Wireless 5G Campus Networks

Campus Networks Show Us The Transformative Promise of Wireless 5G.

- Mobile 5G Campus Networks

A 5G campus network is a small local network dedicated to a specific geographic area. They can cover anywhere from a few hundred square meters indoors to a few square kilometers outdoors. Compared to public mobile networks, use of the campus network is limited to persons or devices associated with the campus area, which adds an extra level of security and control. In addition, the campus network can continuously and rapidly adapt to changing connectivity needs. Finally, they can also be combined with public networks. 

As a result, mobile operators and enterprises, especially from the industry sector, have a strong interest in campus networks to support new use cases, help them optimize existing businesses or address new revenue streams. Campus networks can be deployed on 4G and 5G technologies

- What Makes the 5G Campus Network So Special?

5G technology enables wireless real-time communication between people, machines, sensors and other end devices. The 5G network beats its predecessor, 4G, with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). 

Latency values ​​for URLLC dropped from around 15 to 80 ms at 4G to less than 1 ms. This enables machinery, robotics and autonomous transport systems to be controlled without any noticeable lag. 

With eMBB, 5G can deliver data speeds of up to 10Gbit/s and a capacity of 10Tbit/s/km². In contrast, 4G technology reaches the limit of 1Gbit/s. That makes 5G about ten times faster than 4G. Video can be streamed in real time at very high resolution. In these times of the coronavirus pandemic, this allows overseas developers to view and comment on even the smallest details. 

Of particular interest is the enormous connection density achieved by mMTC, up to 1 million end devices per square kilometer, while minimizing energy consumption, which is only about 10% of what LTE systems consume, compared to 4G's connection density of only Around 200 terminal devices per square kilometer. mMTC is especially suitable for major events in large warehouses, parking lot management systems and sold-out stadiums.  

Not only that, thanks to intelligent "network slicing" technology, multiple virtual networks can run concurrently on the same physical network infrastructure. This allows data for each application type (eMBB, mMTC, and URLLC) to travel over its own virtual cellular network, which in turn can be individually optimized for each application. Campus networks also outperform public networks in reliability and availability because they operate independently of a cellular provider.

- Can 5G Do Better Than Wi-Fi 6?

Campus networking itself is nothing new. But now, most of them are based on Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi 6, also known as Wi-Fi AX, is the latest generation of Wi-Fi that was released almost at the same time as 5G technology. Like 5G, it brings many improvements, including more bandwidth per data stream, lower latency, and higher data rates of up to 6 Gbit/s. This is achieved through new modulation methods such as OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) and 1024-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation). Because Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible, there is no need to replace user hardware—especially important for private networks in office buildings.  

As the number of connected machines, systems, and mobile applications such as robotics and autonomous transportation systems increases, so does the need for private networks. Many industrial and production facilities also require a campus network that covers not only indoor spaces but also outdoor areas, since, for example, transportation systems cover the entire area of ​​the production facility. Thanks to the low frequency between 3.7 and 3.8GHz (compared to Wi-Fi's 5GHz), 5G covers a wider range while still offering Wi-Fi-matched data transfer rates. In the case of Wi-Fi or even Wi-Fi roaming, the autonomous transmission system may have to pause for a moment when changing cells and only start moving again when a connection is established with a new cell or gateway. This is especially true for any mobile application that relies on a continuous stream of data. Under 5G, the cell range is larger, the delay time is shorter, and the transition between cells is seamless. Therefore, 5G has advantages when it comes to mobile systems and applications for automation of industrial systems and production facilities.

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