Technology of the year 2020

5G is our 2020 technology of the year.

The fifth generation of mobile phone technology — 5G — promises higher data rates and more reliable communication than previous generations, leading to a variety of novel applications. But to make this a reality, developments in a range of technologies will be required.

Innovation from the component to the system level is necessary to realize the full potential of the next generation of wireless communication.

The local deployment of 5G platforms for 5G-enabled healthcare in hospitals and clinics can provide a route for the development of digital healthcare technologies in rural Africa.

Governments have underestimated the importance of technology governance in 5G development and will look to reassert control over key technologies. If future technologies are to be based on global standards, and not become geographically fragmented, the technology community need to urgently address this challenge.

The power consumption and carbon emissions of wireless communication networks are expected to substantially increase in the 5G era. The communications industry must therefore develop strategies to optimize the energy efficiency of 5G networks, without compromising spectrum efficiency.

This Perspective provides a vision for sixth generation (6G) communications in which human-centric mobile communications are considered the most important application, and high security, secrecy and privacy are its key features.