This year, the 3G switch-off is taking place to make way for 4G and 5G frequencies. With these recent developments, you may be wondering what exactly 4G and 5G are, and what the difference between them is.
In short, 4G and 5G are the latest generations of mobile communication. 4G is the fourth (hence the name) generation and an improvement over 3G, while 5G is the fifth (again with the name) generation and an improvement over 4G. One of the biggest differences is speed: 5G has the potential to be 100 times faster than 4G. That’s a lot of times.
In addition, another key difference is latency. Latency is the time that elapses from the time a data transfer is requested (e.g. when clicking on a link) until it takes place. With 4G, latency is 50 milliseconds. With 5G, latency could be reduced to 1 millisecond.
Other differences are coverage and bandwidth (which is the amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection). Right now, even though speed and latency (which is the time it takes for data to transfer to your phone once you’ve requested it) are superior, 4G is more popular than 5G simply because most places haven’t put up their own 5G towers (although 5G towers are expanding). In terms of bandwidth, 5G is expected to improve over 4G.
As you can see, 5G is a big game changer for wireless technology, just as 4G has been. This is why it is important that 3G be closed down, to make room for this budding new technology.
Read on to find out more about 5G and 4G (and their differences).
What is the difference between 4G and 5G?
As we have said before, the main differences between 4G and 5G are that 5G has better bandwidth and latency. For now, 4G beats 5G in network coverage. Read on to learn more about the differences between the two.
How much faster is 5G than 4G?
5G can be 100 times faster than 4G. Theoretically, its maximum speed could be around 20 Gbps, with actual speeds of between 50 Mbps and 3 Gbps.
5G latency
With 4G, latency is 50 milliseconds. With 5G, the theoretical latency could be reduced to 1 millisecond.
5G coverage
As mentioned above, for now, 4G has better coverage than 5G simply because there are not many 5G towers and most are clustered in big cities. Right now, 5G can be found in about 100 cities in the United States, compared to 4G, which is virtually everywhere.
Is 5G better than 4G?
In general, 5G is expected to be an improvement over 4G in the same way that 4G was a huge improvement over 3G. But for the time being, the two will work together, especially as 4G is more widespread and 5G is still in its infancy and not fully up to delivering all that the technology may one day be able to deliver, which is why you’ll often hear that 5G speeds or bandwidth are “theoretical” for now.
Will 5G replace 4G?
Wireless technology is constantly evolving, as demonstrated by the complete closure of 3G this year. However, 5G will not replace 4G in the short term. For now, both will work together and most current phones are capable of using both 4G and 5G.
How do I get 4G or 5G?
How do I get 4G or 5G? Typically, the phone’s manual or even the box it comes in will indicate that it supports 4G or 4G LTE. You can also check it again via your device.
If you have an Android:
Press Settings > Mobile networks> Network mode. From there, you can see if 4G is activated.
If you have an iPhone:
Press Settings > General > Mobile. From there, you can see if 4G is activated.
Here’s how to use 5G (if your phone supports 5G).
If you have an Android:
Press Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Network mode. From there, you can see if 5G is activated.
If you have an iPhone:
If you have an iPhone 12, 13 or SE, your phone should automatically connect to a 5G tower whenever you’re in range.
