The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed how devices communicate, collect data, and perform tasks on their own in many areas, including smart homes, wearables, industrial automation, and healthcare monitoring. However, IoT doesn’t work very well because cell and Wi-Fi networks are getting old. 5G, the fifth generation of mobile networks, promises speeds that have never been seen before, very low latency, the ability to connect many more devices, and higher reliability. 5G will not only fix the problems we have with IoT now, but it will also let us make new apps and services that we thought were impossible before.
This long essay talks about 10 ways that 5G will change the Internet of Things. It gets its information from experts, peer-reviewed research, and reports from the industry.
1. Very Low Latency for Controlling IoT in Real Time
One of the best things about 5G is that its networks can cut end-to-end latency down to 1 millisecond (ms), which is a lot better than the 30 to 50 milliseconds that 4G LTE networks can do. This big drop affects how things that need to respond quickly work:
- Robotic Arms, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), and Remote Machines: These can all work together to get things done in less than a second. This makes the floors of the factory safer and more efficient.
- Telesurgery and Remote Medicine: Surgeons who use robots from far away need to know what’s going on right away. 5G latency lets hospitals use haptic feedback and virtual reality overlays.
- Autonomous Vehicles: Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication with less than 10 ms of delay lets systems that stop crashes respond and send hazard data in real time.
5G greatly reduces latency, which lets businesses use IoT apps that are very important to their missions. This means that businesses have less risk in their daily operations, more precise automation, and the chance to offer new services that are related to safety.
2. Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC)
The mMTC part of the 5G standards talks about how to connect a million devices in a square kilometer, which is ten times more than 4G. Here are a few examples:
- Smart Cities: A single 5G cell can connect tens of thousands of trash cans, lamps, parking meters, and environmental sensors. This lets you keep an eye on and control cities in a lot of detail.
- Precision Agriculture: Farmers put sensors in different places to check the weather, soil moisture, and nutrients. These sensors send farmers data every hour. This helps them get the most out of their watering and fertilizing, which saves water and helps the crops grow better.
- Global Asset Tracking: Millions of low-power trackers on packages, pallets, and shipping containers all over the world keep track of where they are and how they are doing in real time.
One of the best things about mMTC is that it has more power-saving modes, like PSM (Power Saving Mode) and eDRX (Extended Discontinuous Reception). This means that battery-powered sensors can work for years without needing new batteries. This means that owning and maintaining large-scale IoT installations will be less expensive.
3. Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) for High-Throughput IoT
When people hear “IoT,” they usually think of low-bit-rate sensors, but there are other uses that need high throughput:
- High-Definition Surveillance: 5G eMBB lets security cameras and drones that are spread out send ultra-high-definition videos to edge servers. This makes the feeds run more smoothly and gives you analytics in real time.
- Augmented Reality (AR) in the Field: Field workers can easily get live schematics from cloud databases and put them on top of machines with augmented reality (AR) headsets.
- Connected Vehicles Infotainment: People in the car can watch high-definition videos while the car is moving. The cars can also share 3D map data to help drivers.
5G can send data at speeds of several gigabits per second, so IoT devices that use a lot of data don’t have to wait for it to load or drop out. This gives us new ways to have immersive experiences and do analytics in real time.
4. Network Slicing for Tailored IoT Services
With network slicing, operators can build virtual end-to-end networks (slices) that are customized to meet the needs of a specific service in terms of security, performance, and reliability.
- Critical Infrastructure Slice: Utilities and emergency services can use ultra-reliable, low-latency slices to keep an eye on the grid, deal with emergencies, and talk to the public about safety.
- Commercial IoT Slice: Retailers with thousands of point-of-sale terminals and inventory sensors can use a medium-latency, high-throughput slice to keep their data separate from public mobile traffic.
- Consumer IoT Slice: Wearables, smart home devices, and personal trackers all get a low-priority, best-effort slice of the network so that it works as well as possible without slowing down important traffic.
By breaking up the network in a logical way, businesses can get service-level agreement (SLA) guarantees, quickly add more devices, and quickly launch new IoT products.
5. More Reliable and Easy to Reach
5G adds features like carrier aggregation, dual connectivity, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) to make connections more reliable and reduce interference and coverage gaps.
