How 5G Will Take Ireland’s Mobile Power to a Whole New Level

The technology world is seemingly in a constant state of flux at the moment, with fascinating new innovations coming into the spotlight almost every week. However, one area where there particularly appears to be constant progress is in the domain of mobile technology.

Smartphones and tablets have become so important to a great number of us for many reasons, as they allow us to do a range of tasks from ordering shopping and sending emails to playing games and organising our social diaries. Now, a fresh development looks set to make them even more essential than ever before.

Moving forward

It is fair to say that access to 4G networks has had a major impact on many of our lives. The speed of the service has opened us up to a world of possibilities, from being able to quickly listen to our favourite artists or stream hit TV shows via platforms like Netflix.

The technology has also given us access to a range of different gaming experiences, from the augmented reality thrills of titles like Pokémon Go to the strategy of Clash of Clans. iGaming has even found a home on mobile thanks to 4G, with sites like Lottoland taking the leap into making their services available via apps for both iOS and Android devices.

However, while 4G has given us so much, it is now time to move forward to the next generation of network technology. 5G is here, and it undoubtedly looks set to take things to a whole new level.

Going live

In the middle of August, it was confirmed that Ericsson and Vodafone had launched what they believed was the first commercial 5G network to become available in Ireland, with the service initially going live in locations including Cork, Limerick and Dublin. Since then, there have been further developments related to the concept, with Imagine Communications, for example, also reportedly confirming it was connecting rural customers to its own 5G set-up.

But what impact will 5G ultimately have? Experts predict that the service will ultimately prove to be between 10 or 20 times faster than what can be achieved on 4G, with this potentially increasing as standalone 5G networks, which operate on high frequencies, are brought into use.

In terms of its impact, it will, of course, mean downloading and using data should become faster than ever before, which will have a major impact on streaming content and gaming and could well lead to further exciting innovations in both areas. In addition, it is thought there could be further significant benefits, as technology website CNet discussed two years ago how 5G may ultimately provide a boost to some key emerging concepts, including issues like self-driving and virtual reality.

Fascinating future

So, while 4G has impacted our lives in many different ways, the general view appears to be that 5G is set to do that and then some.

It is huge news that the technology is now here in Ireland, and it will be fascinating to see just what the future holds thanks to this major mobile boost.