Since its introduction in 2019, 5G has spread rapidly. By the end of 2024, two billion people worldwide relied on 5G connections. Looking ahead, that number is expected to nearly quadruple to 7.7 billion by 2028.

By definition, 5G refers to the fifth generation of mobile network technology. IEEE helped standardize this technology through the IEEE 802 Series. Building on 4G, 5G is 100 times faster, more reliable, and supports millions of devices at once. For users, this means instant movie downloads, smoother augmented reality, and real‑time IoT connections for smart homes. Moreover, it benefits self‑driving cars and smart cities.

Impact of 5G Technology

Across industries, the introduction of 5G technology has had a tremendous impact.

  • Healthcare: 5G expands telemedicine, improves remote surgery, and powers wearable devices that share real-time patient data. Physicians can now diagnose and treat faster than ever.
  • Transportation: 5G enables self-driving cars to make quicker decisions, avoid accidents, and optimize traffic flow. At the same time, smart city systems benefit from real-time monitoring of traffic, electricity, and water.
  • Entertainment: 5G allows faster live streaming and more interactive experiences. Gamers can access cloud-based, high-quality games anywhere without heavy hardware.

Global Deployment

Globally, the U.S. has taken a leadership role in deploying fifth-generation networks by major wireless carriers. As a result, over 75% of American subscribers can now access 5G. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal in 2021, the federal government also pledged to invest an additional $65 billion. This amount is aimed at improving broadband and 5G service in rural communities.

In Europe, over 90% of British premises currently have access to 5G coverage,

Germany, which possesses one of the most developed 5G networks on that continent, achieved coverage of 92% by mid-2024. It continues to expand access across the country. Asia, China, and South Korea are among the countries that aggressively integrated 5G heavily into their manufacturing operations. Additionally, access to 5G continues to grow throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Latin American region.

What Challenges Are Associated with 5G Technology?

While 5G continues to deliver unprecedented benefits and expand in use, the technology has also experienced its share of challenges. Among them, the costs to build 5G networks are extensive. Regulatory differences between the U.S. and European Union have impaired their ability to fully collaborate on 5G deployment. Furthermore, the growing number of connected devices associated with the rise of 5G networks has introduced security issues and increased the risk of cyberattacks.

Despite these hurdles, however, the industry continues to move forward at a rapid pace. It perfects the current generation of technology and envisions the next one.

The upcoming emergence of “6G” connectivity promises a new paradigm in cellular technology. It runs an estimated 9,000 times faster than 5G connections. This speed enables users to, for example, download more than 20 movies per second. While experts note that 6G mobile networks remain at least five years away, the global telecommunications industry has been hard at work laying the foundations for this platform upgrade. They are entering what’s known as a “pre-standardization” phase to achieve consensus on preliminary 6G standards.

IEEE Helps You Stay One Step Ahead of 5G Developments

Designed to help technical professionals and industry leaders deliver on the 5G vision, these targeted course programs help you stay on top of the fast-paced field of 5G. They cater to the consumer demand for higher communication speeds.

5G Course Programs

5G brought connected device, higher data transmission speeds, lower latency, and increased connectivity to a wide range of IoT devices. These developments led to advancements in various sectors such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment. A few of the advancements made possible by 5G include remote surgery, real-time industrial monitoring, and immersive virtual reality experiences.

How Is 5G Evolving?

Five years later, enhancements to 5G are being rolled out. Called 5G Advanced, these planned technological and network upgrades expand on the existing capabilities of 5G. One key component of 5G Advanced is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions. These introduce more intelligent network management capabilities.

These enhancements to 5G are laying the groundwork for 6G, which is slated to be commercially available in 2030.

Differences Between 5G and 6G

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, notable differentiators of 6G from 5G include enhanced scalability. Additionally, there is greater use of the radio spectrum, and dynamic access to different connection types. This means connections will be more reliable. Therefore, fewer drops in connection is critical to support advanced technologies like drones and robots. This dynamic access will enable connected devices to use multiple connections concurrently (such as Wi-Fi and cellular) to stay connected even if one source is interrupted.

