5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks. When fully deployed, it will enable your devices to do more, better and faster. That’s it in a nutshell really, but the accumulated benefits will be more than anyone can fathom, and that’s why SaskTel is investing several hundred million dollars in capital across Saskatchewan over the next five years. It’s going to improve life for everyone.

Without further ado, here are four facts about how SaskTel 5G will change the face of business:

1. The Speed You Need

5G is going to be a lot faster than 4G. Speeds will double. That means whether you’re in the car, on a job site, or out in the field, the data you need from the cloud will always be right at your fingertips. No waiting for downloads. Fewer delays. You’ll have direct access to files, programs, and remote applications. Someday, 5G is expected to reach at least 10 gigabits per second. Then, what used to take between 10 and 50 milliseconds will reach its destination in a single millisecond.

2. Faster Response Times

The time between when you give the command for a device to do something and when it actually happens is called latency. With 5G, latency will be 10 times less than in 4G and remote actions will be carried out in real time. That’s important when it comes to controlling machinery in a manufacturing plant, managing the logistics of remote transport, or more importantly, performing surgical operations with guidance from a specialist who is located elsewhere in the world.

3. A Bigger Toolbox

Currently, more than five billion devices are connected to the internet worldwide. It’s anticipated that, in the future, a single industrial plant will utilize literally thousands of connected devices. With the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming more prevalent in most industries, the total number of devices that will communicate directly with each other could easily reach 50 to 100 billion. 5G can accommodate the increase. It’s not going to happen overnight. It may take a decade or more, but think what it will mean for the transportation industry when driverless delivery vehicles are standard practice and 5G-enabled drones are delivering take-out orders.

4. More Artificial Intelligence

Just as 5G will power the growth of the IoT, it will allow industries to use more 3D robotic control, virtual reality monitoring, and remote medical control. This applies to all kinds of phygital (physical + digital) products, from robots, to cameras, to vehicles – any AI applications requiring reliable, secure real-time networking to share information.

Upgrading to a 5G network will eventually create a new approach to how we run our factories, operate our farms, educate students, and deliver health care. The net result will be an improvement to our economy and quality of life. In its report, The importance of 5G and the digital economy in Western Canada, Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP Canada estimates that advancements in agri-tech, smart cities, virtual healthcare, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, virtual reality and many other innovations – all made possible by 5G – “could help to increase Western Canadian GDP by $34 billion annually by 2035.”

Every business should think about when they will begin to invest in 5G development. To get started, please call 1-844-SaskTel to speak with a sales representative. You’ll need a SaskTel 5G-certified device, a 5G-compatible rate plan, and be in 5G coverage to take advantage of 5G speeds. When you’re not in 5G coverage, your SaskTel 5G-certifed device will operate on our reliable LTE network.