5G Network

1G, or the first "Generation" was analog cellular. It was the first commercially automated cellular network. Initially launched in 1979 in Tokyo, by 1984 the first generation of the wireless standard was rolled out across the whole of Japan by the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone. In 1983, the US launched its first 1G network using the Motorola DynaTAC mobile phone, with other countries such as the UK and Canada following suit a few years later. Despite these being incredibly expensive (DynaTAC was priced at $3,995 in 1984, which is an inflation-adjusted $9,660), their adaptation was incredibly rapid. It was clear that the technology’s potential was massive, but there were still some glaring issues that needed to be resolved:

• Poor sound quality and coverage
• Different 1G systems were incompatible with one another due to differing frequency ranges
• No roaming support between different operators
• Media limitations - only allowed audio
• Weak security due to no support for encryptio - anyone with a radio scanner capable of receiving and transmitting on the 800MHz band could drop in on your call

2G technologies, such as CDMA, GSM, and TDMA, were the first generation of digital cellular technologies. Originated in Finland in 1991. Launched under the GSM standard, 2G brought a wireless standard that was far superior to what 1G had to offer - and gave wireless devices their second biggest differentiator from their landline counterparts. However, 2G only offers speeds of up to 236 Kbps. Changes including:

• Culture: people started using text messages, images and even videos(MMS)
• Digitally encrypted conversation
• Quality of digital voice calls improved: signidicant reduction in static noise and background crackling
• The network operators started to ascend: power of 2G drew a mass of consumers and businesses onto its networks. Operators started to erect the mobile cell towers that now superimpose the mpdern-day coverage area onto US togography.

3G technologies, such as EVDO, HSPA, and UMTS, brought speeds from 200kbps to a few megabits per second. First launched in May 2001 for pre-release testing, as with previous generations 3G was available in Japan first, in October 2001. 3G essentially brought about the ‘packet-switching’ revolution, ensuring much better connectivity for ‘data packets’ that drive web connectivity. 3G offered a superior level of connection than its predecessor 2G.

One key reason for 3G was uniformity; it aimed to provide a single network protocol, standardizing an arena that had previously been littered with different vendors and protocols. This standardization enabled international roaming services and the ability to access data from any location in the world.

Other than that, the (relatively) massive data transfer capabilities opened the doors for a variety of new internet-driven services such as voice over IP (i.e. Skype), video conferencing and streaming, as well as location-based services. Blackberry was developed and launched during 3G (in 2002), and that heralded the shift in the balance of power to device owners who now had the means to build devices with powerful features. The iPhone launched in 2007, which meant the networks were about to be stretched like never before, setting the stage for 4G. 3G users were able to use location-based services, watch mobile TV, participate in video conferencing and watch videos on demand.

4G technologies, such as WiMAX and LTE, were the next incompatible leap forward, and they are now scaling up to hundreds of megabits and even gigabit-level speeds. The first-release Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G standard was commercially deployed in Oslo and Stockholm in 2009. 4G was first introduced to the UK in 2012, with EE rolling out its 4G services to 11 major cities including London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton. 4G network would offer speeds up to 12Mbps, five times faster than the previous generation. Device manufacturers like Apple and Samsung have greatly benefited from this new technology. Unlike the transition from 2G to 3G which just involved swapping a SIM card, mobile devices need to explicitly support 4G before you can leverage the network. This push has helped manufacturers immensely scale their profits and has helped propel Apple into becoming the first trillion dollar company. Currently, 4G is used by all the major U.S. carriers and around the globle, though in some territories it is far from widespread. In Eastern and Western Europe, for example, 4G LTE penetration is barely 50% and 70% respectively.

5G brings three new aspects to the table: greater speed (to move more data), lower latency (to be more responsive), and the ability to connect a lot more devices at once (for sensors and smart devices). The desire for faster and more reliable connectivity is not simply indulgent — some of our current and upcoming technologies demand it. For example, healthcare is poised to be transformed with 5G. Remote vital sign monitoring, telemedicine, and even remote surgeries are all innovations that can exponentially grow with better connectivity.