The new era of 5.5G, also called advanced 5G, is characterized by greater speed, massiveness of connections and very low latency, meaning that signal delay is significantly reduced, which will impact us in all aspects of our lives. , industry and society.
In China, the three main operators have already begun implementing 5.5 G networks in some cities. But tests have also been carried out in Finland and Germany, and 20 other cities around the world are already beginning this testing process. This technology is expected to reach Latin America in 2030, said César Funes, in charge of Public Affairs for Huawei for Latin America, at the World Mobile Congress (WMC24) held at the end of March in Barcelona, Spain.
In 2022, talk of 5.5G began, but currently it is already standardized and at WMC24, this Chinese company presented multiple infrastructure solutions for industries at its advanced intelligence stand.
It is expected that 5.5G will improve network capabilities tenfold through ultra-wide bands and multiple antennas, which have greater performance and energy efficiency, Funes explained.
Some applications of 5.5G in the cities of the future
- Fully automated moving platforms along with the integration of artificial intelligence elements
- Connected security cameras in the city
- autonomous vehicles
- Multimodal communication (with avatars)
- Cloud of experts with tools that allow you to make decisions focused on intelligence
- Smart homes with all-optical network
- Passive IOT technology (elements that have no power, but have the ability to communicate and can be read wirelessly)
- Data fluctuation that allows information to be downloaded and uploaded more quickly
Guatemala advances in 5G
In 2023, our country took a quantum leap of almost 10 years with the SIT-SPF01-2023 frequency auction, through which the spectrum was given for operators to use this band for 20 years, explains the Superintendent of Telecommunications of Guatemala, Marco. Antonio Baten Ruíz.
In fact, Guatemala is the first country in Central America to have 5G mobile services and is among the five in Latin America that uses this technology, explains Baten. At the same time, it occupies second place in download speed in Latin America with 238.6 Mbps, (Brazil leads with 346.4), while in data upload it leads with 42Mbps, according to a comparative evaluation carried out by the consulting firm Opensignal, in September 2023, among seven Latin American countries, including Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Peru. In speed, according to this same report, Guatemala occupies first place in Latin America, along with South Korea and Malaysia, explains Baten Ruíz.
Our first #5GReport focusing on Latin America is live! Looking at 7 markets across the region, we analysed 9 measures of real-world #5G experience including the uplift comparing 5G to 4G.
Find out more at: pic.twitter.com/9lNnw2DENo
— Opensignal (@opensignal) July 6, 2023
To move towards a connected city, it is necessary to have: legal regulations, investment and services offered by fixed and mobile operators, availability of technological products and user adoption, says Baten Ruiz.
Due to the introduction of high-speed submarine fiber cables, Guatemala has improved bandwidth, which helps us have a better quality of service (connectivity and data transmission).
In 2024 there will be a capacity of 218 TB and in 2026 it will be 548 TB, says the superintendent, who on behalf of the country won the presidency of group 20 of the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, which sees the issue of Smart Cities and the internet of things.
As 5.5G, AI and cloud converge, operators can unlock the potential of new applications and capabilities.
Li Peng, Corporate Senior Vice President, President of ICT Sales and Services, Huawei.
Features of smart cities
In the case of smart vehicles, low latency is necessary so that when they receive the signal to stop, they stop immediately. (Free Press Photo: Lucrecia Choy)
Ultra low latency
Latency is measured in milliseconds and represents the time it takes for a set of data to travel from one point to another. At an international level, the standard is 35 milliseconds, says Baten-Ruiz.
With 5.5 G the signal delay is reduced from 50 milliseconds to one millisecond, says Funes. This is relevant so that in the case of a robot the signal to go or stop is precise, which is an advantage for autonomous vehicles. Likewise, if an automated crane is going to drop a package when it receives a certain signal, it has to be exact and immediate.
Spectrum
In some countries it is still required that the spectrum that is intended for the use of new generation network evolutions be available for the market, explains Funes.
In Guatemala, the spectrum granted is 768.9 MHz and ranks fifth in Latin America, according to 5G Americas data corresponding to March 2024, explains Baten Ruiz.
Data storage
In the era of artificial intelligence, it improves collection, processing, efficiency and agility so that data is globally visible, manageable and available, as well as its protection and backup. There are private, public and hybrid clouds, which are used depending on the type of information.
Energy usage
Integration of digital and power electronics technologies to build simplified and ecological sites, with low carbon emissions. Operators go from being consumers to being prosumers (consumers + producers).
Closing gaps
The digital divide begins with connectivity and coverage, but continues with the use and development of digital skills, says Funes.
Currently, the SIT is working on a plan to close gaps through connectivity, through a fund created as a result of the last auction, explains Baten.
Infinite possibilities
The goal is for people to use connectivity and computing power beyond basic communication and entertainment, and to use it in productive activities to improve their lives and create new services or businesses.
#Guatemala #smart #city
