What are the pros and cons of 5G?
Enterprises that seek the benefits of 5G's speed, capacity and low latency must consider the costs, complexities and security issues of getting coverage where they need it.
5G is helping enterprises find new ways to conduct business, yet its fast wireless connectivity can come at a significant cost. Among other considerations, many businesses might have to retool their infrastructure to take advantage of 5G's performance. Let's examine five pros and cons of 5G networks.
What is 5G technology?
5G is the fifth generation of technology that supports cellular communications. Compared with 4G, 5G offers faster speeds, lower latency and a more uniform experience. It's the cornerstone of a constellation of high-speed services -- including those based on machine learning and other kinds of AI -- that are redefining how enterprises and consumers use the wireless spectrum to communicate and transact business.
What are the pros of 5G?
From reduced latency to enhanced productivity, 5G offers numerous advantages to enterprises.
1. Speed
With a theoretical speed of up to 20 Gbps, 5G offers data rates that are orders of magnitude greater than 4G and 4G LTE. The actual throughput an enterprise customer can reasonably expect from its 5G provider depends on a variety of factors, among them proximity to towers, the carrier's technological sophistication and choice of frequency, and whether the enterprise network is equipped with components engineered to support multigigabit performance. That said, enterprises are using 5G to implement a wide array of services, from automation to advanced video conferencing capabilities, that were unavailable with older standards. Not only does 5G offer higher speeds; it offers something equally important: low latency.
2. Low latency
Compared with 4G, 5G significantly reduces the time it takes for network devices to respond to commands. With 4G, latency ranges from approximately 60 milliseconds to 98 ms. 5G reduces latency to between 5 ms and 10 ms, but the ultimate target, according to standards body 3rd Generation Partnership Project, is under 2 ms for some applications. With latencies this low, the lag that can plague real-time communications under legacy cellular standards is all but eliminated. Uniform performance is another advantage. Users can expect their interactions with resources and services to be the same, regardless of location. Improved latency is a key advantage of 5G standalone, the version of 5G that doesn't rely on 4G LTE infrastructure for its core functions.
3. Capacity
5G supports simultaneously connecting many more devices than 4G: up to 1 million per square kilometer, 10 times the earlier standard. IoT is a direct beneficiary as businesses deploy more connected devices to monitor systems and perform other operations.
The additional capacity means enterprises no longer have to view their cellular and Wi-Fi strategy as an either-or proposition. With 5G, companies can switch between cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity as needed without worrying that performance will suffer or mobile broadband accessibility will be limited, especially in high-congestion environments like New York City and other major urban areas.
4. Advanced technology enablement
5G is fueling a new generation of services across numerous industries. Factories, retailers, healthcare providers and logistics providers are only a few of the businesses using 5G to improve their operations, which encompass everything from managing fleets to remote-controlled surgeries. Businesses weighing hybrid workplaces should also take note that remote workers benefit from 5G. High-speed video conferencing with augmented or virtual reality capabilities, for example, can simulate environments and help employees working from home or other locations make better decisions about projects. 5G helps make these applications and other services geared to work-at-home employees more responsive and predictive, enabling workers to do their jobs more efficiently.
5. Network reimagination
5G lets companies reimagine their networks, adding automation and other capabilities as needed. Remote workers and branch offices could use 5G as their primary connectivity medium and tap into corporate resources -- among them AI-based productivity and unified communications applications -- more quickly and securely. Private 5G networks, meanwhile, enable enterprises to run their own restricted-access networks to deliver specialized services and applications to employees and contractors, regardless of their location. Edge computing plays a bigger role, thanks to 5G-compatible components that rapidly process and respond to requests, reducing the need for data center backhaul.
What are the cons of 5G?
Despite its benefits, enterprises must consider several drawbacks associated with 5G, including security vulnerabilities and unreliable connectivity.
1. Security
5G's transport security algorithms are more comprehensive than those supported by the 4G standard, but enterprises might still encounter other cybersecurity issues. Although applications transported by 5G networks might be encrypted by methods that include the new SNOW-V specification, which was expressly designed for 5G, the 5G standard itself lacks end-to-end encryption. This gap early in the connection process can leave enterprises potentially open to attacks. For example, the sheer number of IoT devices and components attached to 5G networks dramatically increases exposure to threats from attackers attempting to exploit such vulnerabilities.
Another potential drawback: 5G devices themselves can be cause for concern, as chips and other components engineered to drive those devices could be infected with malware by nation-state actors. Enterprises should consider using network slicing -- creating a virtual network to isolate an application or service -- to improve security. In addition, 5G management software can be vulnerable to attacks: A breach in any part of the carrier's or enterprise's infrastructure could create serious security problems throughout the network. Finally, if a 5G network isn't available, devices automatically switch to 4G, thus losing 5G-specific security guardrails in the process.
2. Capex and Opex
To fully reap 5G's benefits, enterprises must upgrade and replace network components with components containing processors engineered to support the standard's higher speeds and performance metrics. Once 5G-compatible equipment is deployed, however, companies still must find ways to balance the additional capital expenditures and operating expenses within the limitations of their legacy infrastructure. Price points remain a critical consideration as carrier and equipment pricing remains in flux.
3. Uneven coverage
Carriers have accelerated their deployment of 5G, in part by acquiring spectrum that permits different transmission alternatives than millimeter wave (mmWave), the short-wavelength high frequencies used for 5G deployments in densely populated areas with heavy data traffic. Yet, that doesn't mean every user gets the same level of service. In the U.S., for example, hundreds of millions of Americans have access to 5G, but at speeds only a little bit higher than 4G. Higher-speed availability is still mostly concentrated in urban, dense environments or in distinct locations, such as stadiums and arenas. Enterprises that have offices in smaller cities or rural areas can be particularly vulnerable to gaps in 5G coverage and might have to rely on a mix of legacy connectivity technologies. As a result, companies that don't have access to 5G -- or that are waiting for carriers to bring 5G to their area -- could suffer competitively.
4. Line of sight and penetration issues
Common objects can easily block the high-frequency signals of mmWave, so ensuring consistent coverage throughout office and factory settings can be an issue. As a result, enterprises might have to redesign some facilities to guarantee adequate service or use midband or low-band 5G flavors -- if they are available from local carriers -- to extend coverage. Another option, primarily for private 5G networks, is the Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum.
5. Hype factor
Claims from carriers and vendors, such as how quickly users can download a movie on their mobile devices or play games, can overwhelm enterprises as they assess 5G's potential advantages. Companies need to take the time to fully understand how they intend to use 5G and how much it will cost to get the most benefit from the technology.
5G is unlike other technologies initially driven by enterprises and then adopted by consumers. In 5G's case, it's the other way around. Although 5G enterprise adoption continues to grow, a universal shift to 5G won't occur until 5G connectivity is fully and reliably available.
Chuck Moozakis is editor at large of the Networking, Security and Infrastructure group at TechTarget.