The addition of AI and ML to the 6G network is intended to allow smarter devices to learn more like humans do. On a microscale, these applications can be used in autonomous vehicle technology. Potential use cases include improving traffic flow and allowing for autonomous taxi/bus services. On a macroscale, AI and ML will improve efficiencies across a wide range of areas. This includes manufacturing, logistics, and analytical industries, thanks to detecting trends and paths unseen by humans.

For local, state, and federal governments, services can be metered and controlled to match demand more precisely at any given moment. This increases efficiency, improves availability, and possibly slows the effects of global warming. Additionally, these algorithms could aid in predictive modeling for services (for example impacting wait times, trash collection, bus usage) and weather events (such as tornados, floods, fires, and more).

As 5G network capabilities expand globally, they pave the way for 6G. The world will need more engineers trained on telecommunications system deployment and management.

Leverage 5G Networks to Transform the World

IEEE is proud to launch its newest training program, 5G/6G Essential Protocols and Procedures Training and Innovation Testbed, in partnership with Wray Castle. This specialized training program provides a deep dive into essential 5G protocols. It focuses specifically on the 5G Network Function (NF) Framework, registration processes, and Packet Data Unit (PDU) session establishment. The program also features access to the 5G/6G Innovation Testbed. This is a cloud-based, private, secure, end-to-end 5G network testing platform. It provides hands-on experience with critical aspects of the 5G system. This helps reinforce the theoretical knowledge delivered in the course.

Key Features and Benefits:

  • On-Demand, Self-Paced Learning:
    The course offers 11 hours of on-demand, self paces learning, allowing professionals to study at their convenience.
  • Illustrated Digital Course Books:
    These feature leading-edge knowledge from subject matter experts..
  • Instructional Videos:
    Dive deeper into topics taught in the course.
  • Three-Month Access to the IEEE 5G/6G Innovation Testbed:
    This secure, cloud-based platform provides hands-on experience with critical aspects of the 5G system.
  • Guided Exercises:
    Signaling scenarios make learning and applying new concepts straightforward.
  • Wireshark (pcap) Output Files:
    Provide deep system insights.
  • Virtual Training Expert:
    Available as needed to assist learners.

This program is specifically designed for system engineers, integrators, engineers working with operation, optimization, and troubleshooting. It also targets technical professionals responsible for 5G system signaling, public mobile network operators, private network operators, network equipment vendors, test equipment vendors, and handset manufacturers. Additionally, it is for regulators and anyone who needs to explore and understand the 5G system signaling.

Enroll to earn credentials! After successful completion of the program, learners earn an IEEE Certificate bearing eleven Professional Development Hours (PDHs). You can share this proof of completion on your resume and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.

Make sure your mobile network knowledge keeps pace with the ongoing evolution of wireless networks. Learn more and request a demo today!

5G has been publicized as a substantial change in mobile networking—promising faster download speeds, real-time data-sharing, and network capacity. As such, the technology is expected to transform mobile networking and create new economic opportunities. Despite delays with the rollout in both the U.S. and parts of Europe, 5G has reached much of the globe. South Korea, the U.S., and China are leading the implementation with around 80-90% population coverage. Although Europe overall is trailing behind, Switzerland has reached 90%. A 2021 report from Ericsson projects 5G will account for nearly half of all mobile subscriptions by 2027 while also becoming mainstream in each of the report’s ten studied regions. Though challenges persist for deployment globally, technology providers are optimistic about the future of 5G. 

Forecasts for Industry

While the majority of 5G-supported or enabled applications today are consumer-based (think mobile streaming, augmented reality, virtual reality, and gaming), many experts believe the real money will be in enterprise applications of 5G. In its 5G value report, KPMG estimated the business-to-business case at US$4.3 trillion. Across industries—from factory automation and large-scale video surveillance to remote surgery and connected smart cities— there are a number of potentially groundbreaking use cases. 

5G enables fast, secure, and pervasive connectivity across smart networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. When combined with artificial intelligence, 5G can enable unparalleled productivity and efficiency. Apart from the global estimate, five industries are poised to see incremental growth: Industrial Manufacturing, Connected Healthcare, Intelligent Transportation, Environmental Monitoring, and Gaming. KPMG estimates the market across the ecosystem for these five industries will be worth more than US$500B by 2023. 

