The fifth generation in mobile networks is upon us and the South African business community will soon be reaping the benefits – if its ready to take advantage of the superior technology. Here are a few ways in which 5G wireless technology will be impacting business in the coming months.

5G Telecommunications

1. Better communication

Without a doubt, 5G will bring with it enhanced communication through reduced latency and accelerated speeds. With the existing 4G networks, latency is around 40 to 50 milliseconds, while 5G will be an incredible 1 millisecond or less, which is undetectable to the user. And, when it comes to speed, 5G is expected to be significantly faster than the 4G network – some are anticipating up to 100 times faster. Comparatively, this would mean downloading an HD film in under 10 seconds as opposed to 10 minutes on 4G. Overall, the reduction in latency and improved network speeds will mean better mobile communication. This is vital for businesses that receive inquiries from customers, or need to remain in direct contact with co-workers for effective day-to-day operations.

2. Enhanced AR and VR

The enhanced speed and lower latency mean that 5G can support incoming augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications. This is great news for the property, entertainment, manufacturing, tourism and retail sectors. Aspects such as smart parking allocation systems, additional product information for consumers instore – just point the phone and all information is available – as well as the visualisation of products in a localised environment will be readily available. Customers will have greater access to apps through enhanced performance, while the anticipated lowering of data costs will expand the availability to new users.

Read more: How is fibre doing in South Africa?

3. Flexibility

The introduction of 5G will bring forward the possibility of remote offices, something that is constantly discussed but hasn’t become a reality as predicted. The improved technology will allow for uninterrupted conference calls, as well as seamless connectivity through AR and VR which makes for more interactive remote meetings.

4. Smart offices

The cost of office spaces will be drastically reduced as 5G introduces more ‘smart buildings’ whereby business owners can use radio sensors to monitor elements such as lighting, temperature and even occupancy. Video footage will further allow for flexibility in work and a much more secure workspace overall.

Read more: Telecommunications trends 2019

5. Improved transportation

As we welcome 5G we are also ushering in the age of the self-driving vehicles, smart traffic lights and a much more efficient transport system. In addition to a more smooth-flowing traffic network, people will be able to use their transportation time more constructively – catching up on emails, calling clients or working on proposals. The benefits will transfer into the freight and logistics industry as well. The improved communication enables vehicle-to-vehicle, and vehicle-to-roadside infrastructure communication. It’s anticipated that driverless trucks will be on the roads in the next decade.

Whether you’re operating a small business or large enterprise, the deployment of 5G will serve to increase the use of existing technology and benefit your organisation through improved communication performance.