Frozen video meetings could soon be a thing of the past as the ongoing rollout of high-speed 5G internet across various countries promises to make online working easier and more efficient than ever. With connections up to 100 times faster than 4G and near-zero latency – or lag in network response time – 5G internet enables super-fast uploads and downloads. This makes real-time applications such as high definition video conferences and online editing of data-intensive files significantly smoother – and without current issues around dropped connections.
What’s more, once 5G networks are fully rolled out, employees will no longer be tied to a Wi-Fi router
to work online. Such developments will underpin hybrid working as more companies permit employees to log on from outside the office two to three days a week.
“The hybrid office is all about collaboration across the different digital and physical spaces that people can work from,” said Akshay Thakur, Head of Technology Consulting, EMEA & APAC at JLL Technologies. “5G internet will bring better connectivity to all these places – whether that’s the home office, on transport or out in the field – enabling people to truly work from anywhere.”
SAFE AT WORK
Where video calls may currently stutter on home WiFi networks when someone streams a film, the high bandwidth of 5G supports many devices simultaneously processing internet-intensive applications. Meanwhile, its network slicing capabilities allows highpriority tasks to have dedicated bandwidth. It will also add an extra layer of security to remotely accessing data. Although many organisations already use virtual private networks (VPN), data access is often tiered to protect sensitive information. 5G network slicing would enable service providers to offer a private segment of bandwidth accessible only by an organisation.
“When employees connect using their company’s private 5G network, their connection is more secure than it is via a public Wi-Fi hotspot,” Thakur pointed out. “Working anywhere becomes far more possible, because employees can access all systems, not only video calling and email, for example.”
Within organisations, one challenge is shifting from current 4G devices such as phones and SIM-equipped laptops to their 5G enabled counterparts. Nearly two-thirds of companies in Asia- Pacific, North America and Europe say they are struggling to find vendors who can help implement 5G strategies.
“There’s a lag in what corporate device programmes are issuing. Organisations need to invest in 5G devices, and these must be standardised for use in their workplace,” Thakur pointed out. IT departments will also need to enhance existing security strategies; with 5G able to support high numbers of devices on a single network, it could increase the network’s vulnerability. “It’s imperative to implement security procedures for a smart watch or a building sensor as we would for high-priority devices like a laptop – otherwise 5G could end up creating more opportunities for hackers to attack,” Thakur opined.
NEXT-GENERATION WORK LIFE
Despite the challenges of implementing 5G, it has the potential to increasingly blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds. The rise of augmented reality platforms could enable remote training or allow workers to control machinery from afar. 5G-powered virtual reality could enable holographic meetings and virtual tours, while office technology such as connected whiteboards or smart tables would allow real-time work between teams in different locations.
In the office, meanwhile, high capacity 5G could turbocharge Internet of Things devices such as sensors that today utilise edge computing to speed up data processing. In the hybrid workplace, this would support advanced data analytics that monitor how workspaces are used, enabling offices to be shaped around how employees work best.
“Workplaces can be more responsive to employees’ needs,” said Thakur. “And because 5G transmits through the air, fit-outs of new spaces can be more flexible and completed more quickly as there is less infrastructure – such as cabling – that has to be installed.”
And as technology advances, by 2025 around 75% of all enterprise data could be processed by edge computing, offering even faster speeds and negligible latency. Yet even with such 5G-enabled innovations, working life won’t move completely online, Thakur believed.
“Offices still have a core role as spaces that prioritise the real-life, in-person interactions and enable employees to perform collaborative tasks that would be difficult in other environments,” he explained. “But with digital tools an integral part of today’s workplace, 5G will enhance the office experience and support productivity.”