Managing Expectations 

Before organizations adopt 5G, they should understand the differences between 4G and 5G network architectures to understand how both could affect business operations. Small cell technology enables 5G to provide more cell density and enhance network capacity. While 4G technology also made similar promises, experts anticipate 5G will succeed where its predecessor falls short. However, it is essential to understand that there are still 5G issues, and it may take years to reach its full potential.

Health Concerns Regarding 5G

When you use your phone to communicate with other devices, cellular data is sent through radio frequencies (RFs). “The radiofrequency 5G is higher than the previous iterations of wireless communication, including 4G and 3G”, says Henk De Feyter, Ph.D., an assistant professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. In a world of propaganda and misinformation about 5G, how are policymakers and the public supposed to make sense of any individual claim? (For example, various internet theories have tied 5G technology to cancer and COVID-19.)

Learn more about this topic by watching 5G Demystified: Health and Safety of 5G, an on-demand LinkedIn Live recording where our speakers discuss the science and standards of human health effects from electromagnetic radio waves in 5G communications. Watch  now>>

More Ways to Explore Current 5G Issues with IEEE

Depending on what you read, 5G is either a threat to society, the impetus for the next industrial revolution, or a marketing ploy to get us to buy new phones and tablets. Seldom has an emerging technology been so widely known yet so misunderstood. IEEE Future Networks and IEEE Educational Activities have developed a free virtual event series, 5G Demystified, where experts make sense of the technology’s potential.

Check out the events in this series: 

Plus, check out these online course programs and earn continuing education credits while growing your knowledge of telecommunications technology!

Bridging the 4G/5G Gap: Telecommunications Roadmap for Implementation: This two-part course program provides a historical overview of 4G/5G, explains the legislative and regulatory background, showcases the scientific evidence surrounding wireless facilities’ impact on property value and human health, and offers a roadmap to deploy wireless facilities. Learn more>> 

5G Networks: Produced in partnership with Nokia, this online course program provides an in-depth view of performance requirements, future scenarios, and the roadmap to 5G implementation. It also explores the intricacies of 5G standardization by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee. Learn More>>


Resources

Ericsson. (November 2021). Ericsson Mobility Report. 

Goss, Michaela. (November 2022). 5G vs. 4G: Learn the key differences between them. TechTarget. 

Holt, Alex. (June 2020). The 5G edge computing value opportunity. KPMG. 

Laurence, Emily. (31 May 2022). Is 5G Making You Sick? Here’s What Experts Say. Forbes. 

Vella, Heidi. (17 February 2022). 5G vs 4G: what is the difference? Raconteur.

Imagine you are stuck in the aftermath of a hurricane. You need to call for help, but networks are down. Drones suddenly appear over the horizon. Equipped with 5G technology, they form an aerial network that allows you to send texts and look up evacuation information.

Developed by AT&T, these flying “cells on wings,” or COWs, are expected to expand access to larger numbers of people stranded in disaster zones. Using fiber optic tethers, flying COWS connect to trucks on the ground that serve as communication and power bases, according to CNET. So far, they have been tested in rural Missouri in regions that lack network access. 

As climate change spurs more severe weather events, including wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, the flying COWs are increasingly necessary.

“Emergency preparedness and disaster recovery for the carriers has become critically important,” Bob O’Donnell , Technalysis Research analyst, told CNET. “These COWs literally become a lifeline.”

South Korea Gets First-Ever Private 5G Network

As we reported previously, 5G networks are slowly phasing out older ones. Unlike its 4G and 3G predecessors, 5G can carry massive amounts of data at lightning-fast speeds. Combined with cloud computing and artificial intelligence, 5G will serve as a backbone for the Internet of Things, autonomous machines and vehicles, and other emerging technologies.

While rollouts are fraught with delays due to the pandemic, 5G is expected to reach millions of people in the U.S. this year given that telecommunications companies bought millions of dollars worth of highly-coveted mid-band spectrum from the Federal Communications Commission. 

