Bournemouth accelerates towards a 5G future
5G technology promises to be much faster and more efficient than its 3G or 4G predecessors, and its advocates believe it will deliver the connection speeds necessary to make the Internet of Things (IoT) a reality. The current networks in the UK cannot support the demands for data from these connected devices, but a 5G network is able to transmit a lot more data due to its higher frequencies thus making IoT possible.
However, there are plenty of obstacles standing in 5G’s way. Higher frequencies are prone to disruption that obscures 5G signals, including buildings, trees, vehicles, and even water particles in the air. Higher frequencies have a shorter signal range, meaning that many more devices may be needed to support a 5G network compared to 4G. The positioning of the 5G network towers is crucial to making 5G a success, specialists say.
The consortium aims to overcome these problems by building a detailed 3D model of Bournemouth which can be used to test the performance of 5G signals in the town. The visualisation tool, which will be developed over the course of the trial, will enable planners to test 5G signals in a digital model instead of the real world, therefore speeding up the development process.
Andrew Loveless, the OS commercial director, said “OS is taking mapping and data visualisation to unprecedented new levels with what can be achieved, complementing the government’s Digital Britain strategy. It is a smart map for a smart future.”
Richard Woodling, a senior managing consultant at the OS, said that the results of the trial are due to published in May 2017. He also stressed the importance of getting the UK 5G-ready.
