5G wireless technology continues to evolve and gain traction with users. gettyLast week, I attended one of the most important conferences in the wireless industry: the annual 5G Americas summit, held in Dallas, Texas, each October. I have been attending this unique event for over ten years. It is the industry group representing the carriers and telecom industry in the Americas and one of the critical forces driving next-generation wireless trends and standards. 5G Americas is an industry trade organization focused on advancing LTE and 5G wireless technologies across the Americas. It includes leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers, aiming to develop a connected wireless community and lead 5G development in the region. This organization creates white papers on spectrum, standards, and all related issues needed to launch 3G, 4G, 5G, and the recent 5G Advanced version that is coming out this fall. Its work is fundamental to the growth and direction of all wireless technologies that become the heart of this and next-generation wireless standards. This chart shows the generational evolution of mobile networks: Evolution of Mobile Networks TechTargetWhile the conference is highly technical, it also focuses on the role of wireless in business, enterprise, manufacturing and consumers. We are currently six years into 5G. Almost all mobile phones in the U.S., Canada, and parts of Latin America have moved to 5G, although some countries in this region remain on LTE and moving slowly to 5G. One big focus of this year's 5G Americas was the move from 5G to 5G Advanced. This step is the next significant evolution of 5G before the eventual move to 6G sometime at the end of this decade. 5G Advanced (also known as 5.5G) is the name for 3GPP release 18, which will start appearing in commercial products this fall. Some of the new capabilities unleashed in 5G Advanced are higher speed for VR gaming, enhanced coverage, 70% lower cost via lower power consumption, more accurate positioning, resilient timing so GPS is not required indoors, network operation efficiency, enhanced sidelink meeting public safety needs, potential sidelink to XR devices and reliability up to 99.9%. It also supports current 5G speeds of up to 10 GPS. In a nutshell, 5G Advanced features significant improvements in performance and capabilities and supports higher bandwidth, low latency, and high reliability. The second big focus of 5G Americas is the impact and role AI will play in wireless networks. Last year's 5G Americas took place two weeks before OpenAI launched its Generative AI bombshell, which forced all companies and industries to rush to integrate AI into their business processes. Consequently, this year's conference focused on the impact and role AI will play in the telecom and wireless industry. This industry is working hard to understand AI's role in current and future wireless networks and cellular devices. One key topic discussed is how AI will be used to help manage wireless networks. Telecom executives at the conference shared how they are already using AI to manage their back-end networks and are working to use AI from the cloud to edge devices across the board. The broader vision is moving from cloud-native to AI-native, with AI embedded in every network in one form or another. Telecom executives intend to incorporate this technology into their network planning strategies. Additionally, they discussed the application of artificial intelligence in the design of wireless networks. This technology will also be utilized for carrier management, facilitating the creation of a digital twin of networks as an integral component of the design process. Like most industries, integrating AI into their businesses is a priority, and the telecom and wireless industry is working hard to bring AI into every aspect of its world. One other theme surprised some of us: the role of integrating NTNs (non-terrestrial networks) or satellites into traditional cellular businesses. In September, Elon Musk confirmed that TMobile will get exclusive rights to Starlink mobile internet for one year. Apple has partnered with satellite provider Globalstar Inc. to provide messaging services, which were recently critical for victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, to contact family when they lost power and cellular services. While the integration of satellite services within cellular networks is currently focused only on SOS and text messaging, satellite voice calling may soon become an added feature. This future innovation may only be important for those who frequently are outside coverage of traditional wireless networks or need it for critical or life-saving situations. But nonetheless, it could potentially allow carriers to one day boast "wireless connectivity any time and anywhere you happen to be." Disclosure: Apple subscribes to Creative Strategies research reports along with many other high tech companies around the world. {Categories} _Category: Takes{/Categories} {URL}https://www.forbes.com/sites/timbajarin/2024/10/29/5g-americas-influencing-the-future-of-the-wireless-industry/{/URL} {Author}Tim Bajarin, Contributor{/Author} {Image}https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/671fdd3c2927dc008a4a0fa4/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&height=600&width=1200&fit=bounds{/Image} {Keywords}Consumer Tech,/consumer-tech,Innovation,/innovation,Consumer Tech,/consumer-tech,standard{/Keywords} {Source}POV{/Source} {Thumb}{/Thumb}