gopal441
2016-06-02, 06:45 PM
For one, defining what 5G means at all. A number of groups cobbled together from mobile industry players are working toward a definition of 5G, but for a standard to really be set, they’ll have to all agree. We saw this all hashed out with 4G, which began as a marketing lie (remember the debates over HSPA+ and that little “4G” symbol popping up (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2401422,00.asp) on not-so-4G iPhones?) and worked its way into the robust, prevalent mobile network standard known as LTE.
Beyond setting a standard to begin with, the challenges are everything that afflicts today’s 3G and 4G connections, multiplied by next generation expectations of speed and the low latency that’s necessary to enable a true Internet of Things.
Right now, to hit 5G-like speeds in lab settings, Nokia is employing “highly directional antennas (http://www.cnet.com/news/mobile-industry-dips-its-toes-in-5g-waters-for-next-gen-networks/)” that focus a beam in order to maximize its potential speed. But this sort of cheat has its own set of problems: A device moving around has a harder time maintaining a connection with this sort of narrow, focused connection.
The industry may have a solid five years to work these kinks out, but considering the scope of what we're setting up a 5G standard to describe, it better hurry up.
Beyond setting a standard to begin with, the challenges are everything that afflicts today’s 3G and 4G connections, multiplied by next generation expectations of speed and the low latency that’s necessary to enable a true Internet of Things.
Right now, to hit 5G-like speeds in lab settings, Nokia is employing “highly directional antennas (http://www.cnet.com/news/mobile-industry-dips-its-toes-in-5g-waters-for-next-gen-networks/)” that focus a beam in order to maximize its potential speed. But this sort of cheat has its own set of problems: A device moving around has a harder time maintaining a connection with this sort of narrow, focused connection.
The industry may have a solid five years to work these kinks out, but considering the scope of what we're setting up a 5G standard to describe, it better hurry up.