5G-Some important facts

WHAT IS 5G? 

5G is the short for fifth generation, a mobile broadband technology that is in the early stages of works and likely to be in place six to seven years from now. A 5G network will be able to handle 10,000 times more call and data traffic than the current 3G or 4G network.

WHAT WOULD A TYPICAL 5G EXPERIENCE BE LIKE?

You could download a three-hour high-definition movie on a mobile device in one second. It takes several minutes on a 3G or 4G network and several hours on 2G.  

WILL 5G WORK ON THE SAME SPECTRUM BANDS THAT 3G AND 4G RUN ON?

Researchers have yet to finalise the spectrum band for 5G. But indications are that 5G networks will run on ultra-high spectrum bands like 15 GHz, 27 GHz or even 70 GHz.  

WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF 5G?

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute is formulating 5G global technology standards, which are likely to be formalised by 2019.

Telecom companies such as Nokia, Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent , NTT DoCoMo, NEC, Samsung, Huawei and Fujitsu are driving bulk of the 5G-related innovations.  

WHEN WILL PEOPLE BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE 5G?
 

5G networks are likely to be rolled out commercially between 2020 and 2025. If the global standards are finalised by 2019, the earliest commercial deployments could happen by 2020.

Japan's NTT DoCoMo is targeting a 5G commercial launch by 2020 and will start indoor trials at its R&D centre in Yokosuka this year. 

WILL 3G AND 4G HANDSETS RUN ON 5G NETWORKS?

No. 5G will require new chipsets and devices capable of supporting speeds upwards of 10 gigabits per second. 4G and 3G run at a fraction of that speed.

ARE THERE ANY INHERENT WEAKNESSES IN 5G?

Higher frequencies could be blocked by buildings and they lose intensity over longer distances. That means, offering wider coverage would be a challenge.