So we must have heard the terms 3G, 4G etc. now we even have 5G phones on the market, but what is it? what does it mean? well 4G means the 4th Generation. With each generation the phones keep getting faster and the the network speed increases.
1G was the era of analog phones, 2G brought the digital phones, but until 3G there was no mobile internet connection, 3G brought mobile network connections to the world, it was launched in 2003 in the United States. it gave network speeds from 400kbps to 4mbps. then came 4G with even faster phones and high network speeds. The maximum network speed 4G could support was around 100mbps.
Nowadays 4G has become common and almost every smartphone has 4G coverage. But now we also have 5G smart phones in the market. These smartphones cost quite a lot more than the regular smartphones. However, there is not much difference apart from network speeds which is currently available only in a few cities around the world.
Let me explain-
To provide any network the network provider has to erect towers which send out network waves. Currently almost every city and town has a 4G network tower. To increase the network speed we have to increase the frequency of the waves being emitted. This cant be done on the same tower, we have to build new towers all over the world. This is a really long and expensive process. We also cant just get a software update in our smartphone to get 5G. We need to buy a new phone.
To provide any network the network provider has to erect towers which send out network waves. Currently almost every city and town has a 4G network tower. To increase the network speed we have to increase the frequency of the waves being emitted. This cant be done on the same tower, we have to build new towers all over the world. This is a really long and expensive process. We also cant just get a software update in our smartphone to get 5G. We need to buy a new phone.
There is another problem with 5G. As we increases the frequency of the waves the waves become weaker. 5G operates at a frequency of around 28GHz and 39GHz. while 4G operates at a frequency if 700MHz to 2500MHz.
The 5G waves are so weak that the can easily be blocked by trees buildings and other objects. even its range is too short. If we are about a block away from the tower the speed will be the same as 4G. So the only solution to this is to install the towers or emission devices everywhere. This would cost even more money and time.
However the much bigger advantage is the network speed it really high. It can get as high as 2.1gbps, which is 20 times the speed of 4G. this could save a lot of download time and even upload time. But using 5G network would also use a lot of battery and it will warm up the phone.
So to conclude, 5G is an amazing idea, however we are no where near to making 5G common and affordable. Currently it is available in a few areas only. So I would not recommend spending extra money on 5G at least for now.
Thank you!
Written by Aneesh Agarwal.
Tags:
Technology