Anyone who has felt even a hint of excitement for the fifth generation mobile network will no doubt be familiar with a sense of impatience toward the relatively slow and, at times, lacklustre approach to unfurling 5G across the country.
The concept of accessing an as-of-yet unimaginably fast connection via our mobile phones, and of being free to stream, game, video chat and work from wherever we want without risk of delays, frustration or latency is a concept with which we are all, by now, familiar. No longer is it a novel idea for the future, but something on which we all depend in order for us to enter into a new, ultra-modern era for our personal and professional lives.
Now, in a joint bid to further the roll out of the long-awaited fifth generation mobile network, Samsung and Spark have officially launched a new 5G network in Christchurch. So, does this signal a significant stride forward for New Zealand, or an anomaly in the long wait for modernity around the world? Read more below.
First of All, Why Do We Want 5G So Badly?
There are multiple reasons why 5G is so hotly anticipated.
In our personal lives, the scope for taking our digital lives on the go is unprecedented. Until recently, for instance, it had begun to seem as though the producers and developers standing behind digital entertainment in the 2020s had surpassed the capabilities of mobile networks. The quality of development behind game developers such as, say, GGPoker demanded more than the fourth generation wireless cellular network was able to give, which meant that players were needlessly restricted in their ability to play to the highest possible standard.
Now, with 5G that standard can be met – and is already being met in select locations around the world.
In professional circles, 5G promises to revolutionise the ways in which many industries operate.
It will also alter the ways in which we access the ‘office’ – and to ensure that remote working, in whatever capacity – whether we are logging in from a coffee shop down the street, or from an airport on the other side of the world – no longer needs to be seen as a second rate way of doing business. Virtual meetings could be held between participants in all corners of the globe, without frustrating delays, glitches, lags, or garbled video. Co-workers and clients will, it is hoped, be able to see one another in crystal-like clarity, rather than pixelated horror.
Is This the Start of Significant Change?
New Zealand has always been something of a frontrunner in the move to make 5G available around the world – having been the 22nd country in the world to receive its first 5Gnetwork from Vodafone.
Since then, 5G has grown even faster in the country – and now, with Samsung and Spark teaming up to bring a new network to Christchurch, it looks as though 2021 spells plenty of promise for New Zealanders looking to make their entry into the future of digital connectivity. The announcement comes just days after Samsung revealed that they broke the 5G speed record, with a remarkable speed of 5.23Gbps. And, while this epoch-making moment occurred within the company’s Korean lab, we can anticipate a day when those speeds are available around the world.
Of course, for the rest of us, it will take some time to catch up. While the rollout may seem slow, many of us have yet to get our heads around this new technology – but, fortunately, the days of low latency, high speed internet are planted firmly on the horizon.
