New 5G technology is arriving with alarming speed! Much like the jump from 2G to 3G, 5G will be a revolutionary step for today’s society. The network coverage will be much larger than what has been previously offered to consumers across the globe including remote parts of the world. Along with increased coverage, loading speeds will be 100 times faster (www.cnet.com). So fast that you can download HD movies in mere seconds! As smart phones and tablets become more prominent, Ericsson Canada Chief Technology Officer, Dragan Nerandzic, said on June at the Canadian Telecom Summit that mobile video traffic will grow 55 per cent annually in the next five years (www.financialpost.com). Wireless networks will be able to use this advanced 5G technology to accommodate an expected increase of over 1,000 times more data usage, and more than double the amount of broadband subscriptions (www.lightreading.com).
Technological change facilitates growth in many fields. Better equipment and access to information at ones finger-tips, will allow doctors to treat more patients with greater efficiency. Transportation will also change as smart vehicles enter the market with the ability to operate without drivers. In addition, sensors will be implemented in roadways, railroads, airfields, and in the vehicles themselves (www.ericsson.com).
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the potential 5G brings, but what does this mean for landlords of cell towers and rooftop antennas?
The wireless network is in constant flux, having to adapt to new technology and often each wave of improvement can result in consolidation. In urban, and even rural areas, you may see equipment modifications to rooftop antennas and cell towers, but it is less likely that new tower structures will be built. As with any change in the network, the effect can be unpredictable, and as we move toward integrating this new technology there are capabilities we still don’t know about (www.mobileworldlive.com).