- Carrier Aggregation: This combines frequency bands like sub-6 GHz and mmWave so that mobile IoT nodes can quickly switch between them.
- Dual Connectivity: Devices can connect to two 5G nodes at the same time or to both 5G and LTE networks at the same time. This means that they work better when there are a lot of phone calls or when the signal is blocked.
- RIS and Beamforming: Smart reflective surfaces and antennas that can change shape help signals get through things that get in the way in factories, tunnels, and busy city canyons.
This level of dependability means that important IoT services for healthcare, manufacturing, and public safety are up 99.999% of the time. This is important because even a few seconds of downtime can be very bad or cost a lot of money.
6. Edge Computing Integration (MEC)
5G and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) are very similar. Edge computing and smart systems that are spread out are also very similar. They make processing and storage closer to IoT endpoints:
- Latency-Sensitive Analytics: Processing video feeds from security cameras at the edge can help find problems right away without slowing down the wide-area network.
- Bandwidth Offload: Local MEC nodes can collect and analyze data from smart city devices, such as traffic cameras and weather sensors. They only send the most important information to the central clouds.
- AI/ML Inference: AI models for predictive maintenance on production lines run on edge servers and send out alerts within milliseconds of finding problems.
For IoT architects, edge-enabled 5G means smarter systems, better use of bandwidth, and better data privacy because sensitive information doesn’t have to go through public networks.
7. Stronger Security Systems
There are billions of IoT devices that are connected to the internet, so security is still very important. 5G is based on 4G and adds:
- Unified Authentication: The 5G Authentication and Key Agreement (5G-AKA) system replaces old, separate systems with one that makes it easier for devices and networks to check each other’s identities.
- Secure Device Onboarding: IoT modules use SIM-based identity for zero-touch provisioning over 5G networks. This makes fewer mistakes and lessens the need for people to step in.
- Network Slicing Security: Each slice can set its own levels of encryption, intrusion detection, and firewall settings. This keeps important IoT traffic safe from attacks.
5G makes it safer to use IoT on a large scale by adding security to applications, networks, and devices. This reduces the number of attack points, protects data, and builds trust.
8. Longer Lasting and More Power-Efficient Devices
Many sensors, trackers, and wearables that work with the Internet of Things can run on batteries for years. These 5G technologies can only be used by mMTC and NB-IoT to save power:
- Power Saving Mode (PSM): Devices go into a deep sleep between sending and receiving data and only wake up at certain times or when certain things happen.
- Extended DRX (eDRX): This keeps IoT modules awake for longer periods of time, which makes them use even less power.
- Lightweight Access: 5G networks use Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M, which are very narrowband channels that don’t need a lot of power.
Because of these improvements, batteries in low-throughput devices like environmental sensors, utility meters, and asset trackers can now last 5 to 10 years. This cuts down on maintenance costs a lot.
9. New Frequency Bands and More Room in the Spectrum
5G lets you use more of the spectrum than just regular cellular bands:
- Mid-band (1–6 GHz) and High-band (24–100 GHz): Operators can use mid-band for coverage and high-band for hotspots that need a lot of capacity at the same time.
- 5G NR-U and Unlicensed Bands: 5G NR-U and other technologies let IoT devices use unlicensed bands like 6 GHz and 60 GHz. These bands make it possible for Wi-Fi and other services to work together.
- CBRS and Private Networks: The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the U.S. lets businesses build their own 5G networks. This is great for putting IoT devices in ports, mines, campuses, and other places where they are needed.
You can change IoT installations to fit your needs for coverage, capacity, or cost with this range of spectrum. This is why private 5G solutions are better than public networks.
10. New Ways to Make Money and Run a Business
5G’s technical capabilities directly lead to new ways to make money and new services:
- 5G-as-a-Service (5G-aaS): Companies can buy network slices as they need them and only pay for the speed, latency, and reliability they need with 5G-as-a-Service (5G-aaS).
- Usage-Based Billing: You can charge different amounts for different pay-as-you-go apps, like smart parking and micro-logistics, based on the IoT-specific rates for each device, byte, and transaction.
- Vertical Partnerships: Telecom companies team up with device makers, cloud providers, and system integrators to make full IoT solutions, from sensors to dashboards.
