Speaker 1: Okay, so today we're diving into the world of five G. Right,
Speaker 1: you sent over a ton of really great info, especially
Speaker 1: some interesting excerpts from five gnre the next generation wireless
Speaker 1: access technology. Yeah, it's pretty technical, but we're gonna break
Speaker 1: it all down, you will, so you can walk away
Speaker 1: feeling like you're fluid in five G.
Speaker 2: Absolutely so.
Speaker 1: Honestly, when I hear five G, I think faster downloads.
Speaker 1: But I'm sure it's got to be more than that.
Speaker 2: Oh it's way more than that. Okay, it's like comparing
Speaker 2: a bicycle to a spaceship. Five G actually has three
Speaker 2: major scenarios that it's built for.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: First up is enhanced Mobile Broadband or eMBB. Okay, you
Speaker 2: know this is your download speed, streaming quality, all that
Speaker 2: good stuff, just like cranked up to eleven. Okay, remember
Speaker 2: those like dreaded buffering wheels.
Speaker 1: Are the worst?
Speaker 2: Gone? Really, with five G you can download a whole
Speaker 2: movie in seconds, stream live events in crystal clear HD
Speaker 2: even in a packed stadium.
Speaker 1: That actually sounds an upgrade worth having, Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1: But what about all this Internet of Things talk? Where
Speaker 1: does five G fit into that?
Speaker 2: That's our second scenario. Okay, massive machine type communications or
Speaker 2: MMTC MMTC. We're talking connecting like a ridiculous number of devices.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: Imagine your car is like chatting with traffic lights. What
Speaker 2: your fridge is ordering groceries? Wow, and your smart watch
Speaker 2: is having a heated debate with your thermostat about the
Speaker 2: ideal temperature.
Speaker 1: Okay, that sounds simultaneously amazing and also like my devices
Speaker 1: are about to start a robot uprising against me.
Speaker 2: Yeah, don't give them any ideas, right, But on a
Speaker 2: serious note, all of this connectivity is what makes smart cities,
Speaker 2: automated factories, all of that possible.
Speaker 1: That's wild. Okay, So you said there's a third scenario. Yeah,
Speaker 1: what's that one all about.
Speaker 2: That's where things get really wild.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: Ultra reliable and low latency communications or you are LLC.
Speaker 1: You ARELLC.
Speaker 2: Imagine your instant communications so fast you wouldn't even notice a.
Speaker 1: Delay, Like faster than I can accidentally my five year
Speaker 1: old Instagram posts way faster.
Speaker 2: Think self driving cars reacting in real time to avoid accidents. Ok.
Speaker 2: Surgeons performing remote surgery from across the globe, or even
Speaker 2: robotic referees that made the right calls.
Speaker 1: Okay, you lost me at the robot refs.
Speaker 2: But I get what you're saying, You get the idea.
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is already blowing my mind, and we haven't
Speaker 1: even gotten to the howe part? Right, So how does
Speaker 1: five G actually pull all of this off? What's going
Speaker 1: on behind the scenes to make all of this magic happen?
Speaker 2: It might seem like magic, but it all boils down
Speaker 2: to some pretty ingenious engineering. Okay. One key difference is
Speaker 2: that five G uses a wider range of frequencies than
Speaker 2: previous generations, including these things called millimeter waves or millim waves.
Speaker 1: Millimeter waves is that what they use in those really
Speaker 1: high tech microwaves?
Speaker 2: Not quite okay, but you're on the right track. Okay.
Speaker 2: These millimeter waves are super high frequency radio waves, and
Speaker 2: they're like the express lanes of the wireless Highway. They
Speaker 2: carry tons of data incredibly fast.
Speaker 1: So faster frequencies faster speeds makes sense. But there's got
Speaker 1: to be a catch, right, Don't Those higher frequencies have
Speaker 1: a harder time like traveling through walls and stuff. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I feel like my Wi Fi signal freaks out if
Speaker 1: I'm too far from the router.
Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, Okay. Higher frequencies are a bit like divas,
Speaker 2: they need special treatment. So instead of relying on those
Speaker 2: massive cell towers, five G uses more distributed network with
Speaker 2: many smaller cells, almost like having a network of mini
Speaker 2: towers strategically placed throughout a city.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a bunch of relay runners just
Speaker 1: passing the data along making sure it gets to its destination.
Speaker 2: Exactly.
Speaker 1: Very cool. Yet, on top of that, you said five
Speaker 1: G uses beamforming.
Speaker 2: Yeah, five G uses beamforming.
Speaker 1: What is that? So?
