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SPOTLIGHT: 5G & Wireless Technologies
5G AND THE HISTORY OF
WIRELESS NETWORKS
Soyola Baasan
Managing Director
DASpedia
he in-building wireless discussion thanks to its touted super-fast speed, high-bandwidth
has been going on for over a decade. capacity, and low latency. 5G will make possible autono-
Whether it is enhanced cell coverage mous vehicles, remote medical procedures, ultra-high-defi-
(traditionally referred to as DAS), nition 3D videos, cutting-edge cloud computing, the
T WiFi or the host of new applications Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
including building automation and IoT connectivity
being offered by 5G and CBRS, the interest of the Let’s take a step back to remember how cellular wireless
Commercial and Corporate Real estate industry technology has evolved over the years. The first-genera-
grows daily. tion cellular network, known as 1G, was deployed in the
early 1980s. This analog technology was cutting edge at
Fifth-generation cellular network technology—5G the time—surpassing radio phones, walkie talkies, and
for short—is a very hot topic these days. As history amateur ham radios as a superior alternative for mobile
shows, mobile technology undergoes an evolutionary communication. But it wasn’t perfect. Those who could
leap every decade or so, and we are on the cusp of afford to plunk down $4,000 in the ‘80s for a Motorola
the most consequential one yet. The hype surround- DynaTAC (aka brick phone) could only make sporadic
ing 5G has been intensifying and the drumbeat will voice calls due to unreliable network coverage. But it didn’t
continue to crescendo. Just like previous leaps, 5G matter at the time. Carrying a mobile phone was a status
promises monumental improvements to existing symbol and people wanted a piece of it.
mobile networks and revolutionary new applications
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