By switching from selling hardware to selling outcomes, companies can create new business models, get to market faster, and share risks and profits across the 5G IoT ecosystem.
5G is more than just a small step forward; it’s the foundation for the next generation of IoT apps. 5G’s very low latency, huge connection, and flexible architecture will lead to more innovation than ever before. This includes real-time industrial automation, mission-critical healthcare, huge smart city deployments, and immersive AR/VR experiences. Companies that carefully choose and use IoT solutions that work with 5G will be able to save money, work more efficiently, and find new ways to make money. The IoT revolution will speed up as 5G networks spread around the world. This will have an impact on both work and everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the differences between 4G and 5G when it comes to the Internet of Things? In a square kilometer, 5G can connect up to 1 million devices. It has a latency of 1 ms (compared to 30–50 ms on 4G) and speeds of up to 20 Gbps (compared to roughly 1 Gbps on 4G). This lets you control things in real time and set up a lot of sensors, which 4G doesn’t do very well.
Will 5G work with IoT devices that are already out there? You can connect older LTE-M and NB-IoT devices in 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) modes, but to get the most out of 5G, you should use new 5G NR-based modules. A lot of chipset makers sell solutions that work in both modes.
How can network slicing make the Internet of Things safer? Slices can set up their own firewalls, encryption rules, and intrusion detection for important services by making their own separate virtual networks. This makes sure that a breach in one slice doesn’t affect the others.
Is 5G service available in all areas? Most cities in developed countries will have mid-band 5G by July 2025. At the same time, more mmWave and private networks are being built in industrial areas. In rural areas, coverage may depend on spectrum that is less than 6 GHz.
What kinds of businesses will benefit the most from 5G IoT? Smart cities, smart grids, and smart transportation, like self-driving cars and logistics, are all very important. Along with these, manufacturing (Industry 4.0), healthcare (telemedicine and remote surgery), and energy are all very important.
How does 5G help IoT devices last longer? Power Saving Mode (PSM) and Extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX) are two features that let devices stay in deep sleep and only wake up when they need to. This saves energy in the long run.
What does Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) mean? MEC brings computing resources closer to the edge of the network, where IoT devices are. This cuts down on the amount of backhaul needed and the time it takes for caching content, AI/ML inference, and real-time analytics.
Can IoT work with private 5G networks? Companies can build their own private, on-premises 5G networks that meet their IoT needs by using spectrum sharing frameworks (like CBRS in the U.S.) or buying licensed spectrum.
Are there any laws that make it hard for 5G IoT to work? You have to talk about things like how to split up the spectrum, how to keep data safe across borders, and how to keep people safe at work. Getting help from telecom regulators, industry groups, and standards bodies can help solve these problems.
What will the Internet of Things be able to do with 5G? You should see progress in things like digital twins, the tactile internet, swarm robots, and holographic communications. These will make working from home, automation, and interactions in the metaverse even more difficult.
References
- Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “5G IoT: Connecting Everything, Everywhere, and at Massive Scale.”
https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/5g-iot - Ericsson. “5G for Industrial Automation.” Ericsson Blog, May 2024.
https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/2024/5g-industrial-automation - 3GPP. “Study on LTE-based V2X Services.” Release 16.
https://www.3gpp.org/specifications/releases/16 - GSMA. “5G Massive IoT: From 4G to 5G.” GSMA Intelligence, March 2025.
https://www.gsma.com/future-networks/5g/massive-iot - Ericsson. “Securing 5G: Enhanced Network Security.” White Paper, October 2023.
https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/white-papers/securing-5g - ETSI. “Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC); Framework and Reference Architecture.”
https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_gs/MEC/001_099/002/01.01.01_60/gs_MEC002v010101p.pdf - Intel. “Edge AI for 5G: Driving the Next Wave of IoT.” White Paper, January 2025.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/big-data/edge-ai.html - Qualcomm. “5G NR-U: Unlicensed Spectrum for 5G.” Technical Brief.
https://www.qualcomm.com/media/documents/files/5g-nr-u-technical-brief.pdf - GSMA. “Power Saving Techniques in IoT.” December 2024.
https://www.gsma.com/iot/power-saving-techniques
