How come 5G ain't what it was cracked up to be?

#1

Gift article from the Washington Post:

5G was an overhyped technology bust.

Starting about three or four years ago, America’s big phone companies and smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, wouldn’t shut up about 5G, the next generation of cellular internet networks.

“We’re only in the early innings of 5G, but already its incredible performance and speed have made a significant impact on how people can get the most out of our technology,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in 2021.

AT&T, Verizon and other American phone companies blanketed us with commercials that bragged how 5G would make your phone faster and better and help physicians spot cancer earlier.

You might have a 5G phone now. I do. Did it make a significant impact in my technology experience? Nope. (You might even want to turn off 5G because it can drain your phone’s battery. Stay tuned for a tip on that.)

Dave from down under · #2

5G hasn’t had an appreciable improvement on my nanobots performance!

RTH10260 · #3

Overhyped yes. The tech industry envisioned applications that in real life do not require realtime information transfers. 5G was a technology next necessary step cause wireless 4G bandwidth couldn't deliver the network bandwidth resources for all the streaming media offered and consumed over wireless.

Personally I have recently been considering switching from fast cable to a 5G hotspot. The hotspot devices are still pricey, but after a ten month period would be cost effective. In my case the actual bandwidth delivered over the cable is only still 20% higher than 5G wireless (as measured with my smartphone - a hotspot with external antenna with optimised reception may get equal). In my case the building has not received a fiber upgrade. That would change the situation.

ETA.

Aside, in many countries (sadly like Switzerland) the carriers get hindered in upgrading their 4G antennas to 5G, fear of radiation in the general public. While at the same time they are actively using 5G on their phones

Part of the problem is the need of the carriers to build a denser net of transmitters that can look rather nasty especially in residential areas.

RTH10260 · #4

peeking ahead:

When will 6G internet be available?

6G internet is expected to launch commercially in 2030. The technology makes greater use of the distributed radio access network (RAN) and the terahertz (THz) spectrum to increase capacity, lower latency and improve spectrum sharing.

While some early discussions have taken place to define the technology, 6G research and development (R&D) activities started in earnest in 2020. 6G will require development of advanced mobile communications technologies, such as cognitive and highly secure data networks. It will also require the expansion of spectral bandwidth that is orders of magnitude faster than 5G.

China has launched a 6G test satellite equipped with a terahertz system. Technology giants Huawei Technologies and China Global reportedly plan similar 6G satellite launches in 2021. Many of the problems associated with deploying millimeter wave radio for 5G must be resolved in time for network designers to address the challenges of 6G.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetwor ... /6G/[quote]

p0rtia · #5

???

I am unaware of a cellular network hotspot that is not massively more expensive than cable/fiber optic Internet. Or faster or more reliable.

What is out there that I've missed?

#6

Sporky used to warn us that 5G was gonna kill everybody, and puppies too also.

#7

Foggy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 8:43 am Sporky used to warn us that 5G was gonna kill everybody, and puppies too also.

It hasn't lived up to that promise.

#8

If we just got rid of those pesky oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, 5G would work much, much better.

#9

My newest Apple phone is 5G capable, but 4G has always been good for me. They wanted extra money to access it; I declined. I'm perfectly happy with my 4G.

RTH10260 · #10

p0rtia wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 8:31 am ???

I am unaware of a cellular network hotspot that is not massively more expensive than cable/fiber optic Internet. Or faster or more reliable.

What is out there that I've missed?

Local Switzerland market:

My cable provider 1GB subscription (reaches in my location about 450MBs download, upload asymetric 200MBs) CHF 99. Includes also a landline VoIP.

An alternate discount provider offers 1GB subscription at CHF 40 on fiber with nominal max speed at 1GB (std) or 10GB at CHF 44 (includes a TV option).

OMG they are today running a promotional giving a 5G wireless hotspot at the same price.

#11

T-Mobile and Verizon appear to be offering 5g home internet in Chicago that appears to be close to wired plans. It looks like it is probably slower than higher-level wired, but hat higher-level wired costs more.