Such is the speed of the online world these days, new technology is being rolled out even before much of its potential has yet been imagined and that makes this a very exciting time for all of us, according to Renee Mateparae, Technology Evolution Lead at Spark.
G stands for ‘generation’ and 5G is the latest in a line of evolution which began in the late 1970s, but really took hold in the 1980s. That’s when a very small number of us had access to 1G and carried mobiles the size of bricks – equipped with analogue signals, which meant strictly phone calls only.
Next off the block - in the 1990s, 2G brought the first iteration of texting – albeit at a significant cost per message.
3G introduced in the 2000s, introduced capacity for users to utilise mobile data surfing the internet and sending and receiving emails on Blackberry devices - whilst out and about - away from home. Understandably, this was a notable new beginning.
Start your property search
4G landed in the 2010s offering much better speed, at lower prices. Its introduction coincided with the new age of streaming and social media, and 4G enabled this on smart phones and other devices that were much more functional than anything that had gone before.
Now – well into the 2020s, 5G is the latest cutting-edge technology which is going to fundamentally change how we work, learn, connect, and are entertained.
5G has been built with care and imagination, mindful of its potential, using Internet of Things (IoT) devices and enjoying faster speeds and more capacity than 4G.
Yet Renee Mateparae says she recently heard an analogy that she felt sums up its true possibilities, perfectly.
“If 4G was a two-lane highway, then 5G is a 10-lane autobahn – it has the potential to be so much faster, and more people can connect, so it’s really taking tech to the next level.”
Mateparae says the beauty of 5G is that it makes some complex tasks incredibly easy, enabling users to build on and around their own experiences in areas as diverse as basic online gaming, streaming movies, music and TV programmes, and even education. There are interesting examples if you look at what is happening overseas.
The medical sector is already benefitting, with highly effective remote consultations and diagnoses.
Photo / Getty Images.
“In schools overseas, smartphone cameras have been able to diagnose early-onset eye disease in children,” she says.
5G is being used successfully in fields such as construction and engineering and its current achievements are just the beginning.
“It means a mechanic can be streaming information in real time on an iPad to see exactly what to do in fixing a part on a plane, for example,” says Mateparae.
“With 4G you can have thousands of devices per square kilometre but with 5G you can have millions, so it can work to improve city planning and make smart environments.”
She says some of many possibilities involve video recognition of license plates or even whole cars, so that traffic systems can be smartly managed.
Where 4G was essentially ‘one size fits all’, 5G is effectively cut into slices, and each one is perfectly tuned. It can also be used to optimise systems for sectors such as emergency services.
“The beauty comes when we are able to make things very simple for people,” says Mateparae.
She believes that once people understand 5G’s capabilities they will come up with new applications, which is exactly how Uber and Uber Eats came into being, using 4G technology.
Mateparae expects that many innovations will revolve around entertainment – downloading a Netflix series in a second or so, while on the move, or being able to game anywhere at all, because you no longer rely on a PlayStation console at home.
“I find it fun talking about this stuff and imagining what we can do in the future!”
Spark 5G is currently available in 21 locations nationwide including Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Gisborne, Whangarei, Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin, and Invercargill.
To find out more about 5G technology and the many ways in which its vast potential could change your life at home, in the office - or on the move, visit www.spark.co.nz/5g/home
