetheless, some parts of Australia are already enabled with 5G signals which include major cities. Typically, the chosen areas are major cities to make use of and test the large network capacity of the network 5G and also because of its smaller signal radius as compared to 4G networks. Few telcos, namely Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, have already set out their mobile broadband plans geared with 5G technology. When it comes to mobile phones and devices, you can choose from the handsets of Samsung, Oppo, and the newly released iPhone 12. Telstra also offers Telstra Wifi GoPro.
5G Network Slicing
Due to its promising feats, billions of users are expected to patronise this mobile network technology once it has its major roll outs. Techs even say that this could possibly replace the NBN connections that Aussie households have. The question now is, can this mobile network technology possibly hold a gigantic number of users and devices which will soon connect to it? Given that this network would be possibly used in intricate and critical commands such as the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, and communications? Well, telcos have already thought of ways on how to solve it--through network slicing.
Network slicing is a type of virtual network structure that is in the same family as the software-defined network (SDN) and network functions virtualisation (NFD). The key takeaway is that network slicing allows the creation of multiple virtual networks overa shared physical infrastructure. This structure will allow the telcos to create specific segments of 5G for specific target audiences. Let’s say for example, the 5G core network can be sliced into 3 segments or networks: mobile broadband which includes communication, internet, and entertainment; IoT which includes smart homes and smart cities; and mission critical IoT which concerns autonomous machines and vehicles. In this set up, a specific slice of the 5G network will be devoted in accomplishing a specific function.
The Benefits of 5G Network Slicing in Improving Network Performance
This network architecture will greatly help in maximising the 5G resource and faster functionality since the network won’t need to deploy the full functionality (which includes the three segments mentioned as examples above) to support devices that will only utilise a “slice” of the whole. Network slicing will surely be able to answer future demands when it comes to efficiency and flexibility. Following this structure will ensure users smoother and faster functionality whatever device or function they may opt to use the 5G connection.
Final Thoughts
Surely, 5G network connection is a promising technology. As its full potentials are yet to be experienced, the anticipation is only brewing stronger. It is also exhilarating how the techs are continuously developing strategies to answer the future demands that could arise. Since the functionality is yet to be tested in the real world, you might be wondering now whether to buy devices that are 5G enabled. Well, there is no harm in future-proofing your devices. It is advisable that if you are planning to buy new devices, it would be wise to purchase the 5G enabled ones.
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