From Jen Koester, an insider at Lease Advisors
Although the introduction of the highly anticipated 5G network is likely years away, industry experts predict that the new technology will greatly impact the future of mobility. And tower owners may benefit from increased revenue from lease amendments to accommodate the new technology. The mobile landscape as we know it will drastically change as businesses harness the increased speeds and capacity promised by 5G. It has typically taken at least a decade to develop a new generation of technology (1G, 2G, 3G and the current 4G). This could suggest that we will see true 5G services available by the year 2021.
The transition from 4G to 5G is projected to be similar to the advancement from 2G to 3G: lower prices and faster speeds. Similar to 4G technology, 5G is also expected to continue to connect information, social interaction, mobility, and cloud services, while supporting a high capacity of users. However, it is important to note that no one really knows what 5G has in store for us. Obviously large wireless carriers are focused on increasing speeds for their customers. Currently, mobile communication utilizes a fairly small frequency spectrum (600 MHz-3 GHz); 5G will likely acquire quicker speeds with the use of multiple input multiple output (MiMo) technology.
To put the potential speed of 5G into relatable terms, think of this: utilizing the fastest Internet speeds available in Seoul, Korea, one could download an 800 megabyte movie in just 40 seconds on the 4G network. Using the projected speeds of 5G, the same download could be completed in just one second!
South Korea is amongst the first to attempt cracking the 5G network and has invested approximately $1.5 billion into network upgrades. The country predicts the launch of a limited trial network by 2017 and the release of 5G speeds to the public by 2020. South Korea’s Minister of Engineering, Science and Technology also predicts that companies will spend over $300 billion in network infrastructure upgrades over the next decade.
No one can say for sure how the new network will specifically impact the existing infrastructure. It is possible that MiMo technology, which utilizes small antennas, will be used to expand the 5G network. It is currently unknown whether an increase in cell towers will come with the development and expansion of 5G; however it is definitely a possibility.
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