The wait is over as the most anticipated fifth-generation networking is finally here. But how is it different from 4G? Let’s find out.
5G is the latest wireless technology to exist that makes our lives easier. While it is still in the initial phases in some parts of the world, countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and the USA have already replaced 4G with 5G and are leading nations with most 5G networks. And then there are a few countries that haven’t even started working on it due to limited or minimized resources.
Talking about the USA, one of the most prominent 5G providers is AT&T. With AT&T wireless plans you can access the super reliability that 5G offers. All you need to do is check their availability in your area, and if you’re lucky to have them available where you live, you are good to go!
In case you don’t know why there is so much hype about 5G, let us give you a few quick insights on the key features of 5G technology:
- 5G is 1000 times faster and better than 4G, as per the results. Its speed is supposedly up to 100 Gigabits per second.
- Downloading an HD movie over 4G network can take up to 50 minutes but on 5G, it will hardly take nine.
- The latency rate is of 5G is even lower than 4G LTE.
- 5G holds increased capacity that lowers the impacts of load spikes.
The above mentioned are the key features of 5G that differentiate it from 4G, now let’s discuss it in detail.
Difference between 5G and 4G
While many are curious about 5G, some don’t even know why it is different from 4G. The fourth-generation internet, or 4G, is 500 times faster than 3G i.e. the third-generation which made 4G a good upgrade.
However, 5G is an even more improved version of 4G with greater speed and connectivity. Network slicing with 5G is an easy job as the network can adjust speed, coverage, capacity, security, and encryption by relocating resources from one network slice to another that needs it.
5G is 100 times faster than its predecessor with a promise of 100 gigabits per second. It is supposedly faster than any home broadband network available. The major difference between 4G and 5G is ‘low latency’. Latency can be explained as the amount of time that passes from the moment a piece of information is transferred to that when it is received.
A low latency indicates that one can replace both cable modem and Wi-Fi with a mere mobile device connection. The upload and download speed is, therefore, enhanced by manifolds because of this very reason. The best part is that 5G networks take the latency down to almost zero.
Apart from speed, 5G is also able to help with bandwidth issues. Many devices are connected to 3G & 4G but the networks lack an infrastructure to handle it effectively. 5G, on the other hand, is going to have a set infrastructure to help handle not only current devices but also those in the future like driverless cars, smart home products, etc. 5G will bring the dream of smart cities to life.
5G will enable multiple connected devices than ever, taking artificial intelligence to places it hasn’t seen before along with edge computing. From traffic lights that change patterns according to the traffic flow to houses that personalize energy-saving suggestions for maximizing environmental impact, 5G holds the capacity for everything.
Is there any downside to 5G?
For now, the only disadvantage related to 5G is its limited global availability. It’s only available in limited locations and only urban areas seem to take benefit from 5G networks from now. Remote areas are completely neglected and may not get the coverage for quite some time. The reason behind it could be high costs for setting tower station for 5G as they are expensive as compared to other networks.
Summarizing
There is no doubt in the fact that 5G networks are future-proof and better than 4G in every aspect. So when we talk about which technology is right for you, it has to be 5G as it’s an upgraded version of 4G and most of all the need of time. However, the wide availability of 5G is still an issue. Major providers have taken notice of this issue and are doing their best to bring 5G into the mainstream market. Times are near when we will see the global wide technological revolution.
