5G is the fifth generation of mobile technology – it promises faster download and upload speeds, wider coverage and more stable connections. It’s not just a new improved version of 4G – the current standard of mobile technology which you’re no doubt familiar with – it’s completely new radio technology. It’s predicted that 5G could achieve browsing and download speeds of 10 to 20 times that of 4G.
So – it all sounds very exciting. That’s all very well and good, but what does it mean for your business, and why should you care about 5G mobile technology?
Remote working and collaboration
As you can imagine, increased availability, latency and speeds has the potential to lead to much smoother and more seamless remote working. Sharing files and remote connecting into your ecosystem could become faster and more efficient, even without a WiFi connection.
This could create more flexible remote working options, less downtime on calls, and a boost in productivity. Your employees will be able to seamlessly connect in from anywhere – whether that’s on a train, at a busy exhibition or on customer site, with less interruption and greater speeds. This not only gives a boost to productivity, but can also be great for staff morale – employees no longer need to worry about returning to the office or doing admin tasks at home after a long day on the road because they couldn’t connect.
Connecting things
As well as enabling better connectivity for your people, 5G also unlocks better connectivity for “things”. By “things”, we mean of course, the Internet of Things (IoT). Depending on the application and the purpose of the IoT device, of course it’s not always possible to have it connected to WiFi. This means you’re relying on mobile connectivity, and it can only be a good thing to have improved reliability and bandwidth in this context. Not only this, but 5G promises to be more scalable than 4G, which becomes a defining factor when you’re thinking about Industry 4.0 and moving to a massive IoT connected world.
Be aware of the risks
Unfortunately, as with most giant leaps forward in technology, 5G comes with risks as well as opportunities. Mostly, perhaps not surprisingly, in the form of increased cyber security threats. A wider network with more devices connected to it means a bigger target for those malware, ransomware and other cybersecurity threats. With the technology being new and potentially untested in some environments, this exposes even more vulnerabilities. The good news is, 5G is being built with a focus on “security by design” – providing some reassurance that networks, software and apps will have a belt and braces approach to security. That being said, it’s always prudent to evaluate and properly guard against the potential risks of any new technology you bring into your business’ network.
Wherever you are on your journey to implementing 5G in your business, Freedom Tech can help you bring more flexibility to the way you invest in technology. Our technology financing solution include FlexIT for SMBs, our leasing solutions made for small businesses, offers up to 20% off the latest HP and Lenovo devices – including those that come with the latest 5G technology. To find out more – get in touch.
