What is 5G?
5G is an upgrade from 4G (5th generation of mobile networks), it refers to mobile network technology that enables 5G compatible phones to connect to the internet faster than ever before. It has been upgraded to meet the needs of a modern-day society that heavily relies on data and connectivity. 5G will eventually become its own standalone network and will not work in conjunction with 4G.
4G is giving a little helping hand at the moment before 5G ventures out on its own. This will result in faster connection speeds and greater capacity of transferable data. The technology will be greater in speed than 4G. 10MBps have been predicted for the minimum download speed of 5G, that’s more then 1000x faster than 4G and enabling the user to download a full HD film in under 10 seconds.
When can you get your hands on it?
You already can, starting with cities pictured in the map below. 5G will have limited availability in those areas from three different networks (Vodafone, O2 and EE) and by the end of the year, a total of 20 more towns and cities will be added with many more to follow in 2020. But before 5G becomes seamless like 4G we have a few years to wait. Most experts have predicted it will take 3 – 5 years before it becomes easily accessible. But time moves fast and before you know it, it becomes old news.
So, you’re probably reading this and thinking “why are we talking about this now, when it’s not available yet”. It’s how this technology is going to change our society and maybe even how we live that’s got everyone buzzed. One part of this technology is ultra-low-latency. Which is basically the time it takes for a machine to transfer a piece of information to another machine. For instance, self-driving cars can benefit because it’s a virtual piece of technology that allows self-driving cars to speak to one another. If the car in front brakes hard then that sends a signal warning the car behind to brake or take evasive action. Another benefit, this time for business owners is the quick response time when surfacing the internet, downloading documents or taking video or call chats through a hosted platform. Faster speeds mean less time waiting for the internet to buffer, documents to download and less lag/ down periods during lengthy calls.
This improved technology will dramatically change the world we live in, so get ready and excited about the possibility of 5G.
