Innovation & Tech Today – May 2019

76 INNOVATION & TECH TODAY|SUMMER 2019

connectedlife

Getting Some Perspective on 5G

Smarttechleaders from Verizon and Fybr give their opinion on the state of 5G

By Anthony Elio

AccordingtoStatista,therearecurrentlyover

1.5billion4Gsubscribersaroundtheworld,a

numberthathasballoonedsubstantiallysince

2010,whentherewereonlya littleovera

millionsubscribers.However,especiallyinthe

smartphoneage,we’realwaysreadyforthenext

bigthing.Andthenextbigthingdominating

manyconversationsinthetechspacerecently?

5G.Withsomecomparing5G’srollouttothe

beginningofthefourthindustrialrevolution,

thereisdefinitelynoshortageofhype when it

comestothisnextwaveofdata.

PerStatista,thenumberof5Gsubscriptions

lookstobe0.04billionin2020.By2025,that

number will grow to 2.61 billion, over double

theamountofcurrent4Gsubscribers.However,

despiteallthebroadheadlinesabouthow5G

willcompletelychangethegameintermsof

data,thereisstillplentyofmysteryand

misconceptionaroundthenewtech.Becauseof

this,weconductedexclusiveinterviewswiththe

VicePresidentofSmartCitiesatVerizonand

IoTsolutionprovidersatFybrtoanalyze5G

throughthelensofinfrastructure, cybersecurity,

andthefuture.

Infrastructure

LaniIngram,VicePresident,

SmartCitiesatVerizon

SmartCitiesand5Gbothrequirea

tremendous amount of infrastructure in the

ground.With5G,obviously,weneedtobeable

tohaveourcommunicationsinfrastructureall

throughthecitysothatwecanensurethat

connectivityisavailabletocitizenswhenthey

needit.SmartCitiesisverysimilarinthatwe

havesensorsthataregoingtoneedtobeputon

theground,onlightpoles,andinkeyareas

wherepeopleareinteractingandwewantto be

abletohavethatexchangebetweenour

environmentandtheindividualswhoare doing

activitiesthroughthatenvironment.

Soverysimilarly,weneedtobeabletocreate

partnershipswithcities.Tobeabletoensure

thattheinfrastructureisputinplaceina timely

fashion and is also put in place in a way that

Photo: iStockphoto.com/metamorworks