Professional article: 5G - the digitalization booster

5G - what medical technology in particular expects from it

5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks and the mobile communications standard of the future. It offers numerous advantages over the previous standards (2G, 3G, 4G): significantly higher bandwidth with increased simultaneous access to Internet and network services; virtually delay-free connection establishment with very short latency times for real-time information exchange; and new security measures that make data transmission significantly more secure, resilient, and reliable.

5G represents a fundamental shift in the mobile world. It offers a powerful combination of exceptional speed, extended bandwidth, low latency and increased energy efficiency. It will enable billions of connections over the next five years and change the world. According to the GSMA - a global organization that represents the interests of the mobile industry - the number of 5G connections is expected to reach up to 1.8 billion by 2025.

The new standard makes it possible for manufacturing companies such as medical technology manufacturers or hospitals to set up their own networks for the first time. This will enable them to drive factory automation and digitization forward.

This applies to almost all manufacturing industries, but 5G offers much more, especially in the medical technology sector. The short latency and high reliability of 5G opens up the possibility of a "medical" Internet of Things. According to a PwC study from 2021, 5G in the health and social sector already contributes $530 billion to global GDP.

Network operator Hospital - in the fast lane thanks to 5G

With 5G, the use of artificial intelligence for more precise diagnostics and virtual / augmented reality is possible and opens up new treatment options. The first live surgeries via a 5G network have already taken place. Of course, even before 5G, there has been video transmission during complicated surgeries, but not in real time, with continuous moving images.
The use of the new technology makes it easier for doctors and patients to talk to each other - regardless of location - and this also applies to faster expert exchange. It also opens up new possibilities for emergency medicine, as critical vital data can be transmitted directly from the ambulance to the hospital.

To increase the efficiency of processes in hospitals, there is no way around dedicated 5G networks. This is also a novelty compared to the current mobile communications generation: 5G makes it possible to set up local campus networks for the first time. Since the second half of 2019, the regulatory authority has been awarding frequencies from 3.7 to 3.8 GHz to companies, regional network operators or municipalities upon request.

In our technical article, we take a closer look at 5G, delve into campus network solutions and take a critical look at vision vs. transformation.

You can download the article: "5G the digitalization booster", here.

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