Tests on capability lead to prediction that new networks will support development of e-health and smart cities
Engineers at the University of Sussex have highlighted the potential for 5G networks in supporting e-health and smart cities after tests confirmed the capability of increasing broadband speeds by up to 100 times.
They had run the tests on indoor coverage with telecom consultancy Plum – the first of their kind in the UK and a step towards ironing out issues with 5G.
Dr Farah Ali, a member of the Department of Engineering and Design at the university and lead of its international master’s course in 5G communications, said: "5G is much more than just evolution to the next generation of mobile communications technology.
"It will empower new functionalities for people, society and enterprises. It is expected to provide fibre like data rate with massive system capacity and ultra-reliable and extreme real time communications vital for many emerging applications including the internet of things, driverless cars, virtual reality, e-health, tactile internet and smart cities.”
Initial findings of the measurements made at the University of Sussex were presented by Dr Richard Rudd, senior director at Plum and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Sussex, earlier this month at a meeting of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for the global allocation of 5G frequencies.
They showed the potential for data rates at least 20 times faster than 4G and to speed up the roll out of fibre broadband coverage in the UK, which is currently being hindered by the costs of laying cables into millions of homes.
Image from IoTUK
