What's Behind the New mmWave Technology and How Is the Smarthome Involved?

|| As Mobile Broadband and Device Use Surges and as the Home Devices Get Chattier Communicating More and More, People are Adding Local Lanes to the Information Superhighway || 

Most people would rather take a short car trip than a long one. That’s true whether they have kids or not. Short-range trips are more manageable in a car unless it's the thrill and memory of a road trip. Also, less traffic is better than more traffic. Unless you have a really amazing podcast, a shorter, faster drive is ideal.

That short, easier travel is an excellent example of mmWave and 5g mmWave technology. Data consumption is spiking as telecommunications matures from a shrieking modem just thirty years ago to dozens of interconnected devices and appliances in a single home. And it’s growing in terms of traffic for the router and between these interconnected devices.

Memorial Day and the trip to grandma's or the cabin or the gulf--that is behind us. But there are many treks for vacation and graduation in June. This digital roadwork is called mmWave which is important as we move an increasing bulk of data.

At one time, mmWave tech was the main thang for aerospace. But it's increasingly being used for everyday consumers' and public needs. To help our customers get and keep a handle on the light-speed growth of the smart home, Evolve has this blog post as a reference primer for understanding this new technology.

|| Millimeter Waves: What's the Frequency? || 

Let's quickly go over some of the basic terms in telecommunications.

-> A Quick Overview of the Terms <-

• latency: how long it takes for data to travel
• latency also is how long it takes data to travel and return
• bandwidth: data transmission speeds for a device or a system
• bandwidth is also the maximum amount of data—usually per second—that can be moved in that device or system
• attenuation: the decrease in strength or concentration of a signal as that signal travels
• attenuation includes a loss of strength from making contact with other things or being absorbed by other things

The key fob that lets you into the parking garage is on the low bands. Wireless LAN home internet is a little higher up. Cellular 5g is right on the borderlands between microwave and millimeter waves.

The higher frequency bands--like most mmWave--have fewer devices on them. Higher-frequency waves are bigger and don't travel as far.

Just like car travel, a shorter range is better than long distances. The big waves of these high-frequency bands produce more bandwidth with low latency. On a short car trip, the people still have the energy to have fun on arrival.

mmWave and some of 5g mmWave use local roads wherever possible. A data-heavy activity, like video streaming or your son's online gaming, is moving bigger hunks of data on bigger roads but over shorter distances. Since it's not traveling super far to get to the device, it doesn't have to travel too far to get back. Good communication is always key.

It's a larger wave, literally. So it's carrying more water--or, in this case--it can take more data.

|| Working Together for Performance at Higher Speeds || 

Some mmWave technology use cases involve multiple antennae. Like most antennae today, they're not retractable external wires. (Remember those on cars and phones?) The small cells usually packed inside the device as antennae comprise a large number of transmission points for data. Here's the kicker: working together, they can strengthen and even adapt the signal being transmitted. With “constructive interference,” they can team up in a process called "beamforming."

|| mmWave Technology Benefits and Challenges for the Home ||

It's not all good news, of course. Sure, it can handle larger hunks of data on clearer lanes of the information superhighway. But it will only go a few miles, so to speak. The high-capacity waves work best in a home setting with a clear path. At 3Gbps, latency is measured in milliseconds (less than ten milliseconds, to be precise). Digital Trends writes that even a slow mmWave 5g is triple or quadruple a standard 5g.

But it's not a distance runner. It's a sprinter. Think about how part of the skill in NASCAR is turning a corner at 200+ mph. The non-5g mmWave bands are lower frequency, but they basically shatter when they reach a hard impasse: they can't penetrate walls. If you have the tea kettle going without the whistler, the steam can disrupt services. Most building materials will weaken or block the extremely high bandwidth that it delivers. Simply put, mmWave doesn't go far enough for good coverage everywhere.

For telecom companies to make a profit off of 5g mmWave or other mmWave tech, they'd have to build a cell tower much closer to the previous one: the signal is strong but not durable. It can't go too far. Yet, that's not really stopping them.

|| Radio Frequency Spectrum: It's Like the Days of Early Space Exploration || 

Several people throughout history have claimed to own the moon. We aren't going that far yet as a species. However, certain cell phone carriers are buying up frequencies. The steady third-place carrier, T-Mobile, hasn't done much on that. As more and more devices, big (smart fridges) and small (Bluetooth earpieces), glide onto the information superhighway, there will be some serious roadwork to widen the path.

|| Evolve is Engaging the Future in Smart Home Innovation ||

Evolve is rocking and rolling through the summer. We’re still building out the best automation with the most expertise and cutting-edge skill and know-how for your premium smart home. Call for a consultation today!