What is 5G?

5G Network (5G Network) is the fifth generation mobile communication network. Its peak theoretical transmission speed can reach 1GB every 8 seconds. Compared with a 4G network with a peak of 100Mbps, the transmission speed is hundreds of times faster. 4G networks have been in use for a long time, and have provided us with important changes such as taxi rides, mobile payments, and mobile navigation.

It is not difficult to imagine that the arrival of the 5G era will bring about drastic changes in our lives. But what changes will 5G cause to the logistics industry? Its huge impact is mainly reflected in the following three aspects.

1.In transportation

5G can provide wider network coverage in urban or rural areas. It enables “vehicle to all” (V2X) applications, which will enable continuous monitoring, tracking and theft detection of the logistics and supply chain industries. Furthermore, more driverless cars can be applied to the logistics and distribution process. The “zero” delay characteristic of 5G networks can also greatly reduce the risk of driverless cars in traffic accidents.

2. In the warehouse

Numerous surveillance cameras are currently distributed in logistics parks or warehouses around the world. Relying on high-speed 5G networks, these cameras will be upgraded from simple surveillance shooting functions to intelligent perception systems. Integrating technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and AI to realise full-process visualisation, which enables real-time monitoring, analysis, calculation, and early warning of the operation process.

3. During delivery

In addition to the aforementioned unmanned driving can be used in logistics distribution scenarios, drones will also rely on the popularity of 5G networks to develop rapidly. The current test scenarios of drones are mostly distribution in remote areas, because the electromagnetic environment in urban distribution scenarios is complex and high-rise buildings, which place higher requirements on the navigation, accuracy and anti-interference of drones. Relying on the high bandwidth, low latency, and anti-interference of 5G networks, it will be assisted on the basis of GPS navigation, and can further improve the machine vision ability.

“5G brings a comprehensive change of path to digital logistics and supply chain services. But technology adaptation is a gradual process for many people. In this process, training new logistics talents and upgrading the capabilities of the team are very important.”