Speaker 2: Imagine instead of a light bulb radiating light everywhere, you
Speaker 2: have a spotlight that could focus its beam directly on you.
Speaker 2: That's essentially what beamforming does with data. It sense of
Speaker 2: focus being directly to your device, leading disaster speeds and
Speaker 2: less interference.
Speaker 1: That's really cool. Okay, so we've got these high frequencies,
Speaker 1: we've got these smaller cells, we've got these laser focused
Speaker 1: beams of data. Right, is there anything else five G
Speaker 1: has up its sleeve? What about this thing I read
Speaker 1: about it using unlicensed spectrum? Isn't that what Wi Fi uses?
Speaker 2: You're right, five G can actually operate an unlicensed spectrum
Speaker 2: just like Wi Fi, using something called license assisted access
Speaker 2: or LAA LAEDA. Yeah, it's like finding a secret passageway
Speaker 2: to add even more bandwidth to the network.
Speaker 1: So five G is like a bandwidth hog, just using
Speaker 1: every trick in the book to squeeze out as much
Speaker 1: speed and capacity as possible.
Speaker 2: Basically.
Speaker 1: But hold on, We've been talking about how much data
Speaker 1: five G can handle, right, But how does it actually
Speaker 1: send and receive all that information? Isn't there a whole
Speaker 1: different way uses frequencies compared to older networks.
Speaker 2: You're definitely on top of this, Okay. It's not just
Speaker 2: about the amount of data, it's also about how efficiently
Speaker 2: it's moved. Okay. So older networks mainly used frequency division
Speaker 2: duplex or FDD, which is like having separate lanes on
Speaker 2: a highway for sending and receiving data.
Speaker 1: Okay, makes sense, keeps things organized exactly.
Speaker 2: But five G is all about efficiency.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: So it utilizes both FDD and something called time division
Speaker 2: duplex or TDD.
Speaker 1: Okay, so what's so special about TDD.
Speaker 2: Imagine a single lane road with cars taking turns to
Speaker 2: go in each direction. Okay, that's kind of what TDD does.
Speaker 2: It allows devices to send and receive data on the
Speaker 2: same frequency, but at different times. Ah.
Speaker 1: So instead of having dedicated lanes, they're sharing the road,
Speaker 1: but in a super organized way.
Speaker 2: Exactly.
Speaker 3: That's pretty clever, it is, okay, and it allows for
Speaker 3: a lot more flexibility, especially for applications where you're downloading
Speaker 3: way more data than you're uploading, like streaming a movie,
Speaker 3: scrolling through social media.
Speaker 1: Okay, I feel like my brain is at max capacity
Speaker 1: and we've only just scratched the surface.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you've got a.
Speaker 1: Massive Mimo network slice saying. It's like a whole new
Speaker 1: language we're speaking.
Speaker 2: There's a lot to unpack.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there is. We're gonna take a quick pause, but
Speaker 1: don't go anywhere. We'll be right back to unravel the
Speaker 1: rest of the five G mystery. All right, and we're back.
Speaker 1: All right. So we left off with some pretty wild concepts. Yeah,
Speaker 1: massive Mimo network slicing. It's like the team behind five
Speaker 1: G rated a sci fi writer's notebook for inspiration.
Speaker 2: You're not wrong. So these advancements are what really unlocked
Speaker 2: the true potential of five G. Okay, let's start with
Speaker 2: that massive Mimo you mentioned. Okay, it sounds intimidating, but
Speaker 2: it's actually pretty cool once you break it down.
Speaker 1: Break it down for us, all right.
Speaker 2: So picture a typical cell tower with a handful of antennas. Okay,
Speaker 2: Now multiply that by say one hundred.
Speaker 1: One hundred.
Speaker 2: That's the basic idea behind massive MIMO okay, which stands
Speaker 2: for massive multiple input multiple output.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: So instead of just a few antennas, you have dozens,
Speaker 2: even hundreds, wow, all working together.
Speaker 1: Okay, that's a lot of antennas. What's the advantage of
Speaker 1: having so many?
Speaker 2: Think of it like this. Each antenna can create its
Speaker 2: own individual data stream, like having a dedicated lane for
Speaker 2: each device trying to connect to the network.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: This allows five G to handle a ridiculous amount of
Speaker 2: data traffic simultaneously, okay, all while boosting speeds and improving reliability.
Speaker 1: So it's like going from a two lane road to
Speaker 1: like a super highway with dozens of lanes all flowing smoothly.
Speaker 2: Exactly. Very cool. And it's not just about cramming more
Speaker 2: cars or in this case, data, onto the road, right.
Speaker 2: Massive MIMO also allows the network to target specific devices
Speaker 2: with pinpoint accuracy, thanks to a technique we talked about earlier, beamforming.
