Advantages and Disadvantages of 5g network

In this article we are going to see about advantages and disadvantages of 5g network

Introduction to 5G technology: The specifications of 5G are specified in 3GPP Rel. 15 and beyond. 5G is the short form of fifth Generation. 5G technology supercedes 4G LTE standard. The 5G NR (New Radio) initial specifications have been finalized by 3GPP in december 2017.

5G will be deployed in two phases viz. non-standalone and standalone. In non-standalone phase, control mechanism is leveraged using existing 4G LTE network and data transfer takes place using 5G network infrastructure. In standalone phase, control and data mechanism both are carried out using 5G network elements.

The 5G technology based devices operate in different bands from 3 to 300 GHz. The frequency ranges below 6 GHz is used for 5G macro optimized, 3 to 30 GHz for 5G E small cells, 30 to 100 GHz for 5G Ultra Dense and 30 to 300 GHz is used for 5G millimeter wave.

Many technologies fall under 5G. It includes LTE-U (LTE Unlicensed), C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle to Everything), LTE for IoT, cellular drone etc.

Following are the main features of 5G technology. 

• Bandwidth: Supports 1Gbps or higher

 • Frequency bands: Sub-1 GHz, 1 to 6 GHz, > 6 GHz in mm bands (28 GHz, 40 GHz) 

• Peak data rate: Approx. 1 to 10 Gbps 

• Cell Edge Data rate: 100 Mbps 

• End to End delay : 1 to 5 ms Benefits or Advantages of 5G technology

 Following are the benefits or advantages of 5G technology:

 ➨Data rates of about 10 Gbps or higher can be achieved. This provides better user experience as download and upload speeds are higher. 

➨Latency of less than 1 ms can be achieved in 5G mm wave. This leads to immediate connection establishment and release with 5G network by 5G smartphones. Hence traffic load is decreased on 5G base stations. 

➨Higher bandwidth can be used with the help of carrier aggregation feature. 

➨Antenna size is smaller at higher frequencies. This leads to use of massive MIMO concept to achieve higher data rates.

 ➨Dynamic beamforming is employed to overcome pathloss at higher frequencies. 

➨Due to improved 5G network architecture handoff is smooth and hence it does not have any effect on data transfer when mobile user changes cells. 

➨Typically 5G offers 10x throughput, 10x decrease in latency, 10x connection density, 3x spectrum efficiency, 100x traffic capacity and 100x network efficiency. Drawbacks or Disadvantages of 5G technology Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of 5G technology: 

➨It requires skilled engineers to install and maintain 5G network. Moreover 5G equipments are costly. This increases cost of 5G deployment and maintenance phases. 

➨5G smartphones are costly. Hence it will take some time for the common man to make use of 5G technology. 

➨The technology is still under development and will take time before it is fully operational without any issues. 

➨Coverage distance of upto 2 meters (in indoor) and 300 meters (in outdoor) can be achieved due to higher losses at high frequencies (such as millimeter waves). 5G mmwave suffers from many such losses (penetration loss, attenuation due to rain, foliage loss etc.) ➨It will take time for security and privacy issues to be resolved fully in 5G network.

5G Security Concerns 5G cybersecurity needs some significant improvements to avoid growing risks of hacking. Some of the security worries result from the network itself, while others involve the devices connecting to 5G. But both aspects put consumers, governments, and businesses at risk.

When it comes to 5g and cybersecurity

here are a few of the main concerns:

Decentralized security. Pre-5G networks had less hardware traffic points-of-contact, which made it easier to do security checks and upkeep. 5G's dynamic software-based systems have far more traffic routing points. To be completely secure, all of these need to be monitored. Since this might prove difficult, any unsecured areas might compromise other parts of the network.

More bandwidth will strain current security monitoring. While existing networks are limited in speed and capacity, this has helped providers monitor security in real-time. So, the benefits of an expanded 5G network might hurt cybersecurity. The added speed and volume will challenge security teams to create new methods for stopping threats.

Many IoT devices are manufactured with a lack of security. Not all manufacturers are prioritizing cybersecurity, as seen with many low-end smart devices. 5G means more utility and potential for IoT. As more devices are encouraged to connect, billions of devices with varied security means billions of possible breach points. Smart TVs, door locks, refrigerators, speakers, and even minor devices like a thermometer for a fish tank can be a network weakness. A lack of security standards for IoT devices means network breaches and hacking might run rampant.

Lack of encryption early in the connection process reveals device info that can be used for device specific IoT targeted attacks. This information helps hackers know what devices are connected to the network. Details such as operating system and device type (smartphone, vehicle modem, etc.) can help hackers plan their attacks with more precision.

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities can take form in a wide variety of attacks. Some of the known cyberthreats include:

Botnet attacks control a network of connected devices to puppeteer a massive cyberattack. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) overload a network or website to take it offline. Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) attacks quietly intercept and change communications between two parties. Location tracking and call interception can be done if someone knows even a small amount about broadcast paging protocols.

The Future of 5G and Cybersecurity 

To stave off widespread weaknesses in national mobile networks, technology developers will have to be extra attentive to 5G security.

5G security foundations are needed in networks first. Network providers will begin focusing on software protections to cover the unique risks of 5G. They will need to collaborate with cybersecurity firms to develop encryption solutions, network monitoring, and more.

Manufacturers need an incentive to up their security efforts. 5G security is only as strong as its weakest links. But the costs of developing and implementing secure tech do not motivate all manufacturers to focus on cybersecurity. This is especially true in low-end products like kids' smartwatches and cheap smart baby monitors. If manufacturers receive benefits that offset their bottom-line losses, they may be more likely to boost their consumer protections.

Consumer education on IoT cybersecurity is necessary. The wide variation in security quality means product labeling standards will be needed. Because users have no way to easily know how safe IoT devices are, smart tech manufacturers might start to be held accountable with a label system. The FCC grades other forms of radio transmission, so the growing market of IoT devices may soon be included. Also, users need to be taught the importance of securing all internet devices with software updates.

Efforts to improve security are happening alongside the initial rollout of 5G. But because we need real-world results to refine the protections, work will continue long after 5G is deployed.