- 5G is the new mobile internet technology capable of reaching speeds that far exceed broadband internet.
- Although you do need to meet certain requirements to reach your full potential, and in real life these days, this rarely happens.
There are not exactly few people who wonder what is 5G and how fast is it? Is it much better than 4G? Is the difference too noticeable? This "new" mobile internet technology is the future, although it still cannot be enjoyed 100% in some countries..
What is 5G?
5G would be an industry term for the new wireless cellular network that replaces the 4G LTE we know, in the same way that it replaced 3G; this latest version means “fifth generation”. Basically, it is the fifth version of mobile internet technology since mobile phone networks were created in 1980.
Under ideal conditions, 5G is poised to be significantly faster than 4G LTE for mobile devices. Although mobile operators claim that 5G is also fast for other devices, such as connected cars, home devices, etc. It's even capable of replacing your wired home internet connection..
In order to use 5G it is necessary to have a device that supports it, which has specialized hardware. Luckily, most new devices are fully compatible with this technology.
It's fast?
We must consider that 4G reaches a theoretical maximum of 100 megabits per second (Mbps), while 5G manages to reach 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). This means that, under ideal conditions, 5G is capable of being up to a hundred times faster than current 4G..
It's not just in performance that it beats 4G, it also promises to dramatically reduce latency, which means faster load times and better responsiveness to just about anything we do on the internet.
While 5G looks great on paper, the truth is that in real life the results are mixed. According to some analyses, average 5G speeds among the top three US mobile carriers are between 68 and 192 Mbps for the first quarter of 2022.
If 5G were to achieve speeds of 1 GB or more, it would be able to outperform the Ethernet connections we have at home, making it much faster. Internet companies could face some pretty interesting competition, especially when they are the only alternative to having internet at home. Wireless operators would be able to offer an option to have internet at home without requiring even a physical cable in the home.
However, there is a big problem; high speeds depend on near line-of-sight connections to 5G-enabled cell towers, with no obstructions. To achieve these speeds, 5G devices have to use a special radio band called millimeter wave (mmWave) , which can be affected by interference. If many people use the mobile at home, then the theoretical speed may never be reached.
There are other problems too. For example, several internet service providers impose data caps. Even if our provider gives us a data limit of 100 GB, we could exceed it in one minute and 20 seconds with the maximum speed of 10 Gbps.
How does 5G work?
5G takes advantage of a lot of technology in an attempt to achieve fast speeds. The promised innovations will be implemented over time. IEEE Spectrum Magazine does an excellent job explaining all the details in a very technical way.
The new standard uses a new band of 4G radio spectrum, in addition to conventional cellular radio spectrum. To achieve very high speeds, 5G takes advantage of "millimeter waves," which are broadcast on frequencies between 30 and 300 GHz versus the bands below 6 GHz previously used.
But as we have been discussing, millimeter waves cannot simply and optimally travel through buildings and solid objects. So 5G also has to use small cells, miniature base stations that can be placed every 250 meters in urban areas. These are capable of providing better coverage in populated places.
When will 5G be available?
Starting in April 2022, 5G will be massively available in different areas of the United States from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Using the website of each operator, it is possible to see the 5G coverage maps to see if it is available in our area.
In the case of Spain, 5G coverage covers almost the entire country, but taking into account that they are not 100% of the cities, as well as that not all of them take advantage of the difference from 4G to 5G.
Leaving aside the United States and Spain, coverage varies greatly depending on the country. In this case it is necessary to consult with the suppliers to obtain more information.
Obviously, we are also going to need a smartphone that supports these new technologies. Luckily, most of today's devices are capable of dealing with 5G optimally.
