What is 5G? The Future of Mobile Networks

South Korea, UK, and Germany are already ahead with the latest 5G mobile network by early adopting the new technology. Recently, US carriers have launched some sort of 5G mobile connectivity, side by side India is also planning for the same.

Over the last 4 decades, each G (Generation) introduced a new enhancement that we could transmit with our mobile. 1G gave us sound, 2G game us texts, 3G gave us the mobile web, 4G LTE gave us the potential to do everything just 10 times faster.

So what’s the big deal with 5G? Is it faster than 4G, or the next big thing for telcos?

First of all, 5G is not only about speed upgrades. 5G has greater speed to move more data while maintaining the lowest latency which makes it more responsive, and the ability to connect a lot more devices at once like smart devices and smart sensors.

In 5G we’ll get a hundred times better capacity than 4G, which dramatically improves the internet speed. For example, a two hours movie would take around 30 minutes to download over a 3G network, the same would take around 6 to 8 minutes over a 4G network, and over a 5G network, it’s ready to watch in just two or three seconds.

But this is not the only update, as we read above network latency is also improved. Based on the various test conducted, 5G takes just a millisecond to make a response where 4G does the same around 40 to 50 milliseconds. Over a congested network, 4G may lag a lot but 5G stays fast using MIMO (Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output).

5G network operates at higher frequencies and shorter ranges than 4G, relies on a denser infrastructure of small-sized towers installed every few hundred feet. This allows them to support billions of devices, with almost no latency.

The potential of 5G is so big that it could replace your wired internet connection.

However, there are so many obstacles to launch this gen of network due to major hardware change and heavy licensing costs. It’s not like 3G or 4G which can be upgraded overnight by approaching or installing newer antennas.

5G utilizes millimeter waves. Such waves can’t travel a longer distance like 3G or 4G. So telcos need to install more mobile towers in the same area to enable this network which would definitely increase the cost of installation and maintenance.

The good thing is 5G towers are smaller in size; almost small as a shoebox or a gift box and efficient, so telcos can easily install them on roofs of building too.

However, getting permission is yet another issue.

Frequently Asked Questions on 5G Network

Q: Can 5G Penetrate Walls?

Answer: It can but we don’t think at a larger scale. When the frequencies of the waves are getting smaller the ability to penetrate walls or similar materials decreases.

Q: Will I Need a New Phone for 5G?

Answer: Yes, you’ll need a new phone, because every new smartphone is 4G here. 5Ge is a big lie, truely speaking it’s not true 5G but 4.5G, which falls between 4G and 5G.

Q: Is 5G Harmful?

Ans: There is no proper study that mobile tower leads to cancer, but people voices are. However, technology getting smaller day by day leads to lesser harm.

This is all about the new 5th Generation mobile network.