5G internet is claimed to be 20x faster than the fastest internet we have access to, now. This is how 5G technology is re-defining the lightning-fast internet. The soft launch of fifth-generation cellular internet technology, which is fairly close to becoming a commercial reality. Major telecommunications companies are rolling out 5G wideband networks and 2019 was the time when 5G was for early birds only, 2020 is the year when it reaches everyone. Let me break down the 5G hype for you, read on!
What really is fifth-generation connectivity?
Let’s take the cat out of the bag, the fifth generation – 5G – of connectivity is here but not omnipresent yet. 2020 is the year of 5G and this is the time when the civilization is going to cherish the era of Ultra HD video streaming, and literally lightning fast internet speeds which is going to be not just better but exponentially better than the earlier technologies.
This technology is meant to support fresh developments such as AI and IoT. With the fifth generation’s launch, minimum upload speeds of 1 Gbps will be the new normal catalyzing the former and future technological breakthroughs.
Past several successful test launches, commercial 5G is expected to roll out by mid-2020 for the masses in selected localities. Until the time it rolls out in your area, you can still enjoy 1-gigabit internet speeds with cox internet plans. Bringing that multi-gigabit speed to general smartphones is still going to take another year at least.
Commercial rollout and the perks that come along
By the end of 2019, functional 5G networks were only available in a small selection of areas in the US, UK, Australia, Korea, and China, mainly for testing purposes. The much-hyped mmWave technology has only been adopted by the US at the moment and the sub-6GHz has been worked upon in Europe only. So, the folks in some parts of the US and Europe will have the privilege of gigabit speeds combined with a decent 5G coverage for all others.
The others the following suit and 2020 is the year when commercial 5G is expected to roll out in Japan, South East Asia, and South America. Korea and Japan at the same will work on developing infrastructure for mmWave technology. The coverage will begin from low band sub-6Ghz to multi-gigabit mmWave speeds in urban areas. However, most of the mmWave rollouts aren’t expected until later in 2021. And several years on top of that to enjoy 5G standalone services owing to a slower global 5G picture.
5G Smartphones
5G enables smartphones are one of the most expensive ones on the market with a price tag starting at a hefty one grand ($1000). 2020 is expected to be the year of more affordable 5G enabled smartphones with 5G chips and equipment becoming cheaper which might end up in phones costing $500-$600. Snapdragon 765 has the ability to support mmWave frequencies, whereas MediaTek and Samsung developed chips support sub-6GHz frequencies. Qualcomm, on the other hand, is working on developing mmWave handsets with its custom-made components. It won’t be surprising if handsets omitting mmWave technology become affordable as announced by several mid-tier phone manufacturers.
Investing in a 5G phone in 2020, a good idea?
Upgrading to a 5G smartphone isn’t an easy concern to respond to. There are a lot of factors influencing this decision, one of the important ones being the location of your residence. Whether or not you’ll have access to 5G internet during this year. In another case, if you need to upgrade urgently, then sticking to a good 4G handset or going for an early 5G model is a safe bet. I would still suggest waiting for various brands to offer their sets later in 2020, this will open windows for you with more and better choices to opt from and the newer phones will be more battery efficient. In short, a little waiting won’t harm.
The bottom line is that, before stashing out all your savings on an expensive 5G enabled smartphone, do some background check whether or not your provider is ready to deploy 5G technology as of yet.
