Empowering Sri Lanka with 5G

 Empowering Sri Lanka with 5G

5G is the next level of wireless system, the 5th generation broadband cellular network technology. Everyone is mostly using 4G network currently and 5G is more improved and a better version of it. 5G was first deployed in 2019 and by 2025 it's predicted to have more than 1.7 billion subscribers worldwide according to the GSM Association. (Wikipedia) It's faster and more capable than the previous technologies, higher bandwidth which gives ultra-download speed and new applications made with IOT and AI technology. These are just few possibilities with 5G and this will be the future generation that's coming up. So just like any other country, this small island known as the pearl in the Indian ocean is also planning to launch 5G services in the country. And the first step has already taken by the mobile service companies.

The national mobile service provider of Sri Lanka, mobitel company implemented 5G technology in 2019. As a result, Ookla, the global leader for speed test benchmarking has acknowledged mobitel 5G as the first and the fastest in whole South Asia. (Mobitel) Not second to that Dialog Axiata company also started with 5G trials, cooperating with the customers in mid 2020. They had a demonstration of a fully standards-based 5G mobile service for the first time in South Asia and also held the first 5G showcase in South Asia. (Dialog) So, these companies have already started with introducing 5G technology to the country but what kind of reasons will bring success to this idea? It's time that we look up why Sri Lanka should be enabled with 5G and why it'll be favourable.

In the usage of social media and Internet services, Sri Lanka has great numbers. There were 10.10 million internet users in Sri Lanka in January 2020. And between 2019 and 2020, the number of Internet users in the country has increased by 399 thousand (+4.1%) making Internet penetration stand at 47%. There were 6.40 million social media users in January 2020 and it went up by 491 thousand (+8.3%) between April 2019 and January 2020. And as a result, social media penetration stood at 30% in January 2020. Adding to that, mobile usage in Sri Lanka is also in a high level. There were 31.80 million mobile connections in January 2020 with an increase of 2.2 million (+7.5%) between January 2019 and January 2020.The number of mobile connections in January 2020 was equivalent to 149% of the total population. (Digital Sri Lanka 2020) Therefore, with above statistics mobile service companies gain the clarification to place 5G in the country. And with those numbers it's safe to say that 5G implementing will definitely be a story of success.

Adding to that there's another great support which is powering up the 5G process in Sri Lanka. Very recently the Maldives Sri Lanka Cable system (MSC) started the operation process. It's an 840km international subsea system which delivers high-speed, low latency connectivity between Hulhumale in the Republic of Maldives and Mount Lavinia in Sri Lanka and this project was completed in a record of twelve-month timeframe. (Capacity media) This cable system will enhance the network infrastructure and be helpful in increasing customer service as well. This project will unsurely be a key point for the future 5G era in Sri Lanka.

As a developing country Sri Lanka has a long way to go and technology has a big role to play in the development task. That's where 5G make a huge contribution for the country as well as for the people. Sri Lankan tech system has come a long way in the past 5 years. The highly talented tech resources of this South Asian island has produced tech solutions that are now used in organisations such as eBay, Uber, the London Stock Exchange and PayPal. (GSMA) And there will be more projects like MSC system that will bring us closer to the world. Hence, it's not that hard to take another step forward and make the 5G process victorious. And in a pandemic situation like this, it'll be a phenomenal weapon to keep on moving with the world. Therefore, to go forward as a country for a bright future, it's important to go with the technology. And that’s exactly why 5G empower is needed.

References

Capacity media. Accessed 26 Feb 2021
<https://www.capacitymedia.com/.../maldives-sri-lanka...>

Dialog. Accessed 27 Feb 2021
<https://www.dialog.lk/dialog-invites-customers-to...>

Digital Sri Lanka 2020. Accessed 27 Feb 2021
<https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-sri-lanka>

GSMA. Accessed 26 Feb 2021
<https://www.gsma.com/.../exploring-new-developments-in.../>

Mobitel. Accessed 27 Feb 2021
<https://www.mobitel.lk/.../mobitel-5g-becomes-the-first...>

Wikipedia. Accessed 26 Feb 2021
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5G>