Everyday we use wireless networks. The world today couldn’t function for an hour without the use of the wireless networks that have been decades in the making. Our phones currently run on a 4G LTE network which is surprisingly fast with some carriers. As humans we move forward and always improve, so the horizon of the next generation of wireless is close at hand. They call it 5G, creative right? 5G promises blazing internet speeds that can speed up the workings of everyday life. But, if that is all it can do, what is all the hype about? Well, actually, these blazing fast speeds offer much more than what meets the eye.

To start, one must understand why 5G will be so effective. 5G works on three different broadband spectrums. It works on low-band which has lower download speeds but can cover a large area with its far-reaching coverage. It utilizes mid-band which can handle up to 1Gbps at its maximum capacity. And finally, it works on a new high-band spectrum that can hold up to 10Gbps on it. But the problem is, its coverage is sub-par and penetration through walls is weak. The way the band widths work is how high the frequency on which the data travels. The higher the frequency, the more data can be transferred. But, as the frequency goes up, the ability to penetrate walls of building and houses are weakened.

5G means ultra fast speeds for your mobile devices. One thing this offers is instant viewing of whatever you want whenever you want it. Movies that are in full screen 4K can be streamed with literally no buffering at all. Another feature is True Chat. Imagine Facetiming your loved ones with no lag at all on crystal clear HD. This is unheard of at the moment with 4G. It will be like speaking to them in real life. Additionally, gaming on the go will be improved dramatically. For all the gamers out there, there will console-level power just through your phone at any time. Last, flash loading will be available. This means that downloads that would normally take minutes to hours can be completed within seconds. Netflix seasons could be downloaded onto your phone in a matter of seconds.

5G also offers a lot to the public. Emergency situations and first responders can utilize with the power of 5G in trainng. They can run through situations with augmented reality to prepare better for real-life scenarios that would have been too expensive or nearly impossible to simulate. Connection between hospitals and cars could now be available. The hospitals could get a notification of a certain number of G’s being felt by a car. Energy efficiency can be brought to a new level too. Cars could transfer data about the energy they used on a certain period of time and communicate to energy companies how much energy needs to be pumped, persevering fossil fuels with less waste.

With all of this hype, when will it be available to you? The problem is, this will not be readily available to the public for quite some time. There still needs to be some more solutions discerned on how to make the signal penetrate walls better and have a farther coverage area. The hardware cells themselves are expensive too, so indeed, public access is still several years away.