*This Editor’s Note will appear in the Nov/Dec Edition of WDD.
With the onslaught of technology and social media, how we communicate has changed. Though the face-to-face conversation still exists, it’s no longer the sole way modern society interacts. One can’t deny that technology has completely altered our conversational habits. Furthermore, technology is constantly evolving—what was new and innovative one day is completely obsolete the next. Users are constantly waiting for the “next big thing” to arrive that will change how we operate the gadgets we can’t live without. This seems even truer when it comes to wireless technology and 5G.
The fifth generation of wireless systems is set to deliver more speed, better coverage, and improved spectral efficiency compared to its current 4G counterpart. This will allow networks to keep up with the demand for receiving information faster and continuously being connected as the Internet of Things grows.
This also leads us to the latest issue focus in WDD on p. 4, “Millimeter-wave Development Platforms Key 5G Applications,” by Tim Galla of Pasternack, which dives into the millimeter-wave spectrum, and how it is a major factor for 5G achieving the bandwidth necessary to support new video streaming applications.
Our features beginning on p. 8, include “Wireless Internet Service Providers Catch a Break,” by Justin Pollack of KP Performance antennas, which details how recent FCC rulings enable wireless internet service providers (WISPs) to expand their services with increases to power and spectrum licenses. Be sure to also check out “Radio Access Networks Cloudification and Intelligent Fronthaul,” by Kin-Yip Liu of Cavium, which explores the process of cloudifying or migrating base station functions to the cloud for radio access networks. Cloudification offers the ability to develop new services, but the key for implementation is the fronthaul.
Evolution isn’t only occurring in technology, it has also taken place here at WDD. It is my first month as Editor-in-Chief and I’m very excited to explore the wireless world together. I’ve had an appreciation for wireless technology from the onset of my career as a field reporter at Gizmodo and associate editor at Infosync World, but then took a turn toward industrial products as a senior editor at Industrial Equipment News. Now, I’m ready to get back into the latest advancements and technology that the wireless industry has to offer and I hope you are looking forward to joining me.
