What you need to know: 5G VS Wi-Fi 6

In an increasingly interconnected and technology-driven world, businesses must accelerate their digitalisation to stay resilient and competitive. According to McKinsey, the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred companies to speed up their digitisation efforts by up to four years.¹

With 5G and Wi-Fi 6, businesses will be able to tap into two key technologies that will allow for the development of new innovative experiences and deploy groundbreaking solutions. Revolutionising the future of connectivity, both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 provide access to higher data speeds, lower latency and the ability to connect more users and devices.

While both fulfil the same mission of allowing businesses to unlock revenue opportunities through creating new connected experiences, they are not the same and support different use cases.

5G is the fifth and latest generation of cellular networks. Delivering ultra-low latency, faster data rates and increased network capacity, 5G is expected to allow businesses to create exciting innovations across industries and society.

5G utilises OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing), a type of encoding to transmit the radio waves through a system of cell sites across different territories and sectors.

This allows for greater flexibility and scalability, as 5G will have to be utilised across a multitude of smaller cells that constantly change size, shape and bandwidth requirements.

Best suited for outdoor networks and large-scale wireless needs, 5G is perfect for applications that span long distances and large geographical areas such as drones, smart cars, real-time video analytics and smart cities.

As the next generation of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6 operates using the multi-user multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) technology, enabling devices to receive and transmit data from a Wi-Fi access point.

Wi-Fi 6 expands the Wi-Fi band, providing greater bandwidth as well as increasing efficiency by utilising orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA). This allows connection to multiple devices simultaneously while also reducing latency.

Wi-Fi 6 shines when it comes to indoor networks where there is a higher density of connected devices where access points are available. These include business environments such as data-centres and warehouses as well as indoor spaces such as stadiums and concert halls.

According to IDC, there will be 55.7 billion connected devices worldwide by 2025 with 73.1 ZB of data being generated from these connected IoT devices.²

Through 5G and Wi-Fi, businesses will be able to effectively tap onto the opportunities offered by IoT throughout the modern eco-system to accelerate their digitalisation efforts.

In our daily lives, the combination of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 use will be seamlessly integrated into our everyday activities. Allowing users to access the best of both worlds when it comes to improved speed and latency in different environments.

Wi-Fi 6 will be the primary network when it comes to working at home or in the office while 5G will be the network of choice when we are driving on the road commuting to our next destination.

While 5G is the best network for applications on the go, Wi-Fi 6 is still the superior choice to connect multiple devices (such as computers, security cameras, smart air-conditioners and appliances) within a densely populated indoor environment.

The same applies to how businesses can effectively harness the power of connectivity through both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 in their daily operations.

With these technologies, retailers will be able to deliver seamless customer shopping experiences.

In-store VR and AR experiences can be powered by Wi-Fi 6 while 5G will allow retailers to effectively manage and optimise deliveries by drone and trucks to the customers’ homes.

This allows customers to enjoy customised shopping experiences both from home and within the store premises.

Deploying smart manufacturing capabilities requires high speeds and low latencies.

Wi-Fi 6 allows IoT devices, AI applications and robotics to operate effectively in real-time amidst a demanding data load within the manufacturing floor.

To seamlessly communicate with other facilities and offices across the manufacturing campus and beyond, 5G can be utilised to connect even more users and devices together.

This enables agile decision-making, real-time tracking and effective autonomous adjustments to manufacturing schedules, helping to optimise plant efficiency.

While the process of digitalisation might differ from one industry to the next, the growth of IoT and the demand for better customer experiences requires businesses to accelerate their digital transformation efforts.

This means the need to access ultra-low latency capabilities, faster data rates and greater device connectivity across the different business units.

With 5G on track to roll out in Singapore by 2025³ and Wi-Fi 6 already available, businesses will be able to create seamless experiences for customers and optimise their operations for greater profitability and efficiency.

Through the power of 5G and Wi-Fi 6, Singtel is helping businesses across multiple industries to unlock exciting revenue opportunities and develop next-generation technologies.

Looking to harness the capabilities of 5G and Wi-Fi 6? Contact us today.
 

¹ McKinsey, How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point—and transformed business forever, October 5 2020.

² IDC, IoT growth demands rethink of long-term storage strategies, says IDC, July 27 2020.

³ IMDA, Singapore on track to develop vibrant 5G ecosystem, underpinned by a world-class, secure and resilient 5G infrastructure, June 24 2020.