Welcome, 5G. The 4G LTE Should Take a Bow, a New Sherrif is in Town
There have been the various generations of wireless network technology, each comes with the fastest technology at the time of its release. 1G brought us our first analog cell phone, then there was 2G, the digital phone that allowed us to do pretty awesome stuff like texting. The 3G brought us online. 4G upped the ante on its speed which many of us are enjoying at the moment.
But due to many users coming online and people wanting more speed, 4G seemed to have hit a limit as users want more speed and more data for their PCs, smartphones, etc.
Enter the new guy, 5G, capable of delivering 10x the speed and a thousand times more traffic than today's 4G networks. The idea you could download an entire HD episode of The Game of Thrones TV series under a second (something that may take minutes on 4G LTE network speed) may seem far-fetched but with 5G we could do that.
Due to the constant innovation going on, many tech enthusiasts may be wondering what next G we may be considering, but the 5G wants to be the network that may end such speculation. This may only allow for small changes/ update reminiscent of what Microsoft did on Windows 10 (they plan to update it forever, let us see how that pans out).
Source: Pixabay, 5G Network
What is 5G?
In simple terms, 5G is the fifth generation of cellular networking. It is developed around the idea of the internet of things (IoT). The internet of things in is the concept of connecting virtually any device with on and off switch to the internet. These include the washing machines, wearables devices, virtual reality gadgets, self-driving cars, etc. That means that mobile data network would need to have the capability and be robust enough to handle all the interconnected devices traffic as it is estimated by 2020s about 26 billion connected devices (some even estimate this number to be much higher, over 100 billion). The present 4G LTE network lacks the robustness to do that.
Some of these devices need very fast overall speed ( in many multiples of gigabytes per second) but they need low latency as well. Latency is simply the time it takes to retrieve a data stored. That may be crucial in one of the IoT operation. For instance, a self-driving car should be able to pull up data(in less than half a second) it needs to make a turn or it ends up in a ditch or in a crowd of tourists watching the skyline. You do not want that to happen, do you?
5G latency is as low as one millisecond (1/1000second or 0.001 seconds). This would remove every lag known to us while doing video chats. The touted 5G maximum speed of 20Gigabits/sec (20Gbps) or 2.5 gigabytes/sec (GB/s) is simply mindblowing.
Theoretically, a network running at this speed should be able to transfer a 2.5 gigabyte(GB) of data in a mere second!
This speed trumps the fastest 4G LTE today. Though the average user may see speeds of about 100 megabits per second (100 Mbps). This is still faster than 4G LTE speeds.
The 5G was able to pull off this spectacle through the use of a technology that is lacking on other generations of network known as beamforming. The 5G has the capability of sending signals to areas where there is more traffic. This is more efficient than the current omnidirectional broadcast of cellular network antennas.
![IEB92_p4_1.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmTGgseN8Mt8W4TE2LsPiQjAr6ZkwMZDheRgvzkK9Lw7Pi/IEB92_p4_1.jpg)
Source: 4G networks showing less efficient omnidirectional signal vs 5G more efficient beamforming signals
This beamforming technique of 5G is combined with MIMO, an acronym for Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output wireless communication which is referred to the technique of sending and receiving the muiltiple data signal on same radio channel via multipath propagation. This is a cost-efficient means of communication.
![fa8_fig02.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdJZ2SfqnZndAzyixz3ys9iRv2yhzqbwkvRB78W5P3xxf/fa8_fig02.jpg)
Source,NTT Review: Massive MIMO technology
This means we could have more things connected to internet with the projected devices being up to a million per sqaure km. This improves services in heavily congested areas like concerts, parades, stadium, etc.
5G is not available at the moment vbut the hardware are set up and is currently projected to hit the market in 2019 and goes maintream and popular around 2025. Infrastrcutures are currently built inclusing signal boosters to help boost the shorter wavelenght signals of the 5G.
Though 5G are currenly being tested in small scale in some parts of the United States; Verizon being one of the vendors running these tests.
The experiments appear to pick up where they left off: Verizon earlier this year was granted permission to conduct these types of tests in Euless, Texas, and South Plainfield, New Jersey, using 28 GHz prototype equipment from these five same vendors. Source
I just got a 4G LTE phone and it is now about to be obsolete <3
This is very interesting! It truly amazes me how fast technology evolves and I can't wait to hear what the future will bring. Having so many appliances connected in a super fast network might lead to ethical discussions but it sure will be interesting to follow. Thanks for the post!
