DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION - 5G
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DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES
The impact of 5G on digital transformation is a game changer – not only for telecom communications but for technological development . Edge computing and 5G are also inextricably linked and are positioned to significantly enhance the performance of applications , enabling huge amounts of data to be processed in real-time .
Mobile edge computing reduces latency , and 5G increases speed by up to ten times that of 4G , thus introducing compute capabilities into the network , closer to the end-user .
“ Interestingly , but not unexpectedly , big tech players like Microsoft and Amazon are now putting a lot of energy into this area of edge computing , exploring new network designs to optimise data flow in and around cities and enterprise sites ,” points out Roberts .
The introduction of 5G networks allows enterprises to capitalise better on edge computing , which moves compute and analytics closer to the points where data is generated and used , rather than sending the data to and from servers in cloud data centres .
In smart manufacturing terms , this enables AI solutions to analyse data in real-time , at the point of production , which streamlines the process , boosting production and efficiency .
Carter says that 5G is much more efficient at utilising available mobile network capacity and spectrum , more connected devices will be able to function simultaneously on the same network .
He explains ,“ 5G massive MIMO ( multipleinput , multiple-output antenna systems ), for example , should play a crucial role in unlocking an IoT-powered future
FEBRUARY 2021