• According to the report by the telecom equipment maker Ericsson, the number of subscriptions to India’s 5G services is expected to reach about 500 million, or 39% of all subscribers, by 2027.
• 5G is the 5^th generation mobile network.
• The 5G network will operate in the millimetre-wave spectrum (30-300 GHz) which can send large amounts of data at very high speeds as the frequency is very high, and it experiences little interference from surrounding signals.
• 5G is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks.
• It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
• It enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
• Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G has been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.

Significance:

• 5G technology would also bring positive changes in the governance of the country, ease of living and ease of doing business.
• This would boost growth in every sector like agriculture, health, education, infrastructure and logistics.
• This will also increase convenience and create many employment opportunities.
• 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.
• Low band spectrum: It has good coverage and speed of internet and data exchange however the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
• Mid-band spectrum: It offers higher speeds compared to the low band, but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.
• High-band spectrum: It has the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.

Model Question

Q. With reference to the 5th Generation Technology, consider the following statements :

1. The 5G network will operate in the range of 30-300 GHz with extremely high frequency.
2. The Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G is as high as 20 Gbps.
3. 5G mainly works in 3 bands in which the high-band spectrum has the highest coverage and signal penetration strength.

Which of the statements given above is /are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer : C

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