5G and the IoT Revolution: We Need Open Source

Everyone has heard of 5G and how it is revolutionizing our wireless networks! IoT is one of the biggest applications of 5G, and applications in our everyday lives are seemingly endless! However, with this new technology come some important concerns. From self-driving cars to sensors in your home, here is what 5G is all about!

What is 5G?

The fifth generation of cellular network technology (5G) is a big advancement from the older 4G and LTE standards! The main improvements of 5G include the following:

Speed: The rate at which 5G networks can transmit and receive data can reach 10 Gbps, which is 10 times faster than LTE-Advanced with a data rate of 1 Gbps.

Latency: The time delay due to the travel of a data packer from a sender to a receiver is significantly lower in 5G networks with a reduction from around 10–20 milliseconds in 4G and LTE to only 1 millisecond in 5G.

Capacity: The number of devices that can be connected to a network is vastly greater on 5G compared to 4G and LTE.

Reliability: New hardware and software technology improves signal quality and reduces data loss.

Power Efficiency: The infrastructure for 5G networks uses less power for wireless communication compared to 4G and LTE networks.

Customization: Using the features of 5G technology outlined in the next section, 5G networks can be readily optimized for a variety of applications.

The Promises of 5G

The development of 5G brings abounding advances to cellular network technology! Here are the key developments in wireless communication that come with 5G:

mmWave: The high frequency millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum ranges from 30 GHz to 300 GHz. By operating in this range, 5G mmWave can offer much faster speeds. However, mmWave technology is still in the process of being implemented using new infrastructure.

Massive MIMO: Massive multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) allows multiple antennas to be used on the transmitter and on the receiver, which allows simultaneous communication of multiple data streams. This technology increases the network capacity and the speed while improving the signal quality.

Beamforming: Instead of broadcasting in all directions, 5G antennas broadcast in a single direction to target a specific device. This focusing of wireless transmission is called beamforming and can improve signal quality and speed while reducing interference.

Network Slicing: A single physical network can be divided into multiple virtual networks that can each be optimized for a specific use case. For example, a virtual network can be customized for lower latency for self-driving cars or virtual reality, and another virtual network can be customized for higher bandwidth for media systems.

Small Cells: The deployment of low-power and low-cost base stations of a reduced size can improve network coverage in high density areas.

Cloud Computing: The integration of cloud computing in 5G architecture allows moving processing and storage to another computer, which reduces the burden on individual devices in the network and allows scaling to a greater network capacity. The result is more efficient allocation of resources to allow for faster operating speeds.

Edge Computing: Implementing data processing and storage closer to endpoint devices, such as at local access points or even the devices themselves, minimizes latency and thus improves performance for real-time applications.

The IoT Revolution

One of the most significant results of the improvements offered by 5G is the advent of the the Internet of Things (IoT)!

Thanks to the faster speeds, higher capacity, and power efficiency of 5G, manufacturers can readily include network connectivity in their devices! Equipped with network connectivity, devices can easily transmit information about itself and its environment.

Consumers can use the data to help make decisions or automate their systems. With smart doorbells, consumers can be alerted whenever someone arrives at their door and identify that person as well.

Meanwhile, manufacturers can gain data about the performance of their devices and how their consumers are using them. By having devices transmit analytics and telemetry back to the manufacturer, engineers can understand how to improve their products.

The applications of IoT using 5G include use in cars, medical equipment, environment sensors, and more!

In addition to 5G, the newest technology in WiFi networks provides another option for devices to achieved wireless communication.

The applications of IoT are seemingly limitless, with nearly every household appliance from your thermostat to your fridge turning ‘smart’!

We Need Transparency

In reality, these ‘smart’ devices may not really be a ‘smart’ choice.

By enabling network connectivity, devices are also opening a gateway to being abused.

The data being communicated may not be transferred or stored securely, which can then be susceptible to hacks. Especially if data is stored on the cloud, consumers must rely on the cloud infrastructure’s security.

Furthermore, manufacturers can collect excessive amounts of private data, which may be used for undesirable purposes. Information gathered from a smart doorbell about when people arrive at a house and who they are can be very valuable to advertisers and thus very profitable for a manufacturer.

Governments can also take advantage of device connectivity by accessing the data already being collected or directly taking control of the device through backdoors.

Of course, hackers could take control of your ‘smart’ devices. A hacker might be spying on you through your baby monitor or might suddenly start talking to your through your speaker.

The truth is, while IoT technology enables countless conveniences, the risk of introducing this technology must also be considered.

There are numerous cases of IoT devices being abused by companies, governments, and hackers. Here are just a few shocking examples!

• Strava collected data on secret military activity through the Fitbit watches worn by soldiers
• The CIA and MI5 co-developed the Weeping Angel hack to spy on users by recording conversations through Samsung TVs
• Hackers stole a casino’s high roller database through a fish thermometer

These are by no means the only examples or even the most extreme!

While the issues of privacy and security are complex wide-ranging, a mitigation in the IoT space would be with open source code.

The fundamental issue with the current state of IoT is that consumers do not know what data is being transmitted or received by their devices. Really, consumers have no idea what their own devices are doing!

By manufacturers making their code open source, they are opening up to their consumers by offering transparency. This system builds trust as consumers will know that the code can readily be independently audited for privacy and security risks. Plus, joining the open source community comes with the benefits of community contributions to make products better, whether it be through innovate features or security improvements.

While consumers will still need to contend with the issue of their devices potentially being hacked or their data being compromised, at least they will be comfortable knowing exactly what data they are risking.

Transparency through open source is the key to an IoT revolution that takes advantage of all the benefits of 5G and network technology while respecting consumers’ rights to privacy and operating on a model that could potentially improve consumers’ security.