Latency, often known as delay in communication networks, is a key factor in the quality of network services. With the development of 5G networks, reducing latency has become one of the main technological achievements. The upcoming 6G technology promises further reductions in latency, which will open the door to new applications and industries.

What is latency and why is it important?

Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from one end of the network to the other. In other words, it is the delay that the user feels when sending and receiving data in real time. High latency can significantly affect user experience, especially in applications that require a quick response, such as online games, video calls or autonomous vehicles. If you’ve played video games online, you’ve probably felt the difference between low and high latency (familiar to gamers as “high ping”).

How does 5G technology reduce latency?

One of the most important advantages of 5G technology is its ability to reduce latency. While 4G networks had an average latency of 30-50 milliseconds, 5G technology can reduce this delay to just 1-10 milliseconds, depending on the used frequency spectrum and the distance between the user and the base station.

This achievement enables more stable and faster data transmission, which improves the quality of services such as video streaming platforms, online and cloud gaming, and applications based on artificial intelligence.

Impact of latency reduction on industries

Industrial IoT, autonomous vehicles and smart cities are just some of the sectors that will benefit the most from the reduction in latency brought about by 5G technology. For example, autonomous cars require almost instantaneous data transfer in order to make real-time decisions. Thanks to the 5G network, these systems will be able to react in milliseconds, which will significantly increase traffic safety.

What will 6G and the further reduction of latency bring?

Although 5G already brings significant advances in reducing latency, the upcoming 6G technology promises even lower levels, with latency of less than one millisecond. 6G networks are expected to enable high-speed data transmission in real time, which will be key to the development of advanced applications such as holographic communications, augmented reality (AR) and edge AI.

In addition, 6G will enable the mass connectivity of devices in IoT ecosystems, where each device will be able to communicate with others almost instantly. This will open up opportunities for new business models and innovations in various sectors, from healthcare to manufacturing.

Latency is a key aspect of network performance that directly affects user experience. While 5G is already bringing revolutionary changes by reducing latency to a level unimaginable in the 4G era, the future with 6G technology promises further advances in latency reduction, enabling new innovations and applications in almost all aspects of life. The development of 5G and 6G technologies opens the door to faster, more secure, and more efficient digital communication.