The Disruptions of 5G on Data-driven Technologies and Applications

With 5G on the verge of being adopted as the next mobile network, there is a need to analyze its impact on the landscape of computing and data management. In this paper, we analyze the impact of 5G on both traditional and emerging technologies and project our view on future research challenges and opportunities. With a predicted increase of 10-100x in bandwidth and 5-10x decrease in latency, 5G is expected to be the main enabler for edge computing which includes accessing cloud-like services, as well as conducting machine learning at the edge. In this context, we investigate how 5G can help the development of federated learning. Network slicing, another key feature of 5G, allows running multiple isolated networks on the same physical infrastructure. This slicing is supposed to accelerate the development of smart cities, with multiple applications planes running on the same infrastructure. For example, mobile broadband, massive IoT sensors analytics, automotive, telemedicine and smart factories could all use the same infrastructure but run in virtual, isolated planes. However, security remains a main concern as virtualization is known to expose security issues although formal verification can be applied to detect security issues in virtualized massive environments. In summary, 5G will make the world even more densely and closely connected. What we have experienced in 4G connectivity will pale in comparison to the vast amounts of possibilities engendered by 5G and let us take the opportunity to contribute to the existing challenges ahead!