Hey there! With carriers rolling out shiny new 5G networks promising lightning fast speeds, you might be wondering exactly how much better 5G really is compared to today‘s 4G LTE networks.
I‘m going to walk you through a high-level overview, some key milestones in the evolution timeline, and then dive into the nitty gritty details contrasting 4G and 5G technologies. My goal is to break down the differences into easy-to-understand language without all the technical jargon.
Ready? Let‘s start with the 30 second recap…
Quick Cellular Generations Recap
Here‘s the short version history moving forward to 5G:
1G – First analog voice networks
2G – Digital voice + texting
3G – Data services begin
4G/LTE – Faster mobile broadband
5G – Gigabit speeds, lower latency
Obviously there‘s a ton more behind the story…now let‘s go deeper!
Timeline: Key Milestones from 1G to 5G
Going all the way back to the 1980s, here are some of the landmark achievements hitting the acceleration pedal on mobile innovation:
1985 – 1G network for analog voice calls
1991 – 2G digital networks enable SMS text messaging
2001 – 3G brings first broadband data services, slower speeds
2009 – LTE starts rolling out offering up to 100+ Mbps
2018 – Initial 5G standard complete, paving the way for launches
2019 – Commercial 5G network launches around the world
To better understand the progression of speed and functionality enhancements, check out this comparison:
| 1G | 2G | 3G | 4G/LTE | 5G | |
| Year Introduced | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
| Data Speed | N/A | Up to 50 Kbps | Up to 2 Mbps | Up to 100+ Mbps | Up to 20 Gbps |
| Key Features | Analog voice | Digital voice + text | Mobile web + audio | Video streaming + apps | Low latency + capacity |
As you can see from the table, each generation ushers 10 to 100x speed improvements over the previous standards. Pretty amazing stuff!
Now let‘s get into the good stuff…exactly how today‘s pervasive 4G LTE and the latest 5G NR networks deliver their magic, and what sets them apart.
4G LTE Network Breakdown
Chances are you‘ve been surfing the glorious mobile web on your LTE smartphone or tablet the past few years without even realizing it.
In a nutshell, 4G LTE represents the natural progression from 3G networks (also called UMTS or EVDO) bringing significant speed boosts, lower latency, higher capacity, better security and improved reliability.
While early 4G networks launched back in 2009 and delivered blazing (for the time) speeds over 100 Mbps, modern state-of-the-art LTE has continued to improve thanks to new technologies. Carriers keep finding ways to transmit more data over the same spectrum using fancy techniques you may have heard like MIMO, QAM modulation or carrier aggregation.
Don‘t worry, most those aren‘t critical to understand. The key thing you should know is the highest-end Category 20 LTE modems and networks now reach astonishing peak download speeds up to 2 Gbps! Of course, in the real world you‘ll never see that speed (more on typical LTE performance shortly).
Here are the key 4G/LTE vitals broken down for you into bite sized chunks:
Typical Speed: Real-world LTE speeds vary wildly based on location, network congestion and other factors. OpenSignal reports average global LTE download speeds around 35 Mbps. Streaming HD video requires 5-10 Mbps minimum.
Latency: This is the network response time, or how fast you can start loading a web page or video after clicking a link. Decent LTE latency is between 30-50ms. Much faster than 3G!
Capacity: Advanced LTE networks using small cells instead of huge towers can support over 100,000 devices per square km before performance suffers.
Coverage: A single LTE macro tower can reliably cover up to 20 square miles depending on terrain, building density, foliage and other variables.
Spectrum: Carriers utilize many frequency bands for LTE across lower microwave bands under 6 GHz – common ones are 700, 850, 1900, 2100 MHz. Higher frequency can carry more data in the same limited bandwidth of spectrum.
So in summary – LTE represented a big leap forward from early 3G data networks in speed, capacity and latency. But as always, wireless technology continues advancing at breakneck pace.
Enter 5G…cue dramatic music!
Introducing 5G – Built for Speed & Next-Gen Apps
The vision for 5G demands ultra-fast data speeds, extremely low latency down to 1 millisecond delay, and enough capacity to enable an entirely new realm of applications.
We‘re talking immersive augmented reality experiences, self-driving vehicles relaying huge datasets in real-time on the road, advanced robotics in connected factory environments, and massive deployments of IoT sensors across entire smart cities.
Ambitious? Definitely. But most industry experts believe 5G will live up to the hype and usher in new breakthroughs across many sectors.
Let‘s break down the key benefits the next generation wireless network promises over 4G:
Faster Speeds – Early testing shows a nearly 10x speed boost in many cases, thanks to newly available mmWave high frequency spectrum.
