The recent 5G spectrum auction and the anticipation of 6G has brought India closer to a technological revolution that is set to redefine the landscape of connectivity and data management. The impact of these technology advancements on businesses across sectors will be astounding.
The reduced latency will ensure greater growth of technology driven businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities while niche industries like gaming, augmented reality and e-commerce will penetrate further into the country, making it a major revenue generator.
This blog post explores the impact of 5G and 6G technologies in enhancing edge data centres, leading to improved business connectivity and productivity.
The Evolution of Connectivity: What is 5G and when can we expect 6G
5G Technology: The Current Game-Changer
5G or 5th generation mobile network is a global wireless standard that is designed to connect everything and everyone virtually. With high speeds, negligible latency and greater reliability, 5G is a more capable air interface that makes digitization a reality across India.
6G Technology: The Future of Connectivity
6G, still in its research phase, aims to push the boundaries even further. Expected to roll out by 2030, 6G will create a seamless reality where the physical and digital worlds will merge to provide new ways of connecting with people, experiencing new cultures and realms.
Difference between 4G, 5G and 6G
| Factors | 4G | 5G | 6G |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Speed |
100 mbps |
10Gbps |
1000 times faster than 5G |
|
Latency |
50 millisecond |
1 millisecond |
Sub millisecond |
|
Device connectivity |
Smartphones, tabs |
IOT, industrial equipment, smart tech |
Extended reality devices, intelligent machines and devices. |
|
Applications |
High speed browsing, apps |
Live streaming, autonomous vehicles, AR/VR etc. |
Massive IOT apps, holographic communication, virtual reality near to realism |
The leap in performance and use cases with every generation is enormous and the potential that it unlocks for businesses enables real-time data processing and decision-making, resulting in quick and efficient operations.
The Role of Edge Data Centers
Edge data centres are small, localised data centres positioned close to the end-users and devices they serve. These facilities process data locally, reducing the need to transmit data to centralised cloud data centres. This proximity significantly reduces latency and improves data transfer speeds, making edge data centres ideal for supporting the capabilities of 5G and 6G.
With the rise in data intensive applications and devices, there is strain on bandwidth management. Edge data centre helps reduce this by processing data locally.
The Impact of Edge Data Centers and 5G on Key Areas
Support Advanced Technologies
The combination of 5G/6G and edge data centres enables the development of advanced applications such as AI-driven analytics, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). By processing data closer to the source, edge data centres enhance the performance of these applications, providing seamless user experiences and real-time insights. Imagine a VR experience of the archaeological sites in MP while sitting in a town near Chennai! Or finding the best road trip route (in terms of scenery, time or available rest stops) while in transit.
Enable Smart Cities
Smart cities would mean a comprehensive city design that integrates ease of living with digital solutions and new age technologies. Edge data centres can support rapid transport systems, energy efficiency, IOT based traffic management, web applications for sustainability measures and efficient waste management etc.
Improve Operational Efficiency
The low latency and high bandwidth offered by 5G and 6G technologies ensure that data is processed and transmitted with minimal delay. Edge data centres take advantage of these capabilities to provide real-time processing and analytics, crucial for time-sensitive applications like transport management, logistics, emergency services etc.
Develop Newer Business Hubs
Edge Centers along with 5G ensure that remote locations too can offer quick and efficient data transfers and data processing. This enables better infrastructure for businesses dealing with technology, healthcare, industrial solutions etc. This can result in uniform growth, lower migration to cities and offer better lifestyle and growth for people.
Improved Data Security
With low latency and faster processing of data closer to the end user, there is higher data security as the risk of data breaches during transmission is reduced significantly. This localised processing ensures that sensitive data remains secure, complying with stringent data protection regulations.
Scalability and Flexibility
Edge data centres can be easily scaled to meet the increasing data demands brought about by 5G/6G. Their modular nature allows businesses to deploy additional resources as needed, providing flexibility in managing data workloads.
Conclusion
The integration of 5G and 6G technologies with edge data centres is set to revolutionise connectivity and productivity across various industries. By providing low latency, high bandwidth, and secure data processing, edge data centres empower businesses to leverage advanced applications and real-time analytics.
Amit Singh, Sr. Vice President- Edge Business
A seasoned IT veteran, Amit steers the Edge Business division at CtrlS and has been focused on shaping a powerful edge ecosystem that fuels internet growth across India, encompassing Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities alongside major metros.
marketing@ctrls.in