Wireless Networks - Evolution to 5G !!!

A famous quote read, “Technology must be like Oxygen: Ubiquitous, necessary and invisible.” Which exactly describe today’s wireless networks.

Wireless networks are the oxygen necessary for today’s vast global communication infrastructure. They are the platform over which the entire Digital ecosystem is built. Wireless devices today are capable of doing pretty much everything from making a phone call to using the internet and running applications. Wireless networks today are the backbone of user as well as business communications.

Wireless networks use Radio Frequency technology commonly referred to as RF. The RF signal is an electromagnetic wave that today’s smartphones and computers can detect and connect too. 

There are 2 main components of wireless networks:

-          Access Network

-          Core Network

Access Network: An access network is the invisible user network that connects subscribers or users wirelessly to a particular service provider and, through the carrier/operator network, to other networks such as the Internet. Users connect to the access network via Access point. The access point can be your WiFi Access point or nearest Verizon telecommunications tower (base station).

Core Network: A core network, is the central part of a telecommunications network that provides various services to customers who are connected by the access network. Services such as ability to make a phone call, browse internet, using social media apps such as FB, Twitter etc.

The figure shows the evolution of Wireless Networks from 1980’s to present day i.e. from 1G (1^st Generation) to 4G/5G Era. It all started with basic voice service deployed on analog phones in 1980’s with maximum rate of 2Kbps. Analog communication meant taking human voice and translating it to electronic pulses. Over the years the communication industry has witnessed one of most historic & iconic transformations from analog to digital that enabled services like Video Conferencing and Gaming possible. Digital transformation involved breaking down signal into binary format of 1’s and 0’s.  At every stage the telecommunications infrastructure evolved with providers like Verizon at the forefront of research and development to further the cause of technology. Innovations in wireless space have facilitated creation of popular devices such as iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S7 and services such as Video calling and social media platforms to flourish. 

Wireless evolution has changed the way how business is carried out and has enabled development of several use cases which were unthinkable even a decade ago.