As 5G slowly unfurls across the world, some organizations have decided to build their own private 5G networks. For example, a joint effort between Samsung Electronics and NAVER Cloud will create a 5G private network at NAVER’s headquarters in South Korea this June, which will be used to power mobile robots that will provide services to employees. The project will be the country’s first private 5G network. The robots will operate on NAVER’s cloud platform with 5G technology provided by Samsung. Rather than relying on chips embedded in each individual robot, the robots will process information using the cloud, which will act as a “brain” they all share. 

“Samsung’s private 5G network plays the role of a neural network that connects the robots and the cloud, enabling the cloud to control and support tens of thousands of robots in real-time and allowing them to be smarter together,” states Samsung in a news release. “In addition, advanced technologies such as digital twin, 3D/HD mapping and AI are applied to help robots learn to find their way inside the building by creating a virtual space that replicates the real world.”

To start, 40 robots will deliver packages, coffee, and lunch to employees in the building. While the robots are currently limited to three floors, the project is expected to expand to the building’s full 36 floors. 

Private 5G networks like these represent a new frontier in telecommunications. As 5G rollouts continue to expand, 5G will eventually dominate networks worldwide.

Are You Ready to Meet Consumer Demand for Higher Communication Speeds?

The next generation of wireless network technology is here, and it’s vital to understand how to deliver on the 5G vision while meeting consumer demand for higher communication speeds. 

Interested in training your team with 5G Networks, a three-course program from IEEE and Nokia? Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today.

For individual access, visit the IEEE Learning Network (ILN)!

Resources

Press release. (2 June 2022). Samsung Electronics Collaborates With NAVER Cloud To Launch Korea’s First Private 5G Network. Samsung Newsroom.

Shankland, Stephen. (2 June 2022). These Drones Could Bring You 5G Networking After a Hurricane. CNET.

Next generation 5G wireless technology will deliver breakneck speeds. However, worldwide rollouts are moving at a less impressive pace (with the exception of East Asia). While individual consumers will likely wait at least a decade before they can access the full benefits of 5G, industries will be able to embrace it much sooner. When they do, 5G will revolutionize the way businesses operate, from faster communications to enhanced automation. 

According to Natasha Tamaskar, Vice President of Global Marketing and Sales Strategy for Radisys, industries’ shift to 5G will be known as the “4th Industrial Revolution” which will “connect billions of devices.”

“The primary features of 5G making these wireless connections possible include enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC),” she writes in Forbes. “In industrial settings, these 5G capabilities will support capacity and latency requirements for use cases such as autonomous guided vehicles, video surveillance, asset tracking, robotic factories and more — while improving worker safety and efficiency.”

Why 5G Rollouts Are Happening Sooner for Industry

While 5G for consumers depends on “macro cell deployments” through cell phone towers using mmWave or sub-6 GHz spectrum, industries can deploy 5G on their own private “micro” networks, according to Tamaskar. She says these micro networks will come with unique advantages, including the ability to:

  • connect innumerable devices on one network while meeting “capacity demands for wireless connectivity,” with the ability to easily add more small 5G cell sites when needed. 
  • strategically deploy small 5G cells in locations where coverage is lagging, giving them greater flexibility “to easily expand coverage to meet evolving requirements.”
  • store data in secure private networks rather than a cloud or public network.
  • seamlessly switch between small cells without connectivity loss thanks to the 3GPP mobile technology in small 5G cells (important in situations where enterprises have to track the movement of goods or vehicles over long distances, such as an autonomous forklift moving over a large factory floor).
  • deploy small 5G cells in “licensed, shared, unlicensed or locally licensed spectrum.” This offers a number of deployment options, such as choosing to partner with a mobile operator “to deploy a private network in a licensed spectrum” or “take advantage of shared spectrum initiatives such as CBRS” [Citizens Broadband Radio Service].

5G Rollout Challenges for Businesses

While 5G will certainly transform industries, it also presents some major challenges, according to Prakash Gupta, Co-founder and COO of 42Gears, a unified endpoint management vendor. One is security. 

“For example, with a much greater amount of data being relayed per unit time, it’s more rewarding for thieves to attempt data exfiltration on 5G networks,” he writes in Forbes. “Workers who have free reign over their devices can also download malware faster than before, which means businesses have no margin of error for irresponsible device use.”

