Browsing On 5G Compared To Previous Generations
What is 5G, and what are some of the differences between 5G and 4G?
Some people do not yet know about this new technology that was just unveiled last year. This type of technology has better reliability, higher speeds, and more coverage across the US. 5G networking is a new type of technology currently being rolled out to many people in highly populated areas. It is a huge step forward for mobile carriers and their customers and business partners. Some of the differences you may notice on the 5th Generation spectrum are items such as higher download speeds and upload speeds, faster connection times, more advanced signals, farther range, higher band access, shorter wavelengths, and more. People may notice many significant differences between the 5G signals and the 4G LTE signals.
Significant Difference between 5G & 4G LTE
One significant difference between the 5G and the 4G LTE is that 5G has improved speeds when loading webpages than 4G LTE speeds that most people are currently using. Another difference is the range of the signal. 4G LTE reaches every tower in range even if there is no one connected to the unconnected tower, which can lower performance and improve connectivity. While the 5G towers only connect to the towers where the cell signal is strongest or if the signals are directly based, meaning that they only broadcast the signal if a phone or any item connected to a supporting network is in range or is compatible.
What devices are compatible with 4G LTE or 5G UW technologies?
Many of us have access to the 4G LTE bands, but they are not nearly as fast as the upcoming 5G band technologies. With the new 5G technologies, a minimal selection of devices can currently access the 5G network. Some of the currently compatible devices and can connect with the 5G mmWave are the brand new LG Velvet 5G Ultra-Wideband, and the LG V60 ThinQ UW. Some other compatible devices include the Note 20 5G, the Note 20 Ultra 5G, S20 5G UW, Galaxy A71 5G UW, and the A51 5G UW models.
Other phones support this new technology, including the Motorola Edge 5G, OnePlus 8T 5G, OnePlus, McLaren Special Edition 5G, Lenovo Flex 5G Laptop, LG Wing, and all of Apple’s iPhone 12 models. Verizon has a large arsenal of devices; however, carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T were ahead in the 5G competition. There is indeed a substantial downside to Verizon finally joining the 5G competition. The downside is that they only have 5G access in some places while T-Mobile is in most US. (Diaconescu, 2020).
How fast can a webpage or video load when in a 5G-enabled zone?
The 5G millimeter-wave or (mmWave) band is tiny in range, and so if you are within a few feet of a tower, you will get 5G speeds. Improved signal compared to if you walk further away, it will show a 4G LTE instead of 5G because of the range of where you are compared to the nearest broadcasting tower. One of the benefits of having a compatible device on the 5G band is that you get increased speeds when browsing and streaming on 5G near a tower that is actively using the band.
The speeds you had experienced on 4G LTE when browsing would vary depending on the tier and what you pay. But the speeds are generally multiplied by a factor of 10 with 4G, which greatly increases the site load speed that you may be on and the viewing experience.
What could be some benefits of using 5G enabled technology versus 4G LTE technology or 3G?
Some of the exclusive benefits that people with a 5G enabled phone might receive when using a 5G network are that they would see decreased latency or faster load times if they run a speed test. In addition to the 5G network’s latency, they would also be able to connect more people over a wider range of space due to the channels 5G is broadcasting from. The towers that connect people to the 5G network are small in range, but with many towers in close proximity, the data speeds and the access would be increased more than what we are currently experiencing with 4G LTE.
While 4G LTE is not as fast as 5G, it has its benefits and some downsides. The benefits are that many people already have existing 4G LTE devices and the bands are widespread to all towers regardless of location. This method allows quick switching from tower to tower if you are constantly moving. Some of the downsides to 4G LTE are that even though you are paying for a 4G LTE plan, in some locations, the speeds will slow down to about 15Mbps to 30Mbps and can sometimes even go as far as 50Mbps in a high signal location.
How can we improve the speeds at which page loads on a 4G or 5G enabled device in an area that is largely populated?
You can improve page loading speeds on 4G and 5G by using an app to optimize your speed. A second way will be to change to a less congested band if many people are within the area. The third way would be to go to a higher location away from a lot of people. By moving to a different location, you can effectively increase the 4G and 5G signals in a largely populated area. Some of the other ways to improve page loading are by using a phone company’s home internet service. Increasing the 4G and 5G signals to the device will improve the download and upload and page loading. According to Tom’s Guide, When using the 4G network bands for loading pages or even just browsing the web, the speeds can vary.
If you measure each carrier, the average speeds are about 5–10 Mbps down and 2–5 Mbps upload. It is possible to have a better connection by going closer to the tower or the broadcaster antenna. Most antennas on the 4G LTE towers range about 12 antennas that can send and receive data. The data is sent in all directions, but with 5G Ultra-Wideband signals, the antennas on those towers are increased. As a result of increased tower antennas, they can transfer more data over a long distance with many towers. The transfer speeds from a website’s server to your phone when using File Transfer Protocol are recommended to be small. (Piltch, 2010).
How much are the speed differences between 5G and 4G or 3G speeds?
The speed differences with 5G compared to 4G and 3G show that the farther the generation, the slower the speed. Back then, when there were only 2G and 3G, people would only use those speeds to call or text others. With the reveal of 4G in 2009, people could get faster speeds than 2G. The 2G speeds were only a mere 2 Mbps; however, when connected to 4G would then reach 30 Mbps speeds. With 4G’s arrival came a new era of advancements such as introductions to gaming, HD video, and support for apps. The 4G speeds would range about up to 30 Mbps. After 4G was widespread in most of the world, 5G became a reality many years later. Now in 2021, the dream of having 5G speeds is a reality. Some people who have 5G phones may experience speeds up to 49 Mbps to 60 Mbps.
What are some of the downsides of using 4G and lower technologies rather than 5G technologies?
Using the 4G technologies rather than using the 5G technologies, you will have some downsides. Some of the downsides being that with 4G technologies, the speeds can range from 30Mbps to 250Mbps. The 5G technologies can go beyond that to speeds of 1Gbps to 3Gbps or higher. When using High Band 5G, that band type has short-range access and gives the user 1Gbps to 3Gbps speeds. With the Mid Band towers, they can cover a little bit more space than the High Band. The Mid Band towers have a bit more medium-level speeds, about 2Gbps. Most of the 5G devices that are available on the market right now already support this technology. The last 5G band is the Low Band which can cover long distances. The Low Band technologies can broadcast this far due to the radio frequencies on which the tower is broadcasting.
This version of the Low Band is broadcasting on a spectrum between 600 Megahertz and 800 Megahertz. The full deployment of 5G networks will probably not be ready until 2025 due to concerns about security and safety. In addition to concerns about security and safety, some new technologies, such as self-driving cars, could be breached. With the addition of the three 5G bands, whoever wants to experience the 5G speeds fully must change their phone. The three bands are using the same bands that the current phones are using, making the integration seamless.