After more than a decade and new mobile communication, a standard has arrived which has scope for digital connectivity? 5G services are going very well all over the world. This 5G service has many like Airtal 5G, Jio 5G, and VI 5G, and many more. But if you are not aware of 5G now then you can know about all the developments from this explainer. Let’s know what is 5G and what are its benefits?
5G Explained: All you need to Know:-
Through this post, I will tell you about the benefits based on 5G. You can expand your own table and view any category you want.
What is 5G?
5G is a 5-generation cellular network standard successor to the 4G rate. If this technical term we say corresponds to a site of 5G technology characteristics then an industrial consortium will create mobile communication standards. 5G is a high-speed network like 4G and 3G before. With the help of this device, the network reaches the people easily and quickly.
In 2017, 3GPP approved the first 5G specification known as Release 15. It estimates that 5G will have peak speeds of 10 to 20Gbps. In comparison, 4G has a theoretical maximum speed of 1Gbps. So 5G offers several improvements over 4G-LTE. The reason 5G is able to deliver such a high-speed network is that finally, higher frequency bands have been opened up for public and commercial use.
4G’s operational frequency band was limited to 600MHz to 2.4GHz. And now with 5G, the spectrum works from 600MHz to 52GHz which makes a huge difference. Due to the high-frequency band, 5G can provide much higher throughput and sub-10ms latency. To know more about different types of 5G frequency bands, go to the next section.
5G Frequency Bands:-
5G frequency bands are divided into two broad categories: sub-6GHz and mmWave. The sub-6GHz spectrum is further divided into two parts: low-band and mid-band. Here, low-band refers to the frequency range between 600MHz and 2.4GHz, similar to the operational frequency band of 4G. Things get exciting as we move into the mid-band. It operates between 3GHz and 6GHz, hence the name sub-6GHz and offers much better speeds than 4G, with a maximum download speed of 1Gbps.
Moving up the frequency ladder, the mmWave spectrum operates between 24GHz and 52GHz. This is an elite-level frequency band that can deliver speeds of up to 10-20Gbps. Having said that, as we know in telecommunication, the higher the frequency, the faster the speed. But with higher frequencies, the penetration of radio signals decreases significantly so the mmWave frequency band can only reach a few millimeters, hence the name mmWave.
Currently, telecom companies are pursuing the mid-band sub-6GHz frequency band as it can reach longer distances and provide better speeds than 4G. On the other hand, the mmWave frequency band requires cell towers every few blocks so its deployment around the world is quite limited. Telcos are selectively using the mmWave frequency band in stadiums, convention centers, attraction points, etc. around urban cities. So that was about 5G frequency bands, now let’s go and find out how fast 5G is both in theory and in practice.
How to fast is 5G?
As I mentioned above, 5G can theoretically deliver download speeds between 10 and 20Gbps. However, this will require the mmWave frequency band and an SA 5G network, assuming there is no solid barrier between your device and the cell tower. If we talk about the performance of 5G in practical terms, in the US, Verizon has offered download speeds of up to 1.3Gbps on its mmWave network.
However, according to a recent OpenSignal report, Illinois and New York topped the list with the highest 5G download speeds averaging around 141Mbps. If we talk about 5G development in India, Airtel reached 3Gbps speed in a trial while Vodafone Idea pegged 5.92Gbps and Jio recently announced that it will be able to provide 1Gbps download speed on its true SA 5G network. It looks like, in reality, 5G will have speeds of around 100Mbps and if you can access the mmWave 5G network, can go up to 1Gbps if there isn’t a lot of traffic around.
5G Deployment Modes: SA and NSA in 5G:-
In 2017, when 3GPP approved the first 5G specification, it was the NSA standard that stands for non-standalone 5G. NSA 5G is a deployment mode that telcos can implement to quickly build a 5G network. In this mode, you can use the existing 4G-LTE core over the 5G frequency band to offer 5G services to compatible 5G devices. In NSA mode, you don’t need to upgrade the 4G-LTE core to the 5G core. In short, it is not a true 5G network as it is still relying on legacy network infrastructure.
SA 5G or standalone 5G is a true end-to-end 5G network where all components are based on the 5G specification. From cores to frequency bands and end devices, everything must be based on the latest 5G specs. Such network infrastructure with mmWave frequency band will give you the best 5G experience like sub-10ms latency, more than 1Gbps download speed, and more.
To transition quickly to 5G, companies are currently using NSA mode with existing 4G cores but, telcos have confirmed that within a few years, all network gear will move to 5G which will provide unmatched performance. Some telecom operators are virtualizing the 4G core through software known as vEPC to take advantage of 5G. To learn more about SA, NSA, and PC in 5G, see our detailed explainer.
5G vs 4G: Benefits of 5G Over 4G:-
5G has many advantages over 4G such as gigabit download speeds, near-zero latency, power efficiency, and more. Check the points below to understand the difference between 5G and 4G in detail
5G can deliver much faster speeds than 4G. Its operational frequency band ranges from 600MHz to 52GHz which opens the door to unparalleled performance.
5G offers very low latency, typically below 10ms. This means you can do cloud gaming with 5G, interact with users while watching live content, monitor or navigate a self-driving car, and more. In the medical field, it could facilitate remote robotic surgery, and doctors could remotely supervise 5G-connected ambulances.
Compared to 4G, 5G can scale massively and handle a larger segment of users. It can handle more than 1 million devices in an area of 1 square kilometer. Additionally, massive MIMO and Beam forming improve throughput and efficiency in dense areas.
According to the Release 15 specification, 5G is much more power-efficient than 4G. As we fight climate change, 5G can help build a sustainable future.
5G offers voice calls over the new radio that are superior to Volte, but the network must be on an end-to-end SA 5G network.
Just like 4G, 5G supports carrier aggregation, which combines multiple frequency bands to form a single data pipeline. Apart from that, there is DSS support which shares the 4G and 5G spectrums to give a better experience.
5G brings new features like network slicing, real-time analytics, accurate location tracking, and more. Among them, network slicing is an important one. It allows mobile operators to create virtual networks from a single physical network. This can be helpful for providing low latency communication.
Do you need a new 5G Sims Card?
Generally, you don’t need a new 5G SIM card Your existing 4G or 3G SIM will work well with 5G networks as the 5G standard is backward-compatible with 4G and 3G SIM cards. Having said that, some carriers in the US and UK are asking users to get a new 5G-compatible SIM card for a better experience. In such cases, you should upgrade to a 5G SIM card. You can learn in-depth information about region-based carriers in our article on whether you need a new 5G SIM card.
Conclusion:-
Hopefully, through this post, I’ve been able to tell you about what is 5G. Everything Explained about 5G. Looking for people that you have found on the site. Stay away from some websites. If you know anything, you can ask through the comments below.