I guess we would all cross that bridge once we get there. Thanks a lot
@greenrun indeed 4g lte should take a bow after years of great service to Internet users across the globe.
However, is this applicable #Nigeria where 3g network universiality is yet to achieve average of 2 mb/s in all cities and villages?
Also, 4g lte is just seen as a luxury best or exclusively reserved for the big cities like #Lagos, #Abuja, #PortHarcourt etc amf other smaller cities, towns and even the capital of most states are yet to see nor use the so called 4g lte.
Our service providers in Nigeria should deliver adequate broadband for us
It would slowly go round just like 4G is slowly making its way around the various states in Nigeria. I think the slow deployment may have to do with poor state of power and the expensive equipment needed to deploy it.
Sure it will slowly go round the question is when and will the standard be maintained
Presently, 3g in most cities and towns are nothing but glorified 2g.
I situatikn whereby a 3g connection cannot be up to or more than 500kb/s then it doesn't qualify to be called 3g.
Complaint about the quality of some 4g lte speed is already being and all these are nothing but a testament that quality is usually being compromised.
And to me it come than to cost.
If they maintain the standard that we want can the average masses be able to afford?
The regulatory agencies and consumer protection agencies are not really doing a great job. Luckily for me, I get reasonable speed most of the time. Not everyone has that type of service. I wish the internet could have same speed across the board at all locations.
there is always these feeling of discontent to everyone of us that is why we keep on improving things around us... hope this does not impact our health due to emission of various frequencies in the air. I mean it is good as its helping the human race to achieve more. By improving technologies thus improving people's life. I hope it really does.
Thanks for the update.
Pretty cool! 5G would be really something that brings a huge change. More speed means we can do anything faster than before. It saves time. Technology makes our life easier.
Thank you @greenrun for sharing latest tech information. :)
The possibilities are simply endless.
Yes, they are. And I'm so excited about it.
Fasten your seat belt, we are about to be launched into a technological era that would be so wholesome you'd see what we have presently as stone age era :)
The rapid growth and development of Technology in recent times has being a thing of interest. If multi-dementional connections exist now and results are generated in a twinkling of an eye, i begin to forsee what happens in the next few years with results that will be generated just within a space of time. Apparently, old technilogies would have gone to extinct. I hope improved technology will improve lives and standard of living of its users too....
I hope so too that the technological developments help improve the present life as we know it. Thank you.
5G technology will unleash new era of development.
That is very correct, the internet of things era needs a more robust network.
Definitely, it will unlock new technologies and possibilities especifically in the web and mobile apps development even in real time gaming and a lot more. I can see the future now!
Quite an interesting post indeed. 5G might prove to be the apex of the G- technologies. Such a speed is awesome.
That is what many thinks
WTF....!!
Am yet to use 4G LTE and there is 5G already 😂
Am just visualizing the internet speed
Mehn....! Would be super ultra fast
Upgrade to 4G LTE as it is available everywhere and patiently wait till 5G goes mainstream.
I'm using a 4G enabled phone but anytime I switch to 4G, my phone doesn't receive no network.
@thatphysicsguy, Is the SIM 4G network enabled? Do you have 4G coverage at the area where you are? Is the network's band and frequency compatible with your phone? Eg Glo Network in Nigeria operates at Band 28 700MHz frequency. This particular band is not supported by many 4G devices. These are things you should check to determine the reason you do not have the 4G service of the network.
Wow very informative. Would check mine too.
Wow
Thanks for the info
I'm using GLO 4g lte sim card. I have tried GLO and MTN sims but it ain't working.
I just hope this 5G would be able to receive voice calls in the 5G only mode like the 3G network I'm used to.
Is your phone Band 28 700MHz compatible?
I don't know, I'm not sure. I am using infinix hot 4 pro.
Ok. I am sure that the phone is not Glo 4G band compatible.
Hmmm, you really know how to research these technological stuffs. I am still using 3G and has been dreaming of getting a 4G . Thank you for this post, that means I will have to wait and hustle for the 5G
Technology is growing in leaps and bounds. What to do is use the current technology if it serves you just right. Thank you.
5G speeds are going to be incredible and revolutionary for decades but a lot of infrastructure has to be setup
I agree that it would be a revolution which we would all be a part of.
@cutiepie I agree. It's going to be a whole but we will get there.