The cellular network industry offers regular upgrades to improve performance. Every decade welcomes a new wireless network generation to meet the changing needs. 4G LTE (fourth-generation long-term evolution) dominated the past decade. It offered high-speed functionality, which increased internet adaptability worldwide. With more devices demanding internet access, a network upgrade with 5G technology is imminent. Read on to find out the differences between 5G and 4G.
5G vs 4G – Comparing the features
Listed below are the 4G and 5G differences and their impact on your internet usage experience.
Radio waves
4G networks use radio frequencies below 6 GHz, thus having a lower wireless communication capacity. Also, the 4G towers transmit data in all directions, thus compromising precision. 5G solves this issue with shorter antennas to provide directional control. Its radio spectrum also gets broken up into bands that meet specific requirements. A high band 5G uses a frequency of up to 24 GHz.
Data speeds
4G vs 5G speed is another factor worth comparing. Typically, you can transmit a limited amount of information through networks based on their frequency band. The maximum capacity 4G provides for this is a speed of up to 100 Mbps. In an ideal scenario, the rate goes up to 35 Mbps. The 5G speed is significantly greater, ranging between 50 to 250 Mbps. The expected maximum speed is around 20 Gbps, making it 100 times faster than 4G.
Device connectivity
As the network bandwidth gets divided between devices, usage gets affected. 4G struggles to handle this with many devices in the same location. 5G networks provide broad spectrum coverage and intelligently transmit data to all devices. This enables handling multiple connected devices regardless of their location.
Usage
4G network brought tremendous progress in streaming music, videos, and high-speed services on mobile devices. 5G wireless technology takes this a level up. It offers more than mobile networking. With high built-in processing power, 5G promises top-notch performance levels. It acts as a centralised data centre that increases real-time responsiveness for performing various tasks.
Latency
Latency is defined as the time between sending information and receiving responses. 4G network has a latency of about 50 milliseconds currently. 5G technology cuts this down to 1 millisecond. This feature promotes rapid speed and improves user experience significantly. This 5G vs 4G attribute is a significant differentiator in terms of performance.
Coverage
Despite a decade of 4G network, some areas still experience low data bandwidth. As 5G offers three radio spectrums – high, medium, and low band, it has different levels of speed and bandwidth. Moreover, its infrastructure is entirely cloud-based and virtual. The enhanced coverage further enables the 5G network to penetrate major cities and remote areas.
Final Note: The above-mentioned differences between 5G and 4G highlight the change 5G technology offers as the latest generation of networking surfaces. Vi recognises the newer opportunities 5G provides and is rolling out nation-wide network upgrade with features like better data speeds, lower latency, and increased bandwidth capacity. The Vi 5G network adds value to your wireless networking activities.
Take your data usage experience to newer heights with Vi’s 5G network. Sign up today.
