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Impact of 5G on Unified Communications

Impact of 5G on Unified Communications
September 16, 2019 / Blog / posted by Bankai

The fifth generation (5G) cellular network has the potential to change the way we use the internet. Its benefits are likely to have far-reaching effects on businesses as well as day-to-day communication. 5G builds up on the success of its precursor and is expected to provide speeds of 20 gigabits per second, allowing you to download an entire movie in a matter of a few seconds. Besides being the fastest mobile network, 5G is one of the most robust technologies offering unparalleled network reliability.
The fifth generation (5G) cellular network has the potential to change the way we use the internet. Its benefits are likely to have far-reaching effects on businesses as well as day-to-day communication. 5G builds up on the success of its precursor and is expected to provide speeds of 20 gigabits per second, allowing you to download an entire movie in a matter of a few seconds. Besides being the fastest mobile network, 5G is one of the most robust technologies offering unparalleled network reliability.5G is capable of doing away with bandwidth-related issues such as video buffering and network congestion. The reason behind its ultrafast speeds could be the different kinds of antennas and radio spectrum frequencies that help minimize delays. The new cellular network can also be expected to bring the internet to remote areas as it is not reliant on wired infrastructure. Hotspots of 5G can be created at various places to make uninterrupted internet accessible to everyone. It has already been deployed in some countries like the US, the UK, South Korea, Australia, Spain, Switzerland and Monaco to name a few, and it won’t be long before it is made available for the rest of the world.

Advantages of 5G

The capacity of the fifth-generation cellular network is believed to be about 1000 times more than that of 4G and its reduced latency effectively stops delays. Along with decreasing the time required to upload or download content, the 5G network will also efficiently play 4K videos without any buffering time. Its higher bandwidth is expected to move a large amount of data in a short period of time and support high resolution videos and images. 5G can also be expected to support multiple connections simultaneously without interruptions, while consuming relatively less battery.

The next-generation network will also be capable of handling the large number of emerging technologies that are expected to require a fast and uninterrupted internet connection in the near future. Driverless cars may become a common sight with 5G and we might also experience a surge in the number of Internet of Things-enabled devices. IoT is one of the most rapidly growing technologies requiring a stronger and faster cellular network that can deliver high speeds even when connected to a large number of devices and inanimate objects. The latest generation cellular network effectively fulfils these conditions.

Impact of 5G on Businesses

Along with being beneficial for personal users, 5G will be immensely useful for businesses that rely on VoIP and unified communications. While 4G LTE offered some respite to businesses trying to connect with people from all over the world, 5G is expected to increase the reach even further to ensure seamless connectivity. Let’s take a look at the areas that 5G can have a major impact on.

Remote Collaboration

Remote Collaboration is a pre-requisite for businesses in this day and age when most organizations are looking at connecting with people globally. While web and video conferencing is being used by organizations to improve communications, it has not taken off as expected yet, mainly due to speed and bandwidth constraints with regards to the 4G network. While 4G facilitates video conferencing between people to a large extent, it cannot always be used for group video conferencing, especially during network congestions.
5G is expected to resolve this issue and make web and video conferencing not only fast and crisp, but also free of interruptions and glitches. It will even provide support for high-quality 4K and eventually 8K videos, to improve the way we communicate over the internet.

VoIP for Business

More and more businesses are opting for VoIP over traditional phone lines to communicate internally at lower rates. VoIP subscription packages are also loaded with a number of add-on features such as voicemail, caller ID, fax, call forwarding, call waiting, call blocking, speed dialling, return call and much more, making them the go-to options for companies. These multiple benefits offered by VoIP can be optimally utilized with the help of a fast internet connection.
While 4G LTE has largely been successful in supporting VoIP, it lacks the architecture to prioritize packets, resulting in increased latencies and causing skipping, stuttering or call drops. 5G, on the other hand, boasts effectual packet prioritization to deliver incomparable network speeds and reduced latency. This capability of the new cellular network could help increase the adoption of VoIP technology and broaden its reach, thus enhancing global communication.

Mobile VoIP

Mobile VoIP is a low-cost option for communicating via mobile phones using the services of personal or business VoIP providers over cellular networks. It is a cost-effective solution for businesses that wish to streamline their processes and improve the efficiency and quality of communication. Mobile VoIP services boast additional features like 4-way calling, group chat, video conferencing and access to the office extension, which significantly improve business communications on the move.
5G can optimize the usage of mobile VoIP by providing the connectivity required for it. The higher upload and download speeds will ensure a more reliable connection with improved call quality and lower call drops. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the 5G cellular network could drive mobile VoIP adoption for businesses in the not-so-distant future.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Various professional applications can benefit from AR glasses’ ability to merge audio and visual content with the real-world environment, while VR can optimize virtual reality experience by conjuring a 3-D simulated environment. These applications can help a lot of businesses improve communication with clients and give live demos from across the globe.
5G network can unlock the full potential of Augmented and Virtual Reality with its high speed, high bandwidth and low latency. The fast cellular network will ensure that businesses can make the full use of the technologies to deliver an immersive experience.

Bankai

Bankai