5G and NG-PON2: Two Key Technologies that will Revolutionize Internet Applications

Do you remember the first three industrial revolutions? The ones ushered in by the steam engine, science and mass production, and finally digital technology? Well we are on the cusp of a fourth one now. What was once imagined is now becoming real.

This revolution requires innovations in three foundational pillars:  Devices, applications in the cloud, and the connectivity that brings them together. Technologies like 5G and NG-PON2, cloud computing, SDN, NFV, IoT, artificial intelligence, and devices will be the building blocks of these three pillars. Today, we’ll focus on NG-PON2 and 5G.

Let’s look at 5G first. 5G is significantly different from previous Gs in mobile evolution because it simultaneously pushes the envelopes of innovation in three different dimensions - bandwidth, latency, and number of connections supported. It pushes those envelopes 50 to 100 times more than what 4G did. Yes, 50 to 100 times! Just imagine 10 Gbps to a wireless device and 1 millisecond end-to-end latency.  With 5G you can play Fortnite on your mobile phone from any location served by 5G.

With 5G, everything that benefits from being connected, will be connected and each will have access to virtually infinite cloud computing power at the tip of their connectivity.

With latencies in sub milliseconds, cloud gamers, medical professionals, and sports professionals can use ultra-low latency devices to take their craft to new levels only dreamed about so far. 

While 5G is at the leading edge of this wireless connectivity revolution, it requires reliable front and back haul transport technology to deliver the traffic without impacting the benefits of 5G.

This is where NG-PON2 comes into play.

In 5G, the radio network is disaggregated and distributed, virtualized, and running locally as well as in the cloud. This requires a simplified transport network that is distributed, software powered, always on, fast, and ties all the disaggregated parts of the radio access network together. The transport network also needs to orchestrate timing, content delivery, and traffic flow down to nanosecond precision. Because that is what it takes to make 1 millisecond latency and 10 Gbps-to-a-wireless device a reality.     

Want to know more? If you’re are joining us at Calix ConneXions you can hear for yourself how 5G and NG-PON2 are going to usher in the fourth industrial revolution. You will hear how what was once imagined is now becoming real and how you can benefit from it.