Emerging 5G networks feature lower latency, higher capacity, and increased bandwidth compared to 4G. These network improvements will have far-reaching impacts on how people live, work, and play all over the world.
New Zealand’s leading network provider recently announced the launch of its 5G network services in Hamilton, the ninth location in New Zealand to have 5G access for both wireless broadband and mobile usage. This follows launches in Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Te Awamutu, Clyde and Alexandra, alongside four South Island towns covered by 5G wireless broadband service only. The 5G coverage in Hamilton will initially serve Hamilton Central, as well as parts of Claudelands, Chartwell, and Fairfield, with additional coverage expected by the end of the month.
As per the network provider, the company has been making progress on its 5G rollout, which is enabling faster home wireless broadband and mobile speeds while also paving the way for the emergence of new technology and experiences that require 5G’s speed, low latency and mass connectivity. The 5G coverage will also significantly enhance their smart waste bin by improving the speed of sorting the waste into landfill or recyclables.
local Hamilton innovators were selected as finalists in the network provider’s inaugural 5G Starter Fund for their product, an AI-powered recycling bin, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically separate all categories of recyclables from waste when someone disposes of it into a rubbish bin.
With the implementation of 5G, the AI equipment will no longer need to be embedded in each AI bin and will instead be managed through edge computing, which brings data storage closer to the location where it is needed. This would make their smart waste bins less prone to theft and allow them to be deployed to consumers at a lower cost.
The AI-empowered recycle bin that was also launched by the network provider installed an IoT-enabled infrastructure at Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, which includes 5G connected lighting, smart benches with charging capability and smart bins to tackle waste challenges
IoT applications powered by 5G, such as the smart-sensor technologies AI bin sensor, have been used to collect valuable data to address urban, economic, and sustainability challenges, as well as detect incidents and improve local health and safety.
Furthermore, the 5G network moves smart city construction from theory to practice, paving the way for the development and deployment of new applications ranging from monitoring air quality, energy use, and traffic patterns to street lighting, smart parking, crowd management, and emergency response.
OpenGov Asia has reported in an article, that approximately 75% of New Zealanders will have access to ultra-fast broadband over fibre as part of the public sector project. Feilding, Waiheke Island, and Rangiora are the other three regions that are part of the public sector project where the company has yet to install fibre to those areas.
The importance of a reliable internet connection has been highlighted during this COVID-19 pandemic. Some other broadband types may be more susceptible to stuttering, dropouts and noticeable delays. The fibre is currently now the next generation of internet connectivity, with the newly built network available to 83% of Kiwi homes and businesses, it is great for Kiwis now and would work well revolutionaries into the future.
While normal connections can sometimes worsen in crowded areas like stadiums, resorts, beaches, even with tens of thousands of connected devices, speed and latency do not worsen with the new network. With 5G, users will no longer experience density or sharing issues, as it will be possible to up to one million connections simultaneously for each square kilometre. As a result, 5G provides for greater device density. Cities in New Zealand will be profoundly transformed by the combination of high density and low latency.