They are just two characters, but even those who know nothing about technology and digitization have already heard, read or seen some news about them. 5G is gaining attention precisely for the concept behind this expression. Digital professionals, entrepreneurs and civil society are starting to prepare for this solution, without knowing exactly when, it will work in Brazil.
In all, Anatel (National Telecom Agency) received 15 offers and the auction took place during the first week of November 2021 only. It is expected that the frequency will be already in operation by the middle of 2022, at least in the state capitals and most populous municipalities in the country, and since then, it will expand to municipalities with more than 30,000 residents by 2029. Will be done. If implemented well, technology has the potential to further deepen digital transformation, ensuring a never-before-seen connection in our country. Story.
I detail some frequently asked questions about the topic below, whose answers help explain how it will really affect our lives.
1 – What is meant by 5G technology?
5G technology is nothing more than a significant technological development of current connection and data traffic solutions that allow us to connect to the Internet or talk to each other on both mobile and fixed networks (band connection home or business).
Its main feature and advantage is to increase the speed of data traffic from one point to another, which should be at least 20 times higher than the current speed we are used to in 4G and will make it possible, for example, full -Downloading length movies in HD for example, minutes.
Furthermore, since latency (response time) is also much lower than what is currently seen in 4G, 5G offers for a fast and efficient connection that will be able to connect various objects to the Internet and to each other, such as watches, Cars, buildings and even entire industries or cities.
With the pandemic looming, we realize the importance of good connectivity even more. Thanks to the implemented 4G, it was possible to do videoconferencing, watch favorite series on streaming and share massive files while working remotely. But 5G will open up a new world of possibilities, such as augmented reality and faster downloads and uploads – in addition to enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). Everything that can be connected will be connected.
2 – What will 5G change in practice?
We live in a period of digital acceleration due to the progress of the new coronavirus. Many solutions that used to be confined to science fiction have gotten off the ground in recent months. But there are other projects that rely on the great speed of 5G to get off the ground. Deepening telemedicine is one of them. Today, we are able to attend a virtual consultation with a doctor, but only with this new connection technology will it be possible to perform remote surgery or perform more detailed remote diagnoses and examinations, for example, on a larger scale.
Connectivity between autonomous cars and objects is also usually dependent on 5G. Only the rapid traffic of information between systems is capable of making the necessary connections for this purpose – for example, allowing online shopping in supermarkets based on data generated by refrigerators! Entertainment services such as streaming and digital financial transactions are also expected to grow further.
Virtual reality and augmented reality, along with systems connected via 5G and IoT, will completely change the world we know today and make it harder to understand the difference between “virtual and physical”.
3 – What are the responsibilities and equivalents of 5G?
The bidding notice allowed the companies to choose which ones to explore the four frequency bands established for 5G (700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz) in Brazil. It is through them that data traffic occurs. Of course, this is a highly strategic business for both the federal government and the private sector.
Therefore, it is considered that the companies winning the auction should comply. These include the availability of 5G in state capitals by July 2022; 4G supply guaranteed on Brazilian highways; creation of a private communications network for the federal administration; Establishment of fiber optic network along the river, in the Amazon region; bringing quality mobile internet to public schools of basic education; among others.
4 – What changes happen in the lives of Brazilians?
Brazil is a late entry into the 5G universe. Germany, China, South Korea, the United States and Japan are some of the countries that are already adopting this technology on a daily basis. Still, it reinforces the idea that digital transformation is a path that has no return in our society. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses and consumers have had to adapt to digital channels. However, going forward, more services will have to be migrated to the online environment.
The main advantage is, of course, greater flexibility in the provision of public and private services, which enables greater efficiency for organizations and greater productivity for employees. However, there is an obligation: it is necessary to optimize the entire technological infrastructure of cities, including most cell phone exchanges – which were not developed to capture the 5G frequency. In the end, these are two sides of the same coin that we have learned to live with over the years.
This irreversible change will rapidly become an integral part of our daily lives. If today we cannot imagine life without connectivity and the Internet, then very soon we will find it difficult to understand the world without high connection speeds and its incredible possibilities in our families, careers and the way we see the world.
*Fernando Moulin is a Business Partner at Sponsorb, a boutique business performance consultancy, professor and specialist in Business, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience. E-mail:
About Fernando Moulin
Born in Volta Redonda (RJ), Fernando Moulin is one of the main experts in digital transformation and customer experience, in addition to being one of the pioneers of digital marketing/CRM in Brazil. A graduate in Chemical Engineering from Unicamp, an International Executive MBA from FIA-USP and has taken marketing and business courses at several international institutions, such as Kellogg/Northwestern (United States), INSEAD (France), Cambridge (United Kingdom) and Lingnan . University (China). He has over 20 years of experience as an executive in large organizations such as Telefônica/Vivo, Cyrela, Nokia, Pão de Açúcar, Claro, Citibank. Startup Mentor and Strategic Advisor, he is also a Lecturer and Professor of the Master in Consumer Experience Management at ESPM, as well as Professor and Thoughtful Advisor at IBARAMERC at Live University. She is currently the Business Partner at Sponsorb, a boutique business performance consultancy.
