The 5G wireless evolution is coming soon to a location near you. How does this impact you and the technology you use day to day? What is the future impact of 5G? Do you know the differences between 5G and the heavily advertised 5G evolution? Let’s dive in.
What exactly is 5G?
5G stands for the 5th generation technology cellular wireless network. The immediate significance is high throughput and less latency. The potential high-band 5G data throughput is going to be in the constant range of multi-gigabit quantities. Currently, 4G technology is enabled to support a throughput of up to 2 Gbps on some phones. As 4G networks continue to improve data capacity, phones will be ready to take advantage. On average 4G networks operate on an average of hundreds of Mbps. High-band 5G on the AT&T network is seeing a 15 – 20 percent increase in throughput over the 4G data capacity, a constant gigabit per second quantity over 4G.
5G Band Tiers
There are 3 layers to the 5G technology; Low-band, Medium-band, and High-band. The high-band spectrum of the signal is what delivers one of the major differences when compared to the 4G network speeds.
Low & Mid Band
The low-band 5G network delivers band frequencies below 2GHz, delivering an average of 30 Mbps – 250 Mbps of data. These 5G frequencies overlap with currently used 4G frequencies that provide most of today’s network coverage. Lower frequencies mean farther distances, so the signal goes the farthest but also delivers the slowest speeds.
The mid-band 5G network delivers band frequencies in the 2 GHz -10 GHz range. These higher frequencies still go a significant distance but have less range than the low-band. They can deliver data at a range of 100 Mbps – 900 Mbps. These frequencies also overlap with the higher range of the 4G network.
High Band
The high-band 5G network delivers band frequencies in the range above 25 GHz. These ranges do not have much overlap with the current 4G network or other cellular direct consumer wireless technologies and are much more restrictive in distance. The band’s data throughput at this frequency range delivers data at a minimum of a Gbps, competing with some of today’s hardwired network technologies.
As 5G coverage expands, more of the mid-bands and low-bands will transition from 4G to 5G. Again the significance of the 5G infrastructure is not only in capturing the use of higher frequency bands but in the combined throughput of the larger range, spanning from the low-band to the high-band frequencies. The 5G lower and high bands also take advantage of the new encoding scheme that makes communication more efficient.
The 4G and 5G technology cannot operate simultaneously on the same cell frequencies. The carrier’s infrastructure operational configuration is fixed to 5G or 4G tech. This is why the transition takes time to execute. Most carriers can easily build their lower and mid-band 5G infrastructure off of the 4G infrastructure. PcMag reports that Verizon & AT&T will be shaving parts of their 4G spectrum for their 5G mid-band communications. This part of the 4G to 5G transition will be challenging. As 4G mid-band and low-band frequencies shift over to 5G communication, 4G coverage will drop. High-band signals require new infrastructure. High band frequencies require more cells to be integrated into the network due the signal’s short range. This 5G shift will take time and will most likely be an initial combination of both mid-band and high-band developments, with strategy differing per carrier.
Is 5G and 5G Evolution (5GE) Technology the Same?
The point here is basically on how carriers market the technology. 5G evolution (5G E) is technically not 5G. Due to all the 5G and 4G band overlap, the improvements happening with 4G, as well as the current infrastructure transition to 5G, carriers like to market 5G E as a soft version of “5G” technology. Again, this is not 5G tech.
Significant Impact
The impact of 5G on the information age is said to become one of the most significant leap coming our way. Here are two of my favorite examples of what is to come.
Intelligent Buildings
IoT devices connected via a 5G network will know how to best perform maintenance as well as make more efficient the day-to-day operations. This isn’t simply a handful of control stations managing interconnected HVAC systems. This leap captures the integration of thousands for sensors reporting from HVAC systems, to secure access, to individual room traffic. These systems can then be bridged to highlight significant information about how facilities & energy are used.The sensor data can enhance physical security analysis and can also have an impact on lighting control.
Smart Transportation
As 5G becomes more stable, it will impact the very meaning of driving. Self-driving cars are approaching the full autonomous driving level. Fully autonomous driving system are entirely free of human attention. This is where 5G comes into play in advancing autonomous driving.
The 5G high data throughput and low latency can interconnect cars to communicate real-time safety-critical traffic synchronization data. At this point this gets rid of traffic lights, since management of stop, yield, go will be all managed by software and the 5G communication interfaces. At that point, traffic lights could just become 5G traffic cells. Although real-time synchronization with moving vehicles, in varying traffic intersections, will be an exciting challenge to solve.
Devices On the 5G Spectrum
Many devices are supporting the upcoming US 5G network, but not all 5G bands are always covered. One of the phones supporting all bands is the Samsung Galaxy S20+. The Samsung Z-Flip 5G also supports low and mid-band 5G.
LG has some great 5G phone option to check out. The LG V60 ThinQ 5G has 5G support for the low and mid-band. According to The Verge LG notes, “the LG Velvet is compatible with Verizon’s mmWave (High-band) ultra-wideband 5G network as well as its sub-6Hz (Mid to Low 5G Band) which Verizon currently plans to have ready later this year.”
The Samsung Note20 5G and the Samsung Note20 Ultra is now available for preorder, expected to arrive by the official date of Aug 21st. The Samsung Note specs appear to be using the full 5G spectrum if available.
Phones aren’t the only devices going 5G. Lenovo kicked off the 5G races with one of the first 5G laptops on the market, the Lenovo Flex 5G. The laptop is exclusive to Verizon for $1400.00. Some quick specs :
- Windows 10 Pro
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform
- Wireless 4G/5G Wi-Fi :802.ffac
- Screen: 14’’ HD (1920 x 1080)
- Memory: 8 GB LPDRR4X
- 250 GB UFS 3.0+
For more 5G phones check out some of these great budget phones.
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Sources: 5G tech, Forbes on 5G, PC Mag Reference, GSM Arena, Samsung Note 20 5G
