Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
Education
What is 5G and how prepared is India to adapt to this tech?
Excerpts from article by Aashish Aryan published in Indian Express
5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks. 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.
1. Low band spectrum
While the low band spectrum has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second). This means that while telcos can use and install it for commercial cellphone users who may not have specific demands for very high speed internet, the low band spectrum may not be optimal for specialised needs of the industry.
2. Mid-band spectrum
The mid-band spectrum, on the other hand, offers higher speeds compared to the low band, but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals. Telcos and companies, which have taken the lead on 5G, have indicated that this band may be used by industries and specialised factory units for building captive networks that can be moulded into the needs of that particular industry.
3. High band spectrum
The high band spectrum offers the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength. Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G has been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (giga bits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.
India in the 5G tech race
On par with the global players, India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G services as soon as possible, with an aim to capitalise on the better network speeds and strength that the technology promised.
All the three private telecom players, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vi, have been urging the DoT to lay out a clear road map of spectrum allocation and 5G frequency bands, so that they would be able to plan the roll out of their services accordingly. One big hurdle, however, is the lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with at least two of the three players, namely Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
On the other hand, Reliance Jio plans to launch an indigenously built 5G network for the country as early as the second half of this year.
Global progress on 5G
More than governments, global telecom companies have started building 5G networks and rolling it out to their customers on a trial basis. In countries like the US, companies such as AT&T, T-mobile, and Verizon have taken the lead when it comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their users.
In China, some of the telcos such as China Unicom had started 5G trials as early as 2018, and have since rolled out the commercial services for users.
South Korean company Samsung, which had started researching on 5G technology way back in 2011, has, on the other hand, taken the lead when it comes to building the hardware for 5G networks for several companies.
Career
3 reasons to consider franchising as your next career move
Excerpts from article by Chris Biscuiti, published in business2community.com
Taking control of your career and becoming your own boss can be an empowering feeling. Franchising is a solid option for people who are looking for the freedom that comes with owning a business while also receiving crucial support in running the business.
To help provide an easy introductory guide to franchising, here are three reasons on why owning a franchise might be right for you:
1. Work for yourself and receive ongoing support
Owning a franchise gives you a way to own your own business but also hit the ground running. A reputable franchisor will provide franchisees with an easy-to-understand business model that is tried and proven, full training, and ongoing local and corporate support.
2. Smooth transition to entrepreneurship
One of the biggest rewards of owning a business is you will no longer have to worry about working for an employer. Whether you are tired of your commute, afraid of being laid off, or your boss simply doesn’t appreciate you, franchising can help you make a smooth transition to entrepreneurship.
The best franchises are industry leaders who know how to teach and help you learn their business. You don’t need prior experience because the business model, training, and high levels of support are already in place.
3. Other benefits of franchising
There are many additional benefits of franchising that could be available to you as well. For example, there could be a royalty incentive programme that caps royalties above a monthly sales level.
Do your research
If you would like to consider franchising as your next career move, it is important to do your research. Contact the franchisor directly and make sure they give you the opportunity to speak with other franchisees so you can see if their business is the right fit for you.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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