Consumers rely on mobile devices now more than ever, from conducting business to purchasing gifts during the holiday season. The latter being the focus during this time of year as the holidays approach. To support these online activities, powerful-large scale support is working behind the scenes to provide 5G connectivity to your mobile device. From browsing the hottest holiday items to clicking ‘add to cart’ to tracking the shipment of your order, know that 5G is powering these capabilities and more on your phone.
Faster Mobile Connections
5G currently offers the fastest possible mobile connection speeds. It facilitates speeds up to 1gb/s, rivaling many fiber optics networks. How does this relate to online shopping?
Product listings are becoming more interactive. They often include images, videos, reviews, 360-degree views, and (of course) shopping carts. Media and interactive assets take longer to load and require faster connection times for a seamless experience.
However, these lightning-fast internet connections are not possible without the telecommunications infrastructure supporting them. On average, a 5G signal can travel around 1,500 feet without obstructions, compared to about 10 miles for 4G, which creates the significant demand for an increased number of towers and small-cell sites to support the speed 5G promises. Currently, there are 154,000 towers in the US, but this number is predicted to grow to 800,000 towers and small cells in the next five years.
Telcos will be instrumental in supporting carriers throughout this expansion. Without the necessary infrastructure, carriers cannot deliver the high-speed internet that consumers demand. This is incredibly important as the world grows increasingly more dependent on broadband networks to keep people connected and access goods and services at the touch of a button.
5G Offers Enhanced Security
Increased mobile shopping means a significant spike in sensitive information traveling over wireless networks. Hackers know that this is the best time to steal and harvest financial data. You can bet they’re working overtime to exploit weaknesses in network infrastructure in whatever form that may take.
5G offers the most robust wireless security currently available. It both implements and enhances the security and defensive technologies of 4G networks. Even better, it’s designed to be upgraded as newer security technologies are developed. It also uses newly-developed security protocols developed in response to previous large-scale attacks. Additionally, faster speeds also facilitate quicker response times if a breach is detected. Enhanced security is always a great talking point for consumers, especially when they’re relying on their mobile devices heavily for holiday shopping.
Improved Integrations for Virtual Shopping Experiences
Online retailers are always looking for ways to improve the shopping experience and compete with brick-and-mortar stores. They are relying more heavily on AI-based technologies to help improve that experience. You’ve probably noticed these in the form of chat bubbles or augmented reality image manipulation (for example, a consumer checking out how their new pair of glasses might look).
These types of technologies have proven successful, but only if they provide a seamless experience. Speed, bandwidth, and latency are all factors that play a significant role here. Shoppers are often busy during the holiday season and expect fast, seamless, and responsive networks. In addition to speed and bandwidth, 5G networks also improve latency.
Recent Comments