As of late 2021, mobile networks carry around 300 times more traffic than they did in 2011. 5G networks are predicted to have more than 1.7 billion subscribers and account for 25% of the worldwide mobile technology market by 2025, according to the GSM Association and Statista.

Why should you switch to 5G? The answer lies both in technology’s march forward and the explosion of mobile devices that are hungry for the increased capacity of an upgraded network. 5G’s promise to business is to reimagine and optimize company operations. It’s a big promise in a world of pronouncements of transformative technology. 

Why transition from 4G to 5G?

The primary reason for upgrading the network is to support the growing number of devices that demand internet access. These devices require so much bandwidth that the existing 4G network can’t deliver long-term.  

By transitioning to the 5G network from 4G, mobile phone users soon notice that connections are more reliable with less latency. Latency refers to the delay between sending and receiving information. In other words, less time waiting for things to happen, plus fewer dropped calls. 5G also improves signaling with no packet loss. 

Feature comparison between 4G and 5G

5G’s enhanced broadband, ultra-reliable latency, and fit with machine-to-machine communications also opens the door to mission-critical applications, industrial automation, augmented reality, smart cities, and telemedicine, to name a few. The point is, it’s a future made possible with 5G that is impossible with 4G. As a result, the great 5G network buildout is well underway. 

5G features and capabilities 

Features of 5G stand out that will usher in new capabilities and use cases. 

1. Widest spectrum: low band (<1Ghz) , mid band (1 GHz - 6 GHz) , and high-band (mmWave) – With spectrum scarcity, wireless operators will turn to a mix of bands (low, mid, high) that 5G delivers on and that will be a necessity to deliver 5G experiences. 
2. Non-standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) options: Flexible approach to select option viz NSA: 5G RAN + LTE core , SA: 5G RAN + NR core. Both NSA and SA are deployed for 5G. NSA requires anchoring the control signaling to 5G’s Radio Networks to the 4G Core, whereas SA connects directly to 5G and supports the full range of 5G services. 
3. Multi-access edge computing: This 5G feature uses the edge of the network to process traffic, which reduces latency. 
4. Network slicing: Network slicing creates multiple logical/virtual slices over the same network, enabling specific 5G use cases with varying throughput, latency, and multiple demands. Network slicing is especially well suited for Internet of Things (IoT) with many users but with minimal bandwidth requirements. Slicing creates overhead in the areas of signaling, management, and troubleshooting. 
5. New radio supports fiber equivalent throughput and transmission parameters: New radio is necessary for high-demand G5 applications such as streaming video and low-latency applications like machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoT. 
6. Private 5G networks: These non-public mobile networks use licensed, unlicensed, or shared spectrum. Private 5G is ideal for industrial applications like cameras on a production line detecting defects or in the case of healthcare, requiring continuous monitoring with sensors transmitting low-latency, high-frequency data to doctors and nurses. 
7. IOT, AI, and M2M: 5G pushes IOT, artificial intelligence (AI), and M2M to new heights by supporting many connections with reduced latency. Not only will 5G benefit mobile broadband, it will also drive advances in autonomous vehicles, drones, smart homes, smart cities, virtual/augmented reality, industrial automation, and many more use cases. 

The timetable for evolving to 5G  

Transitioning from 4G to 5G won’t happen overnight. The pre-launch phase occurred in 2020. The period now is the launch stage with services starting (day 0+), and then an explosion in new use cases and products happening in 2023 and beyond (Day 1+).   

Moving to 5G requires new spectrum and technology

5G and all its promises couldn’t take place without three categories of spectrum and technology: new spectrum, spectral energy and efficiency, and new network architecture.

Understanding 5G Core

5G Core refers to 5G’s service-based architecture (SBA) that enables authentication, security, session management, and aggregation of traffic from linked devices. It’s a sophisticated integration of network activities with integrations based on http/rest APIs. 

5G Core Elements – How 5G functions? 

User equipment (UE) like 5G smartphones and 5G cellular devices link to 5G core through the 5G New Radio Access Network and then use DN for internet connections. User Plane Function (UPF) oversees transporting IP data traffic between UE and external networks. 

Mobility Management Function (AMF) is the entry point for the UE connection. Based on the service requested, the AMF selects the right Session Management Function (SMF) to handle the user session. 

The Authentication Server Function (AUSF) lets the AMF verify the UE authenticity and grant access to 5G core services. 

Other functions provide the policy control framework, apply policy decisions, and grant access to subscription information to govern network behavior. 

5G is an evolutionary step forward from 4G

Network traffic has grown exponentially, demanding 5G’s new architecture. Many new and exciting 5G services will be here in a matter of months. Industrial use cases and consumer examples already exist. 

Moving from 4G to 5G offers improvements in latency, security, capabilities, and more. The 5G uses cases for specific industries offer a glimpse into what is possible. 4G was good and infinitely better than 3G. However, 5G has the potential to be great, transforming industries and improving the lives of billions.  

Shalvi Yadav
Senior Consultant - 5G and IoT Practice, Wipro

Shalvi has over 14 years of experience in presales, delivery management, customer success, partner enablement, packet pore operations & implementation, network security implementation. She has the presales, delivery, and implementation expertise in various packet core technologies 2G, 3G, LTE (4G), 5G as a service, Cisco security portfolio, application centric infrastructure and routing & switching. She is currently working on various 5G solutions for multiple industries.

Ashish Khare
General Manager & Practice Head – IOT & Smart City, Wipro

Ashish has over 26 years of experience in Consulting, SI & Manage Services in IT & OT.  He is currently working on various 5G and IoT solutions for multiple industries. He heads the 5G, IoT and Smart City CIS group. He is working on IT-OT convergence & Service Management framework for IoT. He owns multiple IP’s including Wipro Smart i-connect™, Platform for Smart Spaces & IoT, won innovation awards.