5G also known as the fifth generation of technology standard for broadband cellular networks is now taking over. 5G is said to be faster, better and more accessible than 4G.
Ms TaeTae had an Interview with the Provincial Manager of Vodacom in Mpumalanga, Mr Zakhele Jiyane. The interview was mainly on the launch of 5G in Mpumalanga, what 5G is, the advantages it has, and how will it benefit the Mpumalanga Province. He answered several questions from Wiggle Tunes listeners during the interview. Mr Jiyane broadly explained how 5G works, why it’s important and how it is changing the way the world connects and communicates.
Vodacom started with the second generation of networks “2G”, the Provincial Manager for Vodacom in Mpumalanga also explained that Vodacom started in 1993. They used 2G, which gave the capacity to make calls on smaller devices, however, the speed was very slow. 3G then got introduced, with better data experience and also faster speed. 4G now gave much higher speed and is also very quick, you can stream music and have online classes.
Speed, Low latency and Huge Capacity are actually three major advantages that the 5G offers. Zakhele Jiyane, the Provincial Manager for Vodacom in Mpumalanga broadly explained the three major advantages as follows:
Speed– 5G is around 10 times faster than 4G. It is designed to work at average speeds of 150-200Mbps and peak speeds can reach above 1Gbps, which means people will be able to download a full 4K film in 3 minutes (compared to over 15 minutes on 4G).
Low latency– latency is the time it takes for a device connected to an online service to respond to your inputs or instructions, otherwise known as lag. Reducing this time lag is crucial in making, say, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications faster to respond.
Huge Capacity– this means that 5G can handle lots of people and services accessing the network at the same time, even in densely populated areas.
With all these advantages of 5G, online learning will run smoothly. Also, carrying out remote surgery in near real-time using robotics arms will be very possible. 5G network can deliver faster movie downloads and game streams without any interruptions, this will also help drones to co-operate in emergency situations.
Our listeners had a few questions for the Provincial Manager of Vodacom in Mpumalanga and he answered them as follow:
Q: What are the benefits of 5G?
A: Better speed, low latency and huge capacity.
Q: What are the disadvantages of 5G?
A: Some people might lose their jobs in certain sectors as most machines will be automated.
Q: Why does 5G need fibre optic?
A: 5G needs fibre optic because it has a high capacity to carry different customers at one time, so fibre has a much higher microwave to control the capacity.
Q: Will 5G make Wi-Fi obsolete?
A: They are different types of technology, Wi-Fi is just something you connect to. You can insert your SIM card in a router and actually have either a 2G or 3G network.
Q: Will 5G be available to all Vodacom clients and devices or will it only be available on specific devices or contracts?
A: 5G will be available as long as you have the right device that supports it, it doesn’t matter if you are a prepaid or top-up customer if your device supports you will have 5G
Those were a few of the questions asked by our listeners and answered by the provincial manager of Vodacom in Mpumalanga, to watch the whole interview just click on the link below.
