You’ve probably heard quite a bit about 5G, the next-generation communications network. After close to a decade of development, 5G is becoming more common in cities around the United States and abroad. Still, 5G has a long way to go before it reaches Americans living outside of more densely populated areas.
But for all of the publicity 5G receives many people still ask a basic question: what is 5G? This post will answer that question and address what you need to know about the newest, fastest communications network that’s slowing rolling out across the country. Let’s get into it.
There are many technical traits that distinguish 5G from 4GLTE, 4G, and 3G. However, we’re going to address high-level information so you can walk away with a clear understanding.
5G is a mobile broadband network that has or will replace/enhance 4G LTE connectivity in cities, towns, and (eventually) rural areas across the United States and abroad.
This new network significantly accelerates both download and upload times, as well as decreases the time it takes for your device to send and receive information across wireless networks. More specifically, this means reducing latency across these networks.
But beyond speed and reducing latency, 5G will become an essential element to the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. This means that it will play a key role in connecting billions of different devices by balancing speed, latency, and the cost of connecting this ever-growing number of devices.
It’s not enough to just say that 5G is faster. The reason it outpaces 4G LTE is because of its significantly shorter frequencies. Broadly, shorter frequencies allow it to reach speeds 10 to 100 times faster than the 4G networks we are used to. You can expect 5G to offer speeds at up to 10 gigabits per second. Its frequency spectrum benefits not only speed but improves low latency, quality, and capacity to deliver information.
This lower latency means that the delay time between you sending and receiving information is significantly reduced. And we do mean significantly; 4G networks offer latency rates of 200 milliseconds, while 5G delivers and sends information at just 1 millisecond.
As more and more devices are made to connect to the IoT, the networks needed to adequately support so much information must be able to also support such a demand for a faster, better user experience.
5G’s low latency means that you will be able to experience real-time connectivity with whatever devices you’re using via the cloud. This is crucial as 5G must be able to support roughly one million connected devices within 0.386 miles. Low latency makes this possible, but reduced power consumption also affords more connectivity and drastically reduces human assistance to ensure proper functionality.
Whether you’re looking for a new phone or have questions about how 5G will impact your business’ connectivity and functionality, sign up for our mailing list or call us at 1-888-DOHAINC to learn more about 5G and our devices.
