10G, the broadband network soon delivering superfast symmetrical internet speeds, has the potential to transform many aspects of our lives. As more devices become connected and as new technologies come to market, a next-generation gigabit network will unleash exciting new experiences across many industries – even agriculture.
NCTA partnered with the Future Today Institute (FTI), experts in researching trends and calculating how they will disrupt business, government and society, to imagine what some cutting-edge changes might look like with 10G. The resulting report honed in on four areas: entertainment, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
How will agriculture be transformed?
The agricultural sector is poised to make big gains with next-generation networks.
A Smarter Food Supply
As environmental factors like climate change introduce more uncertainty into agriculture, 10G powered technologies can help alleviate stress points for safety of the food supply.
- Machine learning powered by cloud computing will help farmers’ crop yields as extreme conditions get more commonplace.
- Sensors in fields can help farmers monitor moisture levels and target patches that require attention, saving resources and increasing harvest success.
- Drones can monitor crop ripeness to ensure ideal harvest time, reducing spoilage and waste, adding stability to a food supply chain.
Better Livestock Management
Smart technology that relies on fast broadband will also benefit the livestock sector.
- Wearable technology monitoring the health of livestock will alert farmers before animals shows signs of illness, help diagnose outbreaks, prevent wastage and save animal lives.
- Geotagging animals can track livestock as they graze from one area to another.
- Machine learning can analyze where optimal pasture locations are allowing better land management.
Smarter, Greener Cities
As climate change continues, and as cities continue to grow in population, urban and indoor farming will become more important.
- Automation can facilitate new breakthroughs where land is scarce and vertical fields can be serviced by autonomous robots.
- As cities re-develop valuable urban space, smart technologies can power intelligent planning, maximizing the utility of the new cityscape.
The 10G future is close to reality, as many Americans already have access to gigabit speeds and even faster speeds just around the corner. To learn more about the ways 10G might impact key industries, the FTI’s complete report is available on 10Gplatform.com.