Technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Things that were viable decades ago have either gone obsolete or vanished from the face of the earth. The Internet has gone through many transformations over the decades.
More ISPs came into existence and with the growing demand and increasing competition, ISPs tend to offer high-speed internet with plans that met users’ demand. For instance, Spectrum internet has packages that offer plenty of options for subscribers of varying needs to choose from whatever suits their budget and needs. Cellular internet is also evolving – for example, 5G that came into existence recently.
5G internet is expected to surpass 4G in terms of speed, security, or reliability. It can make a breakthrough in internet technology and we can expect some major improvements with time. But before that, some prevailing challenges need to be addressed. Let’s have a look at some of the problems and challenges.
Challenges That 5G Network Facing
More Frequency Bands Requires Higher Bidding
The minimum requirement of 4G LTE frequency bands is less than 6GHz. But when it comes to the 5G network, it requires more than 300Ghz frequency bands. The bands can hold far more capacity to deliver lighting speeds as much as 20 times faster than conventional LTE.
The problem arises for wireless carriers who need to bid higher spectrum bands deploy respective 5G networks. In December 2018, the 28 GHz spectrum crossed $690 million in bidding.
Limitations in Deploying 5G
5G is going to be a game-changer as compared to its predecessor 4G – speed is surely going to be on the top. However, the deployment of 5G requires a homogenous infrastructure to make it functional. Radio waves require higher frequencies to support 5G, also called beamforming.
It requires several antennas to meet the demand of multiple users. However, the biggest drawback is that antennas will beam out only to a limited area. That being said, the rural population will still face the issue of what is being faced by them presently with LTE. 5G would only be available to a limited population.
To address this issue, 5G network service providers would require installing additional repeaters to help spread radio waves to offer greater coverage. The carriers may incorporate lower frequency bands to extend the coverage area before 5G technology is matured.
Cost to Build and Buy
The emergence of new technologies is stringed to many challenges and problems. Cost is one of the challenges that is viable on 5G as well. Deploying an infrastructure requires a hefty amount and carriers will need to raise the money through crowdfunding.
As LTE infrastructure incurred a hefty cost, 5G cost would be greater than the predecessors would. It is not about upgrading the existing infrastructure, rather it is starting everything from scratch. A higher budget is required to train the personnel and innovative plan to deploy the technology to full scale.
According to a forecast by Mobile Operator 5G Capex, by 2023 the expenditure on 5G is expected to reach $88 billion.
Compatibility Issue
Everyone is excited about the way 5G network will change the internet experience on smart devices. Streaming, gaming, and downloading that required a few minutes or hours in the past to complete the action would be just a matter of seconds.
Moreover, the 5G’s availability at a global scale would require some time, before it becomes the mainstream. Carriers who have already deployed 5G for trial in some cities are surely going to win the competitive edge over others. However, it can only be used on devices that support 5G, which is by far not been deployed by cellphone manufacturers.
Safety and Privacy Issue
When the technology is at its initial stage, there are a few challenges and threats regarding privacy and security. 5G technology functioning might leave some ambiguities despite it comes under Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA). Authentication and Key Agreement is a system designed to develop trust between networks. It would prove to be a threat for users as it might lead to the leaking of phone calls.
Summing Up
There is no denying that 5G technology is going to be a game-changer. However, during the initial phase, it would go through challenges and problems – which is not something new for emerging technologies.