The implementation of 5G in both the medium- and long-term will lead to a new connectivity standard, both for homes and businesses. This technological innovation provides greater area coverage in mobile communications. It also offers more efficient data transfer and a considerably lower response time in critical situations – owing to its low latency of less than a millisecond in optimal conditions.

5G connectivity will have a significant impact on the telecommunications industry in the immediate future. In 2018, consultancy firm Gartner published a survey that predicted 66% of corporations would have plans to deploy 5G technology in their respective working environments by 2020. The situation brought on by the global pandemic – where connectivity and remote working and commerce have seen considerable increases in demand – may affect this prediction somewhat.

But what is certain is that the market for 5G, M2M connections and the IoT (Internet of Things) will represent an industry worth $66 billion by 2026, according to ABI Research. For now, the development phase around 5G connectivity is responding to a different type of connection than the ‘real’ 5G or, more specifically, SA 5G.

NSA 5G technology. One step ahead of the final emergence

Currently, the possibilities 5G represents are being ‘hampered’ somewhat by infrastructure that’s not yet fully developed. Connections between mobile devices and transmission antennae are made using 5G protocols. However, data transmission between those very same antennae and the rest of the network’s elements is taking place using 4G protocol. This is known as NSA 5G (Non-StandAlone).

This hybrid way of operating will only be around until 5G implementation is widespread. Meanwhile, only a fraction of the true potential of 5G connectivity is being offered to carriers and end users alike. These are hardly negligible benefits, but even so, the current situation doesn’t come close to full performance.

What’s more, this approach only encourages lower investment and use of existing resources. But we mustn’t forget, setting ourselves the limit of using NSA 5G means underutilising this technology in the long term, and it could provide up to ten or twenty times more benefits if properly established. In terms of performance, as well as in terms of return on investment. The confluence of agents interested in the market and neutral operators like lyntia are the key to facilitating that all-important jump from NSA to SA 5G networks, where this level of connectivity can reveal its full potential.

SA 5G. Non-existent latency and significantly higher speeds

These are the main – though not the only – attractions of SA 5G (StandAlone). Practically non‑existent latency or pings at 1 millisecond triggering the transmission speed, multiplying it by ten or more in some cases. Compared to the 15 milliseconds on average offered by NSA 5G networks, this represents a qualitative and quantitative improvement that’s far from negligible.

The availability, or lack thereof, of antennae with 5G technology, the arrival into all geographic zones, regardless of their orographic complexity and the high level of investment required to adopt this type of connectivity ‘from scratch’ can discourage progress that has proven to be entirely necessary. Relying on neutral operators like lyntia can eliminate any reluctance and guarantee that much of the ‘heavy lifting’ is developed and paid for by a third party who, furthermore, can accompany, advise and technically support operators interested in making the most of the 5G connectivity of the future.