5G refers to the Fifth Generation mobile communications standard slowly being rolled out this year on mobile devices. It only has one standard, unlike the previous generation 4G, which had competing standards with LTE and WiMAX. The 5G NR (New Radio) standard is designed to be quite versatile and flexible in order to be applicable to a wide range of uses. The 5G standard capable phones are now being released, such as the OPPO Reno 5G, which is one of the first and fastest phones released with the 5G NR standards. As a consumer, here are the top items that you have to know about the new 5G standard:
If we can please include in the first paragraph ‘…such as the OPPO Reno 5G, which is one of the first and fastest phones released with the 5G NR standards..
- Difference with Older Standards
5G NR allows the user networks to operate on a wide variety of frequencies by intelligently recycling through the frequencies vacated by the older network standards 2G and 3G. The spectrum vacated by TV networks when transitioning to digital TV broadcasts are also being utilized, along with the previously unused extremely high frequency (EHF), which comprises the frequency ranges 30 to 300 GHz. During proof-of-concept testing, reaching 20 gigabits per second is theoretically possible. Upon initial rollout of the standard, it’s only expected to reach the same speeds attainable with 4G standards, but at a much lower latency.
- Benefits of 5G
The main benefits of 5G network are the much faster latency achieved with the new standard, and its ability to retain its performance without degradation in densely packed areas. These feats are achieved due to the above-mentioned cycling on a much wider frequency range compared to previous standards. Cities and structures that were impossible to reach with mobile data before can now be reliably accessed without the signal degradation that you’ve come to expect in the past decades. This opens up a lot of possibilities in terms of high-density areas such as high-rise buildings and big stadiums. Due to the physics of radio waves, it’s very difficult to reliably penetrate these dense structures using previous standards. By utilizing smaller cell towers that work on millimeter wave frequencies, service providers can now effectively serve tens of thousands of users housed in these dense structures.
- Implementation
5G smartphones are expected to roll out much faster than the older 4G, which was in its time considered to be widely accepted at a fast rate. Network operators and smartphone manufacturers are working to keep up with the accelerated pace of 5G device development. Starting early 2018, manufacturers have announced plans to release 5G capable devices by 2019. These companies range from smartphone manufacturers, broadband adapter manufacturers, to industrial IoT devices.
- Smartphones Release
Historically, Apple has been known to take a conservative stance when adopting new networking technologies for the iPhone. The original iPhone was released lacking 3G capabilities despite the 3G network being common at the time. It was the same with the iPhone 5, where they began using 4G a year after the technology was rolled out on Android phones.
For the Android smartphones, Asus, HTC, Oppo, and Huawei are some of the big names that pledged releasing 5G capable smartphones in 2019. The Oppo Reno 5G is to be powered by the latest generation Qualcomm processors, one of the more common processors being used for Android smartphones. Other brands like Huawei and Samsung have their own in-house developed processors and modems.
- Makers of 5G Modems for Smartphones
The biggest names in manufacturing 5G modems for use in mobile devices are Qualcomm, Huawei, Intel, and Samsung. The industry leader Qualcomm has developed its modem capable of reaching up to 5Gbps speeds.
- Best Time to Get a 5G Smartphone
One point to consider when you’re getting a 5G smartphone is to check the local capability of 5G infrastructure. Check to see if 5G network standard is deployed in your region for you to be able to make the most of the 5G experience. But do not be discouraged if your region is not yet 5G ready, as getting a 5G smartphone will surely get you the fastest responses even in 4G networks. Smartphone manufacturers are also releasing their best and latest features on the 5G units being released this year.
Conclusion
While the 5G standard will be used for many applications in the industry, as expected, it will be more commonly seen in the consumer market in smartphones. Network service providers are on a race to deploy 5G infrastructure in order to clear the path for 5G-ready devices both in the industrial and consumer levels. On the consumer point of view, it’s wise to read up and learn more about this new standard, which is a big step from what we have used in the past. In this way, you’ll know exactly what to expect when you transition to using a 5G smartphone.