Speaker 1: Oh right, Remember that, it's like each antenna has its
Speaker 1: own little spotlight exactly sifticing data exactly where.
Speaker 2: It needs to go precisely.
Speaker 1: Okay, massive MIMO check. What about network slicing, Oh.
Speaker 2: Yeah, rather good one. Network slicing is a good one.
Speaker 1: What is that?
Speaker 2: It's basically the ability to create multiple virtual networks, okay,
Speaker 2: all running on top of that same physical five G infrastructure.
Speaker 1: So it's like having different lanes on that data super highway,
Speaker 1: each dedicated to a specific type of traffic precisely. Okay.
Speaker 2: You could have a dedicated slice optimized for super low latency,
Speaker 2: perfect for things like self driving cars or remote surgery.
Speaker 2: Another slice could be tailored for massive IoT deployments, prioritizing
Speaker 2: reliability and energy efficiency. Okay, And of course you would
Speaker 2: have your standard high speed Internet slice for all your
Speaker 2: streaming and downloading needs.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a Swiss Army knife of networks exactly,
Speaker 1: each tool perfectly designed for a specific task.
Speaker 2: I like that. Okay, that's a good analogy.
Speaker 1: But how does all of this get connected back to
Speaker 1: the core Internet. We've got all of these smaller cells,
Speaker 1: these millimeter waves. It seems like there's a lot that
Speaker 1: could go wrong.
Speaker 2: That's where another clever innovation comes in, integrated access in
Speaker 2: backhaul or Iabhay, yeah, okay. So traditionally, connecting those smaller
Speaker 2: cells back to the core network relied on fiber optic cables,
Speaker 2: which can be expensive and difficult to install everywhere, especially
Speaker 2: in densely populated areas.
Speaker 1: Right, Not every city has miles of underground tunnels just
Speaker 1: waiting for more cables, exactly.
Speaker 2: So with IAB, five G can actually use its own
Speaker 2: wireless signals for backhaul, connecting those smaller cells to the
Speaker 2: core network wirelessly. Really, it's like creating a network within
Speaker 2: a network.
Speaker 1: That's really efficient.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1: It's like five G is a master of multitasking, juggling
Speaker 1: all these different technologies and frequencies.
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 1: But even with all of these advancements, we have to
Speaker 1: acknowledge there are still some challenges. Of course, it's not
Speaker 1: all sunshine and gigabit downlines.
Speaker 2: You're right. Every new technology comes with its own set
Speaker 2: of hurdles. Sure. One of the biggest challenges with five
Speaker 2: G is deployment, Okay, especially when it comes to those
Speaker 2: high frequency millimeter waves, right.
Speaker 1: Those DIVA frequencies you mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2: Exactly, they can carry tons of data, but they don't
Speaker 2: travel very far Yeah, and they have a harder time
Speaker 2: penetrating walls and other obstacles. This means we need a
Speaker 2: lot more of those smaller cells strategically placed to provide coverage,
Speaker 2: which can be expensive and complex to implement.
Speaker 1: It's a trade off incredible speed and capacity, but at
Speaker 1: the cost of a more complex and dense network.
Speaker 2: It is a bit of a trade off.
Speaker 1: What about security With all of these devices coming online?
Speaker 1: I feel like every time I turn around there's a
Speaker 1: new story about a data breach or a hack.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a critical consideration. As we connect more and
Speaker 2: more devices to the Internet through five G, we're essentially
Speaker 2: expanding the attack surface for hackers. So securing these networks
Speaker 2: and ensuring the privacy of our data is paramount.
Speaker 1: It's like having a bigger house, you need a more
Speaker 1: robust security system to protect it exactly. So, how do
Speaker 1: we make five G as secure as possible?
Speaker 2: It requires a multi layered approach, from building robust security
Speaker 2: protocols into the five G standard itself to developing advanced
Speaker 2: encryption and authentication methods. It's an ongoing process of staying
Speaker 2: one step ahead of the bad.
Speaker 1: Guys, a never ending game of cat and mouse.
Speaker 2: Pretty much.
Speaker 1: Well, we've covered a lot of ground here, from the
Speaker 1: nitty gritty technical details to the broader impact of five
Speaker 1: G on our lives. But there's one more piece of
Speaker 1: the puzzle we haven't touched on yet. Okay, the interplay
Speaker 1: between four G and five G. Right, because we're not
Speaker 1: all just magically going to switch to five G overnight.
