5G – The top 4 future benefits

By Rae Johnston

5G means more than merely faster internet. Yes, being able to download a 4K movie in record speed is impressive. But the capabilities of 5G, and what its impact on our future lives will be, go way beyond quicker access to entertainment. 

When you consider what 5G has to offer: more stable, reliable internet that you can connect more devices to, faster than anything we've ever experienced - the possibilities seem endless

When I was 12 my baby sister choked, and almost died. Because I had studied our household first aid book, I knew what to do. But what if I hadn't been an avid reader?

When I say “Augmented Reality” you probably think of Pokemon Go. But using AR-enabled smart glasses and almost-instantaneous communication through 5G, you could receive real-time instruction from the experts on a whole range of situations - life-threatening or not.

Experts could show us how to fix a leaky washing machine, hang a painting or conduct CPR. We could learn new skills by literally seeing exactly what we need to do and receiving guidance every step of the way.

We are looking at a future with more augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality implemented in genuinely useful ways - not to say that Pokemon Go isn’t helpful, in its own way.

Boosting Australia's gaming industry

1.5 million Australians watch esports, an industry worth $138 billion globally. Currently, local players experience some serious lag - a noticeable delay between moving in-game, and that movement showing on the screen. This is a disadvantage that has seen Australia fall behind on the world stage.

5G will see our esports pros on an even playing field, globally, for the first time. It will also open the doors for more local tournaments, since they look set to  be less expensive to run on 5G than a cabled network.

Letting robots steal our jobs

Most of us wouldn't want a robot to steal our jobs. But what if your job is to save lives, and a robot could help you be better at it? Imagine being the top surgeon in the world, able to use robotics to operate on anyone in the world.

Because the time it takes to send data from one device to another over 5G is reduced to "instant", robots could work with humans to carry out instructions in real-time performing delicate surgery with calculated precision.

Smart cities mean sustainable cities

When most people think sustainability, "off-grid" comes to mind. 5G is proof that technology can not only co-exist with environmentalism but support it.

Smart cities are on the rise around the globe, with a plethora of devices connected through the Internet of Things to keep things running clean and green. Monitoring air quality, water quality, connecting logistics and transport - this is technology that is reducing our impact on the environment.

5G will not only rely on traditional towers, but also the more compact 5G small cells which have a smaller physical footprint. This allows them to be better placed to connect devices, with one tower able to support up to a million devices per square kilometre.

When it comes to the benefits 5G will have on how we live - here, in the future - the only real limit is the world we choose to create.

Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning STEM journalist, Wiradjuri woman, mother, broadcaster, voice actor and MC. Rae is the first ever Science and Technology Editor for NITV, and host of That Startup Show