Though it may take years for 5G to expand across the globe, industries that erect their own private 5G networks will help usher its spread. As they do, organizations should heed the potential risks along with the benefits. 

Learn more about 5G Networks

As technology continues to evolve toward 5G, it’s vital for technical professionals and industry leaders to understand how to deliver on the 5G vision while meeting consumer demand for higher communication speeds. Is your organization ready? Consider training your team with 5G Networks, a three-course program from IEEE and Nokia.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about the program.

Interested in learning more about 5G for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network today!

Resources

Natasha Tamaskar serves. (7 July 2021). 5G Small Cells: Five Opportunities For Enterprise. Forbes. 

Gupta, Prakash. (5 July 2021). Security Challenges In The 5G World And How To Overcome Them. Forbes.

A recent report from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, warns of three major threat vectors that can potentially imperil 5G networks.

The report, titled Potential Threat Vectors to 5G Infrastructure, details outcomes from the 5G Threat Model Working Panel, which was launched under the National Strategy to Secure 5G to analyze weaknesses in 5G infrastructure. The panel examined current 5G projects for possible risks, identified, and created mock situations for 5G implementation. They then determined the risks, which include the following.

Policies and Standards

Within the policies and standards threat vector category, the report found a pair of sub-threat vectors related to open standards and optional controls when creating the foundation for 5G infrastructure. Standards developed by “adversarial nations” that include “untrusted technologies and equipment that are unique to their systems” could contain untrustworthy technology that might hinder competition and interoperability. The report also found that adopting optional security controls help to protect networks from hackers.  

“Nation states may attempt to exert undue influence on standards that benefit their proprietary technologies and limit customers’ choices to use other equipment or software,” the report states. “There are also risks associated with the development of standards, where standard bodies may develop optional controls, which are not implemented by operators. By not implementing these subjective security measures, operators could introduce gaps in the network and open the door for malicious threat actors.”

Supply Chain Risks

The report points to the 5G supply chain as a second vector threat, especially because the race to sell new devices creates a large market for counterfeiters. The report states that bad actors can use supply chains to “exploit information and communications technologies (ICTs) and their related supply chains for purposes of espionage, sabotage, foreign interference, and criminal activity.” 

Supply chain sub-threat vectors include components passed on from third-party suppliers, vendors, and service providers. Because flaws and malware introduced early in development are tricky to spot, lead developers may mistakenly approve flaws or malware. Malicious actors could later exploit these vulnerabilities. 

5G Systems Architecture

Despite IT and communication companies ramping up 5G security, cyber criminals can still exploit “both legacy and new vulnerabilities”. 

“For example, the overlay of 4G legacy and 5G architectures could provide the opportunity for a malicious actor to carry out a downgrade attack, where a user on a 5G network could be forced to use 4G, thereby allowing the malicious actor to exploit known 4G vulnerabilities,” according to the report. 

Additionally, 5G networks are utilizing a larger range of information architectures than ever before. Features of such architectures include configuration, spectrum sharing, software-defined networking, and multi-access edge computing. This can give hackers a greater ability to target systems and networks. For example, a firmware vulnerability could allow a hacker to penetrate the multi-access edge computing (MEC), swipe private data, and alter and even deny access to data.

5G Networks

As technology continues to evolve toward 5G, it’s vital for technical professionals and industry leaders to understand how to deliver on the 5G vision while meeting consumer demand for higher communication speeds. Is your organization ready? Consider training your team with 5G Networks, a three-course program from IEEE and Nokia.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about the program.

Interested in learning more about 5G for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network today!

Bridging the 4G/5G Gap

Prepare your organization for 5G, the next generation of wireless network technology. The IEEE two-course program, Bridging the 4G/5G Gap: Telecommunications Roadmap for Implementation, provides a historical overview of 4G/5G technology, identifies what is needed for 5G integration in a 3G/4G world, and showcases the scientific evidence surrounding wireless facilities’ impact on property value and human health, and more.

Contact an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about getting access to these courses for your organization.

Interested in the course for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network.

Resources

Kanowitz, Stephanie. (18 May 2021). 5G infrastructure faces foundational threats. GCN.