We’re about five years into 5G connectivity and haven’t yet seen the full potential of the technology. Still, even in its current state, 5G — the latest generation of mobile-wireless technology — can connect over longer distances and provide faster speeds than previous generations, which may make it appealing to founders.
1. Secure the right kind of 5G connection
5G operates on three different bands: low, mid, and high. Low-band 5G has a far reach but sometimes operates slower than 4G because of having to travel such far distances. Mid-band 5G provides enough coverage and speed difference from 4G to be notable for many businesses. High-band 5G is millimeter wave, also known as mmWave, and though it has faster speeds, the coverage area isn’t as large. Depending on their business, a founder may want to choose any one of the three. A concert venue could benefit from mmWave, where many devices connect to the internet and send data.
2. Consider Internet-of-Things solutions
Elina Lidere is the head of innovation ecosystems at LMT Innovations, Latvia’s leading mobile operator and 5G innovator. She works with startups and international organizations such as NATO in their 5G research-and-development efforts. She told Business Insider that one mistake she repeatedly sees founders make is failing to consider different ways companies can use 5G.
LMT works with a guiding principle: “The future is only mobile.” Lidere said it’s helped her imagine what’s possible when it comes to leveraging 5G’s capabilities. “In the near future, everything could be connected, including things that, maybe today, you can’t imagine being connected.”
Despite 5G’s ability to power the Internet of Things, or IoT — allowing machines to talk to one another — many founders have a hard time shifting away from how we currently think about connectivity, which requires a level of human involvement. Think: human operators sending data across WiFi or other connections. Lidere said that once she challenges founders to move beyond their existing thinking and consider IoT solutions in their products, that’s where the magic happens. She said that the shift toward IoT can often be the most enticing part for investors.
3. Take advantage of research-and-development labs, accelerators, and hackathons
Not everyone knows a 5G expert, but it’s still possible to access their knowledge through labs, accelerators, and other programs. In addition to working at LMT, Lidere also mentors at accelerators and hackathons, events where computer programmers and other specialists collaborate intensively over a short time to create code. Her day job allows her access to LMT testbeds, where she’s helped test augmented-reality and virtual-reality solutions for NATO. Universities such as Cambridge and the National Science Foundation have hosted 5G accelerators, and telecommunications companies such as AT&T have labs working to advance innovation.
4. Don’t forget about security
Lidere said that as much as tech should be practical and easy to use, it should also be safe — something she sees a lot of startups overlook. More specifically, she said, founders can get lost in ensuring a killer use case and aesthetics, but forget entirely about security, leaving their products vulnerable to hackers and data breaches.
She suggested this is likely the case because we’re not yet used to the concept of all these new devices being connected to the internet and interacting with each other versus being connected to the internet and being told how to interact. Ensuring a secure product is paramount for startups looking for growth and partnership opportunities with larger companies.
While 5G is inherently secure, connecting numerous IoT devices can pose certain security risks since many devices mean a larger potential target for hackers. Business owners should be sure to keep IoT devices up to date and ensure device permissions are confined to their specific needs.
