Race between innovation and disruption

Connectivity is all about speeding up, improving, and increasing data transfers between endpoints. The race for wireless connectivity began in 1979 with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) first introducing his 1G technology in Tokyo and four decades later ushering in the world with his 5G and 6G.

McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2022 Finds Advanced Connectivity, Including 5G, 6G, Low Earth Orbit Satellites, and Other Technologies Will Drive $166 Billion in 2021 to Drive Growth and Productivity Across Industries I am making it clear. Unlike other emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and mobility, it is a technology with a high adoption rate.

In a report Market Research and Future shared with TechRepublic, the organization explains that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a key catalyst for the global implementation of 5G.

According to Market Research Futures, 5G technology has the power to transform industries faster, increase capacity and reduce wait times, leading to transportation, banking systems, traffic control, telemedicine, agriculture, digitized It will have an impact on logistics, etc.

Emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), new intelligent cars, and augmented and virtual reality applications in the metaverse also require faster download times and increased data communication in real time. . 5G and 6G are expected to drive these new trends.

Reference: Metaverse Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need to Know (Free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Market Research and Future explains that 5G deployment will come with challenges. Most notable are the complexities of spectrum standardization and 5G network installation. MIT Tech Review adds that 6G will also face challenges, requiring interdisciplinary innovation, new chips, new devices and software.

5G and 6G technical challenges

Next-generation cellular technologies that offer higher spectral efficiency and higher bandwidth are controversial. As McKinsey explains, many still wonder whether 5G can completely replace his 4G LTE network and what percentage of networks are equipped with his 5G.

The Global Mobile Suppliers Association has identified 493 operators in 150 countries investing in 5G technology and 200 companies with technology that could potentially be used for 5G by May 2022. New announcements of smartphones with 5G increased by 164% by the end of 2020, and his cataloged 5G devices increased by 60%.

New consumer products are rapidly adapting to 5G capabilities, but industrial and business devices are not.

“The transition from 4G LTE to private 5G may not be cost-effective for all players. This will depend on the players’ technical aspirations and planned use cases,” McKinsey said. I was.

Market Research Future explains that $61.4 billion drives this highly competitive market and is expected to reach $689.6 billion by 2027. However, infrastructure equipment, device and software providers are holding back growth.

MIT explains that while 6G shares similar challenges with 5G, it also presents new challenges. 6G engineers will have to work on the infrastructure, devices, and software to build next-generation communication systems. 6G connectivity cannot be achieved by simply scaling or updating today’s technology.

MIT adds that 6G will use more sophisticated active antenna systems and will further integrate other radio access technologies such as WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), Bluetooth, UWB (Ultra Wideband) and satellite. Incorporating all this technology into a smartphone requires rethinking components such as chips and radio transceiver technology.

“This will require very creative electrical and computer engineering and disruptive industrial engineering and power management,” explains MIT.

New 6G chips are essential to handle the increased computing power. Low latency (the ability to process very large data messages with minimal latency) is a challenge for 5G and even more difficult for 6G technology.

Low latency is essential for interactive data, real-time data and applications, virtual environments or digital twins. These are all requirements for AI, the metaverse, and the industrial sector. 6G latency is reduced by using nearby devices to create a signal on a 3D network.

Reference: Artificial Intelligence Ethics Policy (TechRepublic Premium)

To solve these problems, the development of new semiconductor materials, intelligent surfaces, AI, and digital twin technologies are being used to test concepts, develop prototypes, and manage and enhance networks.

McKinsey emphasizes that 5G has proven that only a few telecom companies have been able to generate sufficient revenue from 5G to achieve sufficient return on investment (ROI). Therefore, we will keep a close eye on capital investment and maintenance costs. Additionally, building new technologies and networks requires large capital investments, which is another business challenge.

Driving Connectivity: Industrial Disruption

At its Dresden, Germany plant, Volkswagen is replacing wired connections between machines, updating complete vehicles with wireless updates, and connecting driverless vehicles to edge cloud servers. Michelin uses new connectivity technology for real-time inventory management, Bosch deploys his 5G in its first factories to enable automation, connecting hundreds of endpoints and bringing robotics to human factory labor. Synchronized with person. These are just a few examples of how the advanced connectivity offered by McKinsey is disrupting the industry.

Connectivity is expected to increase the annual rate of data creation by up to 25%, connect 51.9 billion devices by 2025, and impact global gross domestic product (GDP) by more than $2 trillion. Moreover, 5G and 6G are expected to help bridge the digital divide and connect hundreds of millions of people for the first time.

In automotive and assembly, 5G and 6G will be used to enhance maintenance and navigation, prevent collisions, and operate the first fleet of self-driving cars. Healthcare devices and sensors connected to low-latency networks will use real-time data to improve patient care and monitoring, significantly impacting the care of chronically ill patients who need regular check-ups.

Aerospace and defense are using 5G to boost capacity and performance, retailers are improving inventory management, supply chain coordination and payment processes, and the technology has created a metaverse experience. The construction and building industry is printing 3D structures and using high speed digital twins and applications. The mining and natural resources sector is turning to smart exploration and development by digitizing operations and automating operations.

Almost every industry leader is considering working on new connectivity technologies. McKinsey says advanced connectivity should be considered a key enabler of innovative features. From digital transformation to driving efficiency through automation to enabling cloud computing and technologies that rely on high-quality connectivity such as IoT, connectivity continues to drive the way the world works and lives. .