Whether you’re into tech-talk or just breeze through headlines, it’s likely that you’ve seen the latest buzzword, 5G, floating around. 5G is the fifth generation in wireless technology and it’s going to do more than just make your smartphone faster, it’s going to completely change everything about the world from how you work to how you live in your home.
It should be noted that one of the coolest things about 5G is it’s speed, it’s set to deliver a performance 20X better than our current 4G networks. But two other noteworthy components for 5G are both the super-low millisecond latency (lag) and the increased network capacity. The network capacity is particularly important when setting up a “smart home” because the more connected devices you have, the greater the strain on your home network. With 5G, home networks will not only be able to handle a multitude of different devices, but can deliver incredible speeds with a low latency because of that increased bandwidth.
A lot of tech leaders are discussing the big applications of 5G like autonomous cars or advances in telemedicine, but what about your home? Let’s review 10 things you can do with 5G at home.
#1: Improved Home Security
If your home security system uses multiple cameras (or even just one) you’ll see a major improvement in video quality. You’ll be able to see what’s going on inside and outside of your home with crystal-clear quality. In addition, you can use smart motion sensors to identify residents, visitors and potential threats and notify the authorities in real time, making your home much safer.
#2: Smart Lighting
What if your home knew what time of day it adjusted the lights according to the time? Or a lightbulb that was connected through your home WiFi and could be controlled through your phone, your voice or a hub? We think it’s pretty nifty.
#3: Smarter Entertainment
Smart home technology will allow you to control your surround sound speakers, TVs, home lighting and anything else all with just your voice.
#4: Better Irrigation Systems
Most home sprinkler systems operate on a schedule that you set for it, and will water the lawn even if it’s raining outside. A smart, 5G connected sprinkler system would know current weather conditions and stop or start accordingly. In addition, with the use of sensors your sprinkler system could adjust the ground’s moisture level and adjust without you having to lift a finger.
#5: Smarter Thermostats
5G has the ability to enable thermostats that can self-regulate based on outside temperatures, number of people in the home, homeowners patterns such as coming and going- and adjust to always keep your home comfortable- and more importantly, energy efficient!
#6: Smart Appliances
There are so many home appliances just waiting for 5G connectivity to power them all. With 5G, your appliances could all work together without any interference from you. For example, you could have a coffee maker that starts to brew a cup of coffee as soon as you walk in the kitchen or an oven that starts to preheat for dinner when you get home from work.
#7: Smart Blinds
You could have blinds that adjust themselves to maintain the same level of brightness in a room throughout the day.
#8: Game Better
If you’re in a home with multiple gamers, you’ve likely heard the screams of frustration when the game lags and buffers. Because 5G will improve the home’s bandwidth, your home network will be able to handle multiple data-heavy games at once seamlessly!
#9: Improved Working From Home Conditions
If you’re someone who works from home, it’s likely that you have to use a VPN of sorts to maintain a secure connection and/or download and upload huge files that can put a strain on your network. Because 5G opens up network capacity, you can easily work from home with no disruption and enjoy a seamless experience.
#10: 5G Enabled Cleaning Robots
For the wonderful world of Internet of Things (IoT) to work, a powerful and consistent network connection is needed. With a 5G enabled home, you can take advantage of products like iRobot bundles to keep your home clean. One robot vacuums and the other mops and they both continuously communicate with each other to keep your home clean. Products like these are dependent on dependable networks to function properly, which is why 5G is so great for homes.
The rollout of 5G has just begun and a lot of it’s home applications have still yet to be discovered. Because 5G will finally be able to power IoT, you can expect to see a lot of cool ways to upgrade your home to a smart home over the next few years.