Heading Towards a New Era: Unveiling the Potential and Challenges of 5G Technology

Published in

COMPFEST

5 min readJul 4, 2023

Hi Techovers! Did you know that in 1995, approximately 1% of the world’s population used the Internet? However, by 2021, over 59% of the world’s population had connected to the Internet. This demonstrates the incredible growth rate in access and adoption of technology worldwide in a relatively short period. The Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, influencing how we communicate, work, learn, and even socialize.

As we know, technological advancements will continue to progress in line with the changing times. The internet itself is a prime example of technological development and will continue to evolve over time. Currently, the internet has reached the stage of 5G technology, which offers users enhanced convenience in accessing the internet.

What is 5G network?

Fifth-generation wireless cellular technology, known as 5G, offers several advantages including higher data transfer speeds, more stable connections, and greater capacity compared to previous generations. In comparison to commonly used 4G networks, 5G provides improved speed and reliability. This has the potential to revolutionize how we utilize the internet for accessing applications, social networks, and sources of information. Technological advancements such as autonomous vehicles, advanced gaming applications, and real-time media streaming all require reliable and high-speed data connections, which can greatly benefit from the connectivity offered by 5G technology.

How does 5G network work?

Like previous generations of cellular technology, 5G technology relies on cellular sites to transmit data through radio waves. However, 5G technology brings significant advancements. One of them is the use of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), which efficiently encodes high-frequency airwaves compared to 4G technology. Moreover, 5G technology utilizes smaller transmitters strategically placed in buildings and other infrastructures, ensuring improved connectivity for a wide range of devices. Additionally, mobile network operators can leverage 5G technology to offer multiple independent virtual networks using the same infrastructure. This enables tailored services according to specific needs, resulting in enhanced quality and efficiency for users.

Differences between 5G and previous generations

Although the radio frequencies used by 5G are similar to previous generations such as 4G, 4G LTE, and 3G, there are some significant differences between 5G and previous cellular technologies. Some of these differences include:

Higher speeds: 5G networks can achieve speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, which is 10 times faster than 4G networks. This enables tasks such as downloading movies or backing up databases to be completed in shorter times.
Low latency: One of the main advantages of 5G is its low latency. Latency refers to the delay between the transmission and reception of information. While 4G networks have a latency of around 200 milliseconds, 5G can achieve latency as low as one millisecond. With lower latency, responsiveness and response times in various applications and services improve significantly.
Higher bandwidth: 5G technology supports a wider range of bandwidth, including low, mid, and high-frequency bands. This is achieved by expanding the spectrum resources, ranging from below 3 GHz used in 4G to 100 GHz and above. 5G can operate in various frequency bands, including mmWave, which substantially increases network capacity. With higher bandwidth, more devices can connect and transfer data simultaneously.

Thus, 5G technology brings significant differences in terms of speed, latency, and bandwidth compared to previous generations, allowing for new opportunities for advanced applications and improved connectivity.

The Potential of 5G technology

5G technology is poised to drive the digital transformation across social, economic, and cultural aspects. The key advantages of 5G networks lie in their high data transfer speeds and low latency. The implementation of 5G networks is expected to deliver fast, seamless, and even instantaneous streaming and video downloads. Leading global information and communication technology company, Huawei, has also witnessed the rapid adoption of 5G networks, particularly across various industries. As of 2020, over 140 commercial 5G networks had been deployed in 59 countries, with more than 50% of these networks built by Huawei. 5G applications have been successfully implemented in over 20 industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and logistics. In Indonesia, the government and digital industry players are actively preparing devices and ecosystems to embrace 5G networks in sectors such as smart cities, manufacturing, e-commerce, healthcare, and logistics.

Challenges of implementing 5G in Indonesia

Although 5G technology was initially developed by South Korea in March 2019, its commercialization in Indonesia has faced significant challenges. Inadequate infrastructure and the absence of government regulations regarding the allocation of 5G frequency spectrum are among the primary obstacles. Furthermore, according to Kamilov Sagala, the Director of Lembaga Pengembangan dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Informasi (LPPMI), the urgency for implementing 5G is not yet perceived. The availability of 4G services is considered sufficient to meet the daily digital access needs of the population. In the corporate and industrial sectors, the adoption of 5G technology is seen more as a means to enhance corporate image and build corporate value, suggesting that its usage is still perceived as a mere “gimmick.”

After learning about the potential and challenges, what do you think? Do you think 5G is crucial to be implemented in Indonesia? Share your opinions! And don’t forget to join the newly opened COMPFEST Academy. Stay tuned for the excitement of COMPFEST through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and COMPFEST.ID.

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Heading Towards a New Era: Unveiling the Potential and Challenges of 5G Technology

Written by Muhammad Fauzan Jaisyurrahman