Five ways 5G will change your life forever | TELUS

5G is here—it’s happening, but what’s the big deal? Well, we’ve come a long way from that once familiar sound of dial-up internet (if you know, you know). Today, mobile network technology has integrated into almost every facet of our lives, and even though it might be hard to imagine, 5G networks will take our relationship with technology further than we’ve ever thought possible.

5G is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything with mind-blowing speed, reliability, and near-endless data capacity. TELUS has launched its initial 5G network in 26 cities and towns across Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. With nearly 50 communities set to experience the amazing speed and connectivity of 5G by the end of this year, buzz around the fifth generation of cellular network technology is at an all time high—and for good reason! Osman Naeem, Director of Technology Strategy at TELUS, is here with all the answers to your 5G questions.

1. More powerful devices

We’ve all been there—crowded arenas, concert halls, one too many friends asking for your wifi password. With 5G blazing download speeds reaching up to 1.7 Gbps, spotty service and network congestion are a thing of the past. The buzzword is bandwidth, and with this much more of it, 5G will give your thumbs a workout as you scroll through media and web pages downloaded at lightning speeds. So, go ahead, upload that Insta Live of your favourite concert and check into your next workplace Zoom meeting on the go—with no delays. The power of that chocolate bar-sized device in your pocket just got a serious upgrade.

2. The Internet of Things…like, all things.

With great power comes great responsibility—and apps! The Internet of Things holds the promise of a new wave of app development and capability, while integrating other technologies. Imagine catching up on some reading using only smart glasses and eye movement. Or receiving a notification from your fridge that’s detected you’re low on milk — and then it plans a new order for you and has it delivered to your doorstep…by drone. From connected devices to wearable tech, the next generation of apps will revolutionize our everyday interactions. The same way earlier generations of cellular networks made our phones smart, 5G will make everything else smart, too.

3. Leveled-up gaming

5G is game-changing—literally. The strength of this network connection will take online gaming to levels your 4G avatar could never reach. For a sense of perspective—Fortnite currently lets 100 players compete at once in the same virtual world. With 5G, that number could grow to as high as 1000, all without the need for gamers to download anything to their devices, relying entirely on cloud storage. The gaming market as a whole will explode as 5G immerses gamers into AR and mixed-reality experiences by visually transforming the world around them. Take Nintendo’s recently announced Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, the mixed-reality game is set to turn living rooms across the world into real-life-ish rainbow roads. And with virtually zero lag time, you can enjoy these upgrades with friends across the world—bringing the global gaming community closer than ever before.

4. Food made smarter

Everybody’s gotta eat, and as one of the largest agricultural exporters in the world, Canada is doing its part to make that happen. Canadian farmers and ranchers can more easily produce food that is sustainable and secure with the use of remote sensors that precisely monitor field conditions—detecting when crops need watering or are ready for harvest. Imagine how efficient your quarantine gardening could have been with technology like this? While using AI, they can also collect data to improve the accuracy of food traceability, sharing greater insight into your food’s journey from farm to fork. Late night eats and grocery shopping online will be an enhanced experience with the efficiency of real-time trackers, quality checks, and precise delivery with the use of smart cars and drones—all powered by 5G.

5. Handheld healthcare

Nearly five million Canadians report difficulty in regularly accessing a family doctor. But with 5G-enabled devices, doctors will be able to care for more patients with fewer limitations. Remotely, virtual care teams will be able to monitor cohorts of patients and gather real-time data on a high-speed network that is reliable and safe. 5G will also enable innovative wearable tech that will vastly expand the capabilities of healthcare professionals to accurately monitor patients’ health in real-time. In fact, the first remote surgery operated on a human recently took place using 5G-enabled robotics while the patient and surgeon were nearly 3,200 kilometres apart. The possibilities are endless, and this is just the beginning.

Learn more about 5G at telus.com/5G.

Originally published in partnership with Toronto Life.