Remember when 4G launched and everyone said it’d change the way we communicate? You know, that same technology CNN proclaimed would “change your life.” In many ways, 4G did change the way we communicate. It made smartphones more accessible and laid the foundation for the many communication methods we still use today.
Well, times are changing again.
You’ve no doubt heard about 5G VoIP by this point. And like 4G, critics are calling it a revolutionary technology. However, this time they are right. 5G doesn’t just have the potential to change our lives this time…
It’s the catalyst.
5G will become the global standard and provide a stable mobile network for mass adoption of mobile real-time communication for the global economy. Look no further than Ghana’s push for mass adoption of 5G. But why is it different this time? The answer is easy. 5G is more than just another network, it’s the most responsive mobile network mankind has ever created, and it will promote innovation. With more mobile devices in use globally than ever before, 5G is the only mobile network that is capable of scaling into the future.
Network Latency Is 5G’s Biggest Advantage
Network latency refers to the time it takes a device to communicate with the network. Latency is something you don’t notice until it becomes a problem. When your latency is high, it takes your device longer to communicate your actions with the network. High latency may result in low-quality or dropped voice and video calls, video buffering, or disconnections.
The Specs of 4G, LTE, and 5G
The average LTE round-trip latency is around 16ms. In comparison, 5G will offer a latency of around 9ms. Low latencies will create an environment for network-reliant devices to succeed.
Mobile networks rely on radio frequencies to broadcast. Current 4G networks broadcast below 6 GHz, while 3G used between 400 MHz and 3 GHz frequencies.
5G networks will broadcast between 30 GHz and 300 GHz, more than 20 times faster than current 4G networks. For the average consumer, this is the equivalent of having a fiber optic internet connection in your pocket that can communicate faster than ever with the network.
Why Does Network Latency Matter in VoIP Technologies?
Revolutionary technologies like VoIP, the cloud, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have changed the way we communicate, share data, and connect. Everything we do, from making a video call to uploading a picture, strains our mobile networks.
Under periods of high usage, 4G networks don’t have the architecture in place to prioritize packets. As the network becomes bogged down, latencies increase, and this reduces your ability to interact with the network. For something like a voice or video call, this can result in stuttering, skipping, and call drop-offs.
5G won’t suffer from these problems.
5G technology will solve the network latency problem through efficient packet prioritization and its ability to provide a suitable environment for these technologies to flourish. In an ideal world, it will lay the foundation for widespread VoIP adoption, smart cities, IoT integration, autonomous vehicles, and smart devices.
Quality of Service (QoS) & 5G VoIP
QoS is essential for VoIP technologies as anything, but perfect isn’t good enough when it comes to communications. 5G promises massive QoS upgrades over the current 4G networks. These upgrades include:
Lower latency
Better throughput
100% network availability
Improved reliability with block error ratios as low as 0.00001 per ms (4G has 0.01)
A reduction in jitter to 10-100 ms
Increased bandwidth for sensor devices (from 100 Kbps to hundreds of Mbps)
Another essential feature of 5G is network slicing, which the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers classified as the process of allocating “the network computing, storage, and communication resources among the active services with the aim of guaranteeing their isolation and given performance levels.”
Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) refers to devices that require high capacity and speed and dynamic bandwidth. This network category includes things like ultra-high-definition (UHD) videos, virtual reality, and other devices with high bandwidth.
Ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (uRLLC) refers to devices that require high reliability and availability and low latency. This network category includes things like voice and video communication, VoIP technologies, autonomous vehicles, and devices where low latency is essential.
Massive machine-type communications (mMTC) refers to devices that require high capacity and speed and dynamic bandwidth allocation. This network category includes IoT devices, sensors, and other smart devices that require uptime and network availability and performance.
Network slicing is the answer to common QoS VoIP issues. In order to guarantee high-quality VoIP communications, a network must provide low latency and enough bandwidth to transmit the relevant data between the two parties communicating. uRLLC will accomplish exactly this by guaranteeing that VoIP services receive the necessary resources they need.
Making a Case for VoIP in a 5G World
VoIP technology has existed for decades, but it’s the 5G network that will transform it into the global standard. The 5G network is more than capable of rising to the task and enhancing the way we communicate.
Communication service providers are expected to provide high-quality services to their customers. With a reliable network in place, VoIP technologies will continue to evolve, proving themselves to be the ideal platform for offering a feature-rich experience.
Acrobits has spent the last 10 years preparing for the mass adoption of 5G. We’ve prepared our products, tested them across all major operating systems, and we know that we can deliver an exceptional experience in a 5G environment.
Cloud Softphone is the frontrunner in helping companies build mobile and desktop applications that are designed with VoIP in mind. Whatever your needs, you can use our platform to design your own application for internal and external use.
We are thrilled about the 5G revolution and all of the exciting technological improvements it will bring to VoIP services like Cloud Softphone, IoT and smart devices, and other devices that can benefit from an optimized and efficient network. Our track record for empowering global CSPs speaks for itself. We know that we have an edge when it comes to capitalizing on everything 5G has to offer. Our products offer our clients unmatched performance and features that you won’t find anywhere else on the market.
