and explore unknown places with only a smartphone for directions.

單憑一支智慧型手機旅行、探索

When 5G arrives, it could enable driverless cars to take us there as well.

等到 5G 推出時，網路也能驅動無人駕駛車輛帶我們到那些地方

5G stands for fifth-generation mobile networks or wireless systems.

5G 指的是第五代行動通訊技術

It's insanely fast and can accommodate a lot more connected devices.

它的連結速度驚人，且能容納更多種裝置

But the reason it's being called revolutionary is because 5G will allow connected devices

但它之所以革命性的原因在於除了人與人之間外，

to speak to each other, as well as people.

它也能夠讓相連的裝置相互溝通

Right now, we're living in a world where, really, it's a one-way experience.

當今我們所存在的世界，在訊息傳遞方面，其實是單向的

That's Bloomberg Tech Reporter Ian King

剛那位是彭博科技記者 Ian King

The network talks to your phone, you look at your phone and access data, then

網路將數據傳到你的手機上，你從你的手機接收數據，接著

you send something back to the network.

你再傳一些東西回網路中

What we're being told about 5G is that, really, for the first time, we're going to see machines

目前我們對 5G 的了解是，我們第一次能夠見證

communicating with each other over mobile networks in a meaningful way.

機器互相透過行動網路進行有意義的溝通

5G could end up being 100 times faster than what we have now with speeds that could reach

5G 的速度可能高達現在的 100 倍，每秒傳送的數據

10 gigabits per second.

高達 10 千兆位元

In plain English, that means downloading a full-length HD movie in seconds.

翻成白話文意思就是，幾秒內就能下載一整部高畫質電影

5G will also increase total bandwidth, which we will need in order to accommodate the growing

5G 也能提高總頻寬，以因應範疇不斷擴大的

“internet of things”.

「一整個網路的東西」

We're talking about internet-connected refrigerators, thermostats, dog collars, but...5G will enable

意思是由網路相互連接的冰箱、空調、狗項圈等等，但 5G能夠

so many more.

容納更多

Things like your utility network factories, where machines just sat there,

例如在有些網絡型工廠，機器就放在那邊，

not connected at all.

沒有相連

Suddenly, they're all going to be connected…

它們突然都會連在一起

Other things like cars, like utility poles, like the light poles on the street, like traffic lights.

其他的東西像是汽車、電線桿、路燈、紅綠燈等等也是

But perhaps the biggest advance will be a huge reduction in communication lag time,

但最大的進展應該會是訊息傳送時差的縮短，

known as latency.

也就是所謂的延遲

A network of driverless cars will need the speed of 5G to ping each other multiple times

一個由無人駕駛汽車構成的網路會需要 5G 的速度來每秒相互偵測數次

per second to avoid collisions.

才能避免相撞

Near-instantaneous data transfers could allow doctors to perform surgery remotely with a

近即時的數據傳輸也能讓醫師在遠端透過機器解剖刀

robotic scalpel.

進行手術

So how will it work?

這要如何達成呢？

First, you need to improve "network density"

首先，必須先提高網路密度

and that's just a fancy word for saying you put more towers out there.

意思就是必須搭建更多基地台

What we're being told is that's not actually the case with 5G.

但是 5G 的情形並非如此

The idea is 5G will not only use the existing mobile spectrum but also tap into higher frequencies,

5G 技術不但會利用現行使用的行動網路頻率，同時也會開始使用更高評律的波，

called millimeter waves.

也就是所謂的毫米波

Millimeter waves can carry more data, but only travel short distances.

毫米波能夠承載更大量的數據，但只能作短距離的傳遞

This may mean you'll see a lot more of these so called base stations around town.

意思就是你可能會在城市裡看到更多的基地

And the new towers may have as many as 100 antennae ports, compared to about a dozen

這些新的塔台可能有多達 100 支天線，相較於 4G 塔台

on 4G cell towers.

只有十幾個

When will we get 5G?

我們什麼時候能開始使用 5G 呢？

Providers in the U.S. are expected to spend $275 billion over seven years to upgrade.

美國電信業者預計將在七年內斥資大約 2750 億美元來升級網路

Expect to see the first 5G service pop up in big cities sometime in 2019.

在 2019 年可以期待主要大城市開始推出 5G 方案