The role of fiber in 5G networks
5G promises to function at speeds 100x greater than current 4G networks, enable 100x more devices to connect, provide a 1,000-fold increase in bandwidth and capacity of data transfer, and deliver fast internet to areas where broadband is unavailable. This will significantly speed the growth of the already rapidly expanding IoT industry.
It’s estimated that nearly 26 billion IoT units—devices like smart watches and security systems—will be installed by 2020, and IoT-related spending is expected to reach nearly $3 trillion as a result.
Because fiber optic cable offers unlimited bandwidth potential, fiber will be critical to support widespread 5G and is expected to function as the “nervous system” of future mobile networks. Fiber will allow for the near real-time speeds expected from 5G and help to connect the many devices that contribute to our day-to-day lives.
Resources:
1) Forbes. A Simple Explanation of the Internet of Things. (Retrieved June 2019)
2) Ciena. 5G Wireless Needs Fiber, and Lots of It. (Retrieved June 2019)
As billions more devices connect to the web, including smart phones and smart watches, smart building components, computers, appliances, security systems, self-driving cars, health sensors and more, the capacity of communication networks to transfer data is becoming increasingly more important.
Enter 5G, the next generation of network technology and the future of wireless networking in support of the Internet of Things (IoT), the web of these connected devices sharing information in cyberspace.