WI-FI 6 vs. 5G: Defining the Right Solution for Your Business

You’ve heard about 5G, but do you know what it can do for your business? You can learn more about it here, but in brief, 5G is the name given to the fifth generation of wireless cellular technology. 

5G operates on several spectrums: 600MHz, 2.5GHz, 28GHz and 39GHz. 5G cell towers are typically smaller than 4G cell towers, require less power to operate, and are capable of serving more users than ever before.

5G’s most notable features include increased bandwidth, faster download speeds, and lower latency. While download speed is undoubtedly important, the lower latency stands out as a key driver for 5G applications. 

Latency represents the delay in sending data from one point to another and is typically measured in milliseconds. The numbers are impressive: with 4G, latency often reaches 50ms, whereas 5G is capable of 1 ms.

A VoIP phone service is practical because it allows people to make calls that may not have access to a landline or cell phone or because they are outside of an area covered by traditional telephone service.

Remember, when evaluating 5G and Wi-Fi 6 for your business, it’s not a case of one or the other. Typically, most organizations will benefit from leveraging both technologies, since Wi-Fi 6 and 5G complement each other as well. 

For today’s remote and hybrid work environments, both technologies support a myriad of applications and solutions. Depending on the use case or application, they each have their strengths and can work together for optimal efficiency. 

Without getting into the technical requirements of specific applications, it’s probably safe to say that Wi-Fi will serve on-premise devices while 5G will serve mobile devices. 

Especially with its much longer range, 5G will be used for applications where a Wi-Fi access point is not nearby. 

Typically, you’ll want to deploy 5G when you require a reliable and low latency connection, cover a vast geographical area, deploy widespread endpoints, and need more accuracy and precision. 

Some examples of 5G deployments include connected cars, manufacturing environments, intelligent fleets, smart cities and utilities, and remote healthcare monitoring.

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to physical devices that typically are not computing devices but can connect to the internet to transmit and receive data. Cameras, fridges, and smart speakers may come to mind, but almost every industry uses some sort of IoT device to improve business efficiency. For today’s modern organization, IoT provides access to critical data or applications that can be used to help make better business decisions.

This means is that IoT is about much more than allowing more devices and applications and expanding use cases. IoT empowers businesses to grow and scale by leveraging data. With more data to analyze, businesses gain valuable insight into their processes and systems, providing opportunities for innovation and growth. IoT can help companies create new lines of business, improve customer experience, and achieve greater efficiency. 

The business benefits of leveraging IoT are almost endless, and you can learn much more about IoT here. 

Internet of things (IoT) and VoIP are a perfect match, as they both rely on IP communications to interact. Like AI, the best way to demonstrate how VoIP and IoT solutions can integrate is with practical use cases. 

Imagine a smart home or office where you can call in and manage appliances or heating systems using only your voice — even if you don’t have internet access.

Or what about an IoT sensor installed on the factory floor? That sensor can make a VoIP call to relevant stakeholders who need to be updated on what’s happening for safety, productivity, or efficiency concerns.