5G has been known to exist for some years, but only recently, it is becoming a reality, to which all the countries of the world are adapting and adapting, converting their power plants from 3G or 4G to 5G, and installing new repeaters.
When we talk about the difference between 4G and 5G, we are talking about it only and mainly thinking about connectivity. Let's say 5G is faster than 4G.
However, the difference between 5G and 4G is not just this, there is a lot more to know about this topic. Especially if you are planning to get a device that can work with the 5G network, or if you have a device that currently works with a 4G network and you want to know the benefits you have.
What is 4G?
4G stands for fourth generation of cell phone technology, which allows you to connect to the internet more efficiently than 3G and 2G. It is much better than the previous generation because it offers faster connectivity. The download speed can be around 80 Mbps (sometimes it even goes up to 200 Mbps), obviously depending on the data plan you have in your mobile, the type of mobile you are using and it can vary according to your location.
Lower latency is another advantage of this generation. The answers are quicker and if you are a video game player, or usually stream video, or need to connect to data stored in the cloud or at your company, you probably know its importance.
If you want to use 4G on your mobile, you need to check the following:
- Is it available in your area?
Not all operators have rolled out 4G in all areas they cover. So it's important to check with your mobile operator first. Most of the time you can check online, if not you can call them for further assistance. - Is your mobile phone 4G?
Most smartphones currently on the market are compatible with 4G. However, it is important to check this before buying a new mobile phone. Go to the manufacturer's website and search for the product description. - Do you have a 4G plan?
Some mobile operators offer different types of plans depending on your needs. If you don't have a 4G smartphone, you won't need a 4G plan. However, if you get a new mobile phone, you need to be sure there will be no problems switching to a 4G plan.
Overall, 4G seems like a staggering step up from 3G and 2G services.
However, did you know that 5G also exists? Let's find out more.
What is 5G?
5G is the fifth generation mobile network. It has been designed to allow the user to always stay connected, without interruption. It goes far beyond the benefits of 4G.
Let's see some of the features of this generation:
- It uses new technologies to provide data transfer at a higher speed.
- Theoretical speeds can approach 15 Gbps.
- It gives you the opportunity to communicate better and have access to files and programs faster than before.
- In relation to the previous advantage, you can upload photos and videos quickly and easily, to stop depending more on the memory of the mobile phone.
- It allows multiple devices to stay connected to the network at the same time, which means that it is very difficult to saturate the network. As a result, you can enjoy uninterrupted browsing within the network area.
- It offers less latency, which means that data transfer occurs almost in real time.
As you can see, connectivity, capacity and latency are important aspects to better understand what 4G and 5G are.
What are the main differences between 4G and 5G?
Now that we know the characteristics of each generation, let's detail the differences between them:
- Speed: 5G services provide speeds that are 100 times faster than 4G. It means that users can watch videos, download apps, and enjoy streaming videos without the hassle of getting interrupted or having to lower the quality.
- Capacity: There is something called congestion, which is when many people are connected to the same network at the same time. Many customers who use smartphones sometimes take longer to open a website. This doesn't happen with 5G, because it allows multiple people to stay connected at the same time.
- Latency: remember that latency is the time it takes for a piece of information to reach its destination. In other words, the time elapsed between the user's action and the app's response to the action. 5G reduces this time. It is about ten times lower than 4G.
This feature is one of the most important for areas like social media login, where you can be sure you are logged in at the same time as other people in other places. It is also essential for the development of new technologies related to self-driving vehicles and remote medical assistance.
5G use cases in various industries
As we said before, reduced latency is one of the most important aspects when it comes to technological developments, and one of the biggest differences between 4G and 5G.
Some advances will be possible (and some of them are real today) thanks to the incorporation of 5G technologies into different processes.
Eg:
- it will be possible for doctors to assist surgeries in real time, from another part of the world. Of course, doctors need to make sure they have good connectivity and that latency tends to zero to provide the best patient care and service.
- many manufacturing processes in factories could be performed using automated systems connected to 5G networks. It can make some processes easier to execute and more efficient by having the opportunity to monitor product quality in real time.
Can all smartphones access 5G?
However, it should be noted that 5G depends on:
- from the country and in the area (or place) where we are located. Not all countries in the world have 5G, many are starting to adopt it since the last year.
- from the telephone company with which we have entered into a data plan. And the SIM or eSIM (we will deepen the eSIM in a future article) must be prepared in many cases with 5G.
- from the smartphone we have. Most of the smartphones still in our possession are in 4G, in some countries around the world there are smartphones in 3G. The current cost of a 5G smartphone is still quite high and not everyone allows the use of eSIMs.
At the release of this article, below is a list of Smartphones that support 5G:
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro ed iPhone 12 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plys, S21 Ultra 5G, Huawei Mate 40 e Mate 40 Pro, Oppo Find X2 Pro, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 8, Xiaomi Mi 10T, LG Velvet, Oppo Find X2 Neo, Motorola Edge, Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite, Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite, Oneplus nord, Oppo Find X2 Lite, Poco F2 Pro, Moto G 5G Plus, TCL 20 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G, Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 5G, LG V50 ThinQ 5G, Huawei Mate 20X 5G, Huawei Mate X, Samsung Galaxy Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, ASUS ROG Phone, Realme X50, Realme 7, ASUS ROG Phone 3, Black Shark 3, Oppo Reno 5G, Oppo Reno 4Z e Pro, OnePlus N10
This list is always growing, and some of these smartphones may even leave the scene because they are no longer produced. It is always advisable to check before buying a smartphone which ones are currently available in your country of purchase.
Do we need 5G?
I would say that the Lockdown event highlighted:
- the problems related to communications, where there have been areas and places where it was not and is not yet possible to communicate with the Internet.
- the importance of Webcalls, Webinars, remote communications, and much more, to allow us to continue to do our jobs and keep cash with friends, relatives, customers, suppliers, schools, teachers, etc ..
- some medical diagnoses, surgical interventions, can be carried out at a distance, and of course allowing you to do it without problems.
- we are entering the age of Internet technology, and therefore the need to access data remotely, without interruptions, and in a short time.
- we can remotely control industrial processes, wherever we are in the world, if for some reason we cannot physically go there
- and so much more.
Further information on 5G will follow with future articles.