Forecasting the impact of the rise of 5G in Mauritius

While 5G technology has been present in pretty much every country across the globe, recent stirrings in mobile network operation towards adopting 5G broadband in Mauritius have been noticed.

What exactly is 5G?

The Fifth-Generation wireless cellular network (5G) is the most recent, cutting-edge technology developed to exponentially exceed the current 4G radio telecommunication that most countries and mobile devices are accustomed to.

Mobile network operators (MNOs) and 5G technology

Though licenses were issued to the three MNOs serving the country, i.e. Mauritius Telecom, Emtel Mauritius and MTML in June 2021, only My.T has tossed its hat in the 5G world as of date.
What can be considered as a soft launch has since stalled partly due to the economic situation of the island country. This can be attributed to the post Covid-19 pandemic meanderings as well as the war in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, 5G access has been present since the launching in only four strategic spots, namely: –
-Ebene Cybercity,
-Bagatelle Mall,
-La City Trianon and
-The University of Mauritius.
Nevertheless, we can be confident that we will have a wider 5G access in the foreseeable future.

The island powered by 5G

This significant broadband occurrence will influence the high-tech universe. Indeed, the practical implementation of a high connection rate in future software and app development will change the tech landscape in the foreseeable future.
The network’s capacity to transfer data at a higher speed will enable swift file transfer. We are talking here in terms of Gigabytes per second (Gbps) instead of the current LTE speed of 300 Megabytes per second (Mbps). Latency will also be greatly reduced hence providing for smoother video streaming and gaming. An increase in the bandwidth spectrum will also allow for greater connectivity than 4G, which in turn will also be positively affected by a growth in connection density that 5G grids will offer.

The effects on mobile application development

IoT devices

With the emergence of IoT devices, connectivity has never been more in demand. IoT, a shorthand for Internet of Things, basically are products that have the capability to connect with the internet and are integrated with software, sensors and other in-built technologies. Prominent examples of daily IoT tech usage include the Alexa Voice Service, robot vacuums and smart home security systems. The development of these tools, which are almost exclusively paired with mobile devices, relies on internet speed and connectivity for proper functioning.

Video streaming

Reduced latency as discussed will greatly improve steady online streaming for a longer usage period as 5G is a more battery-efficient network. As a result, videos could be seamlessly integrated into apps. For example, step-by-step methods for proper usage or for resolving known issues in any software could be shown via consolidated videos. 5G will thus be an intrinsic part of video sharing in all its form.

Effect on UX

The responsivity of any app is key to its success. Improved connectivity gained by 5G will positively affect the loading time of any mobile application across any operating system. In turn, we will have better graphics and more functionalities than ever before without affecting the performance. Developers will gain more flexibility in mobile app development, having little to no restrictions on their creativity to produce more pleasing and effective programs.

So, what can we expect in the near future?

With the advent of the META universe which should be an era-defining platform and the continual progress of the crypto world, 5G will be of utmost importance to power apps to access this virtual world. Such as they are, mobile applications will have the push needed through the network to exceed their actual development stages.
At AM Web Solutions, we are readying ourselves for this big technological leap by broadening our understanding of what mobile app development will metamorphose into; and bracing ourselves to harness the power of 5G.