Focus: GS-III: Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Li
Why in News?
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have started providing 5G services in the country from 01.10.2022 onwards. As on 31.01.2023, 5G services have been started in 238 cities distributed across all license service areas.
The rollout obligations are required to be met over a period of five years, in a phased manner, from the date of allocation of spectrum.
Further expansion of mobile networks beyond the mandatory rollout obligations depends on the techno-commercial consideration of the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
About 5G
- 5G is the 5th generation mobile network.
- It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
- 5G can be significantly faster than 4G, delivering up to 20 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) peak data rates and 100+ Megabits-per-second (Mbps) average data rates.
- 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
- 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users.
- Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new industries.
- With high speeds, superior reliability and negligible latency, 5G will expand the mobile ecosystem into new realms.
- 5G will impact every industry, making safer transportation, remote healthcare, precision agriculture, digitized logistics — and more — a reality.
Way Forward
- The various 5G aspects that were covered above provide fascinating perspectives on how cities will develop in the future.
- It will be necessary to establish hubs with 5G-propelled economic units, network infrastructure, and social provisions for the employees and their families, or what we refer to as the “5G islands.” These islands could take the form of townships tailored to employees in remote-working sectors or be centred on automatic or semi-automatic industrial clusters; oppo
- These islands may be built on top of existing cities or they may be positioned close to larger cities, much like the current satellite cities.
- The underutilised peri-urban areas may even see the development of these townships.
Conclusion
- The adoption of 5G-specific applications that make use of higher frequency bands will open up a variety of new growth prospects for the nation.
- If sound planning techniques are used, this new form of urbanisation can also be resilient and sustainable.
- Compact urbanisation can be combined with a variety of land uses and undeveloped natural areas in between to reduce the amount of land needed per resident and per job.
- Urban planners and policymakers must consider how 5G will affect urbanisation as it happens in order to create well-planned, effective, sustainable, and resilient urban systems in the future.