Speaker 2: Right, You're right. Five G is still in its early
Speaker 2: stages of rollout, ok and it needs to coexist and
Speaker 2: cooperate with existing four G networks. That transition period is crucial, Okay,
Speaker 2: and it involves some pretty clever engineering in itself.
Speaker 1: Okay, So how do we actually make that transition happen? Okay?
Speaker 1: So how do we actually make that transition happen?
Speaker 2: It's a bit like changing a tire while the car
Speaker 2: is still running. Oh god, it requires really careful coordination
Speaker 2: and some serious engineering ingenuity. But luckily, the brilliant minds
Speaker 2: behind the five G standard, the folks at three GPP, Okay,
Speaker 2: they figured out some pretty clever ways to make this
Speaker 2: transition as seamless as possible.
Speaker 1: So what's the secret, sauce? How do they get these
Speaker 1: two technologies to play nice and work together?
Speaker 2: One key approach is called non standalone deployment or NSA
Speaker 2: for short NSA. Yeah, it sounds complicated, but the idea
Speaker 2: is actually pretty straightforward. Okay to me with it all right,
Speaker 2: So imagine five G as this like high flying trapeze artists, okay,
Speaker 2: making its grand debut, But in the beginning it needs
Speaker 2: a safety net. That's where four G comes in. With NSA,
Speaker 2: five G networks can actually piggyback on existing four G
Speaker 2: infrastructure okay, for things like initial connection setup and mobility management.
Speaker 1: So my five G phone might be connected to a
Speaker 1: four G network for some tasks exactly, while still tapping
Speaker 1: into those blazing fast five G speeds when they're available.
Speaker 2: Precisely. It's like having a hybrid engine in a car. Okay,
Speaker 2: you get the best of both worlds. I like this
Speaker 2: approach allows for a faster and more cost effective rollout
Speaker 2: of five G Okay, because operators can leverage their existing
Speaker 2: four G networks well, gradually building out dedicated five G
Speaker 2: infrastructure as they go.
Speaker 1: That makes a lot of sense. But what happens when
Speaker 1: I'm like on the move switching between four G and
Speaker 1: five G coverage areas?
Speaker 2: Right?
Speaker 1: Does the connection just drop out like it used to
Speaker 1: back in the dark ages of early cell phones.
Speaker 2: Not at all. That's where another clever trick comes in.
Speaker 1: Dual connectivity. Dual connectivity.
Speaker 2: What is that? With dual connectivity, your device can actually
Speaker 2: be connected to both a four G and a five
Speaker 2: G cell simultaneously.
Speaker 1: My phone can have two connections at the same time.
Speaker 2: That's right.
Speaker 1: Is it like a superhero phone or something.
Speaker 2: It's pretty close. As you move between coverage areas, yea,
Speaker 2: the network seamlessly hands over the connection from one cell
Speaker 2: to the other without you even noticing.
Speaker 1: Okay, that's impressive. That's like a relay race where they
Speaker 1: pass the baton without breaking stride exactly. So we've covered
Speaker 1: a ton of ground here, from the nitty gritty technical
Speaker 1: details to the it's a broader impact of five G
Speaker 1: on our lives.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we really have. But before we wrap things up,
Speaker 2: there's one more like really cool aspect of five G
Speaker 2: I wanted to touch on.
Speaker 1: Okay, what's up.
Speaker 2: It's potential for like super accurate location tracking.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Five G isn't just about communication, it's also about knowing
Speaker 1: where you are with remarkable precision. Okay, we're talking about
Speaker 1: pinpointing your location with an accuracy of centimeters, both indoors.
Speaker 2: And outdoors, a centimeters centimeters.
Speaker 1: That's like GPS on steroids. How is that even possible?
Speaker 2: It all comes down to the nature of those higher
Speaker 2: frequencies and the density of five G networks. Okay, with
Speaker 2: more cells and a wider range of frequencies, the network
Speaker 2: can triangulate your position with incredible accuracy.
Speaker 1: So you're telling me my phone could know exactly what
Speaker 1: I all am on in the grocery store exactly. That's
Speaker 1: both amazing and a little terrifying, a little bit of both. Well,
Speaker 1: I think that's about all the time we have for today,
Speaker 1: but wow, we covered a lot of ground we did.
Speaker 1: Five g's clearly so much more than just faster internet connection.
Speaker 1: It's really a fundamental shift in how we connect to
Speaker 1: the world and to each other.
Speaker 2: Couldn't have said it better myself.
Speaker 1: All right, everyone, thanks for joining us on this deep
Speaker 1: dive into the world of five G. Until next time,
Speaker 1: keep exploring, keep learning, and keep your eyes on the horizon,
Speaker 1: because who knows what incredible innovations are just around the corner.