In 2018 I produced a video on the new 5G Communications Network being built in the US. In that program I got into more of the health questions a lot of people are asking about 5G. But, in this updated program I'm going to look at what 5G will actually allow people to do. While a lot of cities are still fighting some of the aspects of 5G, it's apparent that it's quickly arriving, whether people like it or not.

5G is the 5th generation of mobile communication networks, a dramatic evolution of today's 4G networks. This is happening because of the growth in data and connectivity of today's modern society. The "internet of things" with billions of connected devices needs 5G technology to succeed in both bandwidth and speed. An important advantage of 5G is the fast response time measured in the term "latency." Latency is the time it takes devices to respond to each other. 5G will provide virtually instantaneous response between devices, opening up a new world of connected possibilities.

The "internet of things" is set to increase connected devices from 700 million to 3.2 billion by 2023. 5G will go a long way towards improving performance and reliability of these interconnected devices. It will operate 10 times faster than current networks, allowing devices to communicate and share data faster than ever. Because 5G provides faster download speeds and more capacity to run billions of devices, consumers will be able to connect all of their smart devices in their homes to better control component operations and performance monitoring. Privacy advocates though, are worried about consumer devices that could watch and listen more to home occupants. We've heard of this with certain "smart televisions" the past few years like those made by Samson. Imagine if every home device has the capability to watch, listen, collect and sell data to the highest bidder?

The arrival of 5G could transform healthcare delivery by drastically boosting speed and capacity while reducing latency. Allowing the transmission of large medical images, facilitating tele-health initiatives, better patient monitoring tools, enabling AI technology, and virtual reality uses. And you can't overlook how mobile devices and tablets used in healthcare settings will benefit from faster downloads and communications.

Someday experts in the auto industry expect tremendous potential for 5G connected driverless cars. Research into autonomous driving is accelerating, but still several years away. 5G connected driverless cars will be able to communicate together concerning route and speed. Because they'll have total awareness of their surroundings, it could make automobiles much more safer. Maybe a world where traffic lights won't be needed. On the negative side what will happen when autonomous cars don't communicate data flawlessly? And, if the cars are eventually required by everyone...how will car enthusiasts react to not driving their vintage cars?
It's much the same for autonomous trucks. Trucking companies will be able to use 5G to move more and more cargo at less expense. They could more easily travel during off-peak hours to reduce traffic congestion during the busiest times of the day. Driverless trucks could also bring big benefits in safety. Each year, trucks are involved in many thousands of crashes causing death and many injuries. Autonomous trucks would reduce the number of accidents significantly. Their sophisticated sensors on board would warn them of problems way sooner. The negative side to driverless trucks is that the technology would no doubt replace truck drivers with computers. Although they still may need professional drivers at the start and end of highly difficult trucking runs.

Finally, some communities across the US are fighting 5G cell sites. The reasons include aesthetics, property values, to some health concerns. Because 5G requires more antennas to provide consistent reception, carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and others have to install a half a million new cell towers of smaller antennas near businesses and even in neighborhoods. Residents are sometimes unhappy and concerned about the appearance of small cell antennas in front of their homes and backyards. Carriers often resort to camouflaging the antennas with certain materials, behind shrubbery, on rooftops, and other ways too.

We've been hearing about the "internet of things" coming for a long time. Then the techies will push undoubtedly 6G...7G and who knows what else. The safety and privacy concerns are real in my opinion. Yes, faster internet and smart devices communicating better together are fine I guess. But could there be a tipping point where technology enslaves us and controls too much? We won't have long to find out.