PETALING JAYA: Now that 5G technology has already been rolled out in more than half of all populated areas in Malaysia, consumers and businesses are having a field day.

With a speed that is up to 10 times higher than what we have been getting on 4G, the possibilities are endless.

Simple tasks such as opening a webpage to the more complex process of operating machinery in a remote location have become a breeze.

Frustrations over the long wait for a large file to be downloaded or for a video to start playing will be a thing of the past.

With 5G, it is industries such as manufacturing that will be the big winners.

As deputy communications and digital minister Teo Nie Ching said, the potential for them is significant.

For industries, 5G technology has already made quick access to cloud-based applications and data the new standard.

Business operations can be streamlined, enabling employees stationed in different locations to collaborate in real time, share large files and gain access to information instantaneously.

“(In the medical field,) remote surgery will become a reality. It is a game changer for our digital economy,” Teo pointed out.

Benefits to businesses

While it takes only a few taps on your smartphone to get on the 5G superhighway, a lot would have gone on behind the scenes to make that possible.

Much has already been invested to build the infrastructure, such as transmission towers that will ensure that the signals reach users over a wider area.

As a result of such efforts, businesses will see enhanced connectivity for workers who are stationed at remote locations. This has never been as essential given the shift towards hybrid or full work-from-home arrangements.

With 5G, workers in remote locations can easily connect with the office and with benefits such as high-quality video conferencing, staying on the ball becomes child’s play.

Given that 5G networks are designed to connect a high number of devices simultaneously, it makes it ideal for the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT).

This enables businesses to link and manage several IoT devices, such as sensors, smart machinery and industrial equipment in real time.

In industries such as manufacturing, 5G has helped to enhance the production process through autonomous robotics, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Apart from that, it also enables immersive simulations that are useful in training or in managing the maintenance of machinery in remote locations.

What consumers get

Home consumers can look forward to lower latency, improved capacity and connectivity as well as enhanced streaming for more enjoyable consumption of content such as video.

Latency is the time it takes for the webpage to open or the video to start playing after you have clicked on the URL or the icon. With 5G, it is down to milliseconds.

This takes real-time applications such as online gaming and video conferencing to a higher level of efficiency and gratification.

The IoT is equally gratifying for the home consumer. It means having a collection of smart devices, such as the fridge and fan, connected to the internet at home so that you can control them from the office in real time.

With higher efficiency plus the enhancements and benefits, consumers would expect to pay more. However, the government’s decision to have a second service provider is likely to keep any price increase in check.

Apart from that, consumers also get to choose between two providers. “For instance, if you are not happy with Entity A, you can go with Entity B,” Teo pointed out.

She said industries would benefit the most from the switch from the single network model to the dual network model.

Teo pointed out that service providers would fight to tailor their respective services to meet the needs and expectations of multiple sectors.

The benefits of 5G certainly cannot be overstated.