Knowledge Bank

The first of our Knowledge Bank articles covers the basics of what 5G is, and what it can do for us. Other articles look at key topics such as 5G benefits, health and safety implications, and environment.

5G is a step-change. It is not an upgrade from 4G, but allows connected devices to easily and seamlessly interact.

The Scottish Government’s aspiration is for Scotland to be at the forefront of the 5G revolution establishing the whole country as a leading 5G digital nation. What will this mean for business, public sector and society?

The rollout of 5G will create a need for more physical infrastructure. The Scottish Government has supported this by making substantial investment in the digital infrastructure across Scotland.

Mobile telecommunications, including 5G, work on the basis of radio frequencies. The digital infrastructure used produces electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions or radio waves which we are exposed to every day whether from the sun, radios, TV or other sources.

5G uses millimetre waves (or mmWaves), which are a lot shorter than the wavelengths 4G uses. The shorter wavelength means 5G can carry a lot of data much faster than 4G but has a much shorter range. What are the implications of this?

A key development of 5G will be increasing the security level and identifying new cyber solutions which ensure the protection of organisations and individuals.