Lower Latency – Drastically reduced delay down to only 1-5 milliseconds enables real-time interactivity forMission critical services.
Network Slicing – One physical 5G networks can support multiple virtual networks for different applications and users.
Expanded Capacity – Significantly denser small cell infrastructure provides the throughput and bandwidth essential for massive scale IOT connectivity of embedded sensors across entire cities.
And of course, next generation security is paramount given societies growing interconnectedness in the 5G era.
Interestingly, 5G doesn‘t just blow 4G away across every metric. For instance, mmWave high-band spectrum under 6 GHz used by some 5G radios has great throughput when within line of sight but degrades much faster over distances under 1 mile and struggles passing through certain obstacles. Mid-band and low-band alleviate these downsides with slightly less speed but better penetration and range – so carriers will utilize a mix.
Now for a fun visual side-by-side look at how 4G and 5G technical capabilities measure up…
| 4G LTE | 5G | |
| Top Speed | 2 Gbps Peak | 20 Gbps Peak |
| Typical Speed | 35 Mbps Avg | Up to 1 Gbps |
| Latency | 30-50 ms | 1-5 ms |
| Spectrum Used | Sub-6GHz | Sub-6 + mmWave |
| Network Capacity | 100K devices/km2 | Up to 1M devices |
What jumps out right away is the enormous speed improvements 5G promises – peak speeds up to 100x faster than Category 20 LTE as well as typical real-world throughput gains in the 10-30x range based on field testing!
Latency dropping from 50 milliseconds down to 1 ms also catches your eye – that 25-50x responsiveness enhancement clears the way for new real-time applications.
Lastly, don‘t overlook the significantly expanded network capacity thanks to 5G spectrum and infrastructure upgrades. That unlocks potential for massive scale deployments when billions of embedded IoT sensors communicate autonomously.
Okay, blah blah blah…enough tech talk! Let‘s outline some cool real-world use cases putting these next-gen wireless enhancements to work:
Real-World Examples of 5G Use Cases
We could dream up dozens of game-changing ways 5G‘s capabilities could shape industries. But here are 5 prime examples already in testing or being trialed that showcase the tangible benefits:
Self-Driving Vehicles – Autonomous cars generate massive sensor data and must make split-second processing decisions that are life-critical. Ultra reliable low latency 5G vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) connections facilitate next-gen transportation breakthroughs.
AR Cloud Applications – Imagine playing an augmented reality game with friends. As your GPS locations change, the AR world view must shift instantly. Here 5G ultra wide broadband and set millisecond latency prevents nausea-inducing lags as players move through the interactive landscape.
Smart City Sensors – Local governments are embedding internet-connected sensors across cities to monitor infrastructure, waste management, transportation fleets, energy usage, pollution levels and public safety metrics. 5G‘s expanded capacity ensures reliable machine-to-machine data exchange.
HD Interactive Streaming – 5G allows broadcasters to stream live 8K 360-degree video reliably to devices so couch potatoes can freely choose custom views and camera angles rather than sticking to the static single stream director‘s cut!
Remote Robotic Surgery – Doctors in one city conduct complex surgery on a patient in another location by seamlessly controlling robotic instruments with haptic systems that return precision tactile feedback. This is only possible thanks to 5G‘s quick response for this critical application.
Those demonstrate just a small sample of the highly interactive, low latency and bandwidth intensive use cases set to transform various sectors!
Of course you probably have lots of other questions – like when you‘ll actually see 5G where you live and how much it costs. Let‘s cover some of the most common ones:
Frequently Asked 5G Questions
When will 5G reach my neighborhood? It depends on your area and carrier strategy for buildouts. But many global cities now have at least partial coverage from Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile. Check their latest rollout maps to estimate local timing.
Do I need a special 5G phone? Yes absolutely! You must have a smartphone with built-in 5G modem to connect to 5G networks and take advantage of multi-gig speeds + low latency capabilities. Many now available!
Is 5G dangerous and bad for my health? There‘s been no firm evidence from credible studies that 5G frequencies cause harm at power levels used. Rest assured safety is thoroughly evaluated.
How much does 5G data cost? Early on some carriers charged extra, but more recently 5G has been included in unlimited plans at no added cost keeping pricing competitive. Expect costs to decrease over time.
When will 5G totally replace LTE? While we are currently in the global rollout phase for 5G radios, 4G LTE infrastructure still handles lots of network traffic. We‘re looking at a 5+ year timeline as 5G coverage continues improving.
Well there you have it my friend! Clearly there are lots of exciting performance advancements to appreciate about 5G compared to the capable LTE networks we enjoy today. I hope breaking down those key differences into plain English made the transition easier to understand.
Let me know if any other burning 5G questions pop up!
