Thanks to regional telcos such as the UAE’s Etisalat and Du, and Bahrain’s Batelco, high-speed 5G mobile connectivity is rapidly making strides in the GCC – and while it may only be a matter of time before the advancement hits the construction and real estate sectors, the technology’s real-world benefits are already being discussed by global industry experts.
But how fast really is 5G connectivity?
A new video posted by YouTube user Logan shows a speed test conducted on two separate mobile devices using 4G and 5G connectivity.
The difference is astounding, and the video shows 4G providing a download speed of 10.5 megabytes per second (MBPS) – a stark comparison to the speed test’s final 5G download speed of 516 MBPS.
Abu Dhabi aviation project Midfield Terminal Building will be powered by Etisalat’s 5G network, making it the Mena region’s first airport terminal to use the technology.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, fellow UAE telco Du presented 5G technology to guests and customers visiting its Al Majlis at the Madinat Jumeirah.
Separately, a video posted by American company Airwavz Solutions explains how 5G will influence real estate, particularly smart buildings, in the future.
Featuring JLL’s former senior executive Stuart Hicks, Airwavz president Mark Horinko, and Verizon’s executive director of network, Frank Cairon, the video sheds light on how 5G broadband might gradually make its way from industrial buildings through to commercial and residential structures, including smart cities.
“We could connect thousands of devices to the internet of things (IoT), such as cameras and sensors, including security cameras, which we don’t do today,” Horinko said, explaining that 5G networks could support this connectivity.
Responding to Hicks’ query on how 5G might influence building owners and tenants, the Airwavz president added: “I see 5G as a journey, not a destination.
“I think we’ll start to see some of the benefits of 5G sooner rather than later, and be able to incorporate IoT into buildings even before we see true 5G.”
