BANGALORE: With the world getting well accustomed with the entire idea of 4G internet, researchers are now working on getting in place the next generation fastest mobile network—5G. The research work is being conducted in the University of Surrey, where researchers from big tech giants including Samsung and Fujitsu are working hands on to deliver 100 times faster mobile internet speed, as reported by Mark Scott, New York Times.

This research on fifth-generation wireless technology is scheduled to be completed by 2018 and would, for instance, can download entire movies to smartphones or tablets in less than five seconds, compared with as much as eight minutes with current fourth-generation, or 4G, technology.

The new mobile network will allow companies to connect multiple devices such as smartwatches, tiny sensors on home appliances and automakers could also test driverless cars around the suburban campus.

“A lot of the technology already works in a laboratory environment,” said Rahim Tafazolli, director of the university's research center that oversees the 5G project, which includes almost 70 powerful radio antennas around the 2-square-mile campus. “Now, we have to prove it works in real life.”

Tafazolli and his team’s effort place them at the core of the heated race. Powered by consumer’s insistent eagerness for accessing social media, video and other communication and entertainment apps on their smart devices, several big carriers like NTT DoCoMo of Japan and AT&T are rushing to be the first to offer customers this next-generation ultrafast wireless technology.

“Everyone is rushing to demonstrate they are a leading player for 5G,” said Bengt Nordstrom, co-founder of Northstream, a telecom consulting firm, in Stockholm.

The latest work on 5G will be on exhibit at the Mobile World Congress—a tech and telecom event held in Barcelona, Spain. Majority of the big shot operators and device manufacturers like Samsung are going to showcase their latest wireless technology, as well as wearables, smart devices and digital applications at the trade show. Further, the telecom honchos have also announced high tech demonstration comprising of driverless cars, remote-controlled drones and autonomous robots balancing balls on tablets to showcase their 5G credibility.

For Tafazolli, whose team started working on 5G in late 2011, the increasing competition has led to an increasing number of companies offering support; including the use of high-speed computer servers, costly radio antennas and millions of dollars of financing to research and build the next-generation wireless network on his college campus, he said. Their primary goal: to test their latest technology in a real-world setting.

“In the race to 5G, everyone wants to be first,” he said.

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