Is 5G better than 4G

Higher speeds are the main difference between each generation of mobile technology. 4G was a great improvement compared to 3G when it was introduced. The same goes for 5G compared to 4G.

4G VS 5G: What are the differences ?

Since its deployment, 5G has been talking a lot and a question often comes up: what is the difference with 4G ? If you hesitate between the two technologies or you are simply curious, we explain to you what differentiates these networks ..

Posted on 07/05/2021 | Updated on 05/10/2021 | by the team choose.com

What are 5G and 4G networks ?

To fully understand the 5G and 4G, It is important to return to the operation of mobile networks. In the same way as radio or television, telephone networks use the radio frequencies. Over time, three technologies have appeared:

• technology GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) who arrived in France in the early 2000s. It operates on frequency bands between 900 MHz and 1900 MHz. The GSM network allows calls and receives calls. He then successively evolved into GPRS and EDGE standards which allowed MMS sending and internet access with a maximum speed of 200 kbit/s;
• technology Umts (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) better known as 3G. It uses frequency bands between 900 MHz and 2100 MHz. It allows you to surf the web with connection flows of up to 20 Mbit/s;
• technology Lte (Long Term Evolution), known as 4G. It works on 700 MHz and 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz frequency bands. In 2014, its latest development arrived in France: 4G+, also called LTE Advanced. In theory, it allows you to reach a flow of up to 1 Gbit/s. In practice, 4G+ connection reached between 200 Mbit/s and 300 Mbit/s, which is twice as fast as 4G.

There 5G also operates LTE technology to work. It also uses some of the 4G LTE frequency bands. It also works on millimeter waves (that is, high frequencies between 30 and 300 GHz) as well as 3.5 GHz frequency bands. 5G speeds can reach up to 20 Gbit/s.

5G VS 4G: What differentiates them ?

The main difference between 5G and 4G is found in terms of the quality of internet connection. Faster download, reduced latency time, the fifth generation of mobile network offers many advances…

Faster download speed

First size difference between the two mobile networks: connection flows. With 4G, it is possible to reach up to 1 Gbit/s in download. While with 5G, the downward flow can reach up to 20 Gbit/s. In practice, this difference is felt on the download speed of multimedia files.

Downloading time of a multimedia file in 4G and 5G:

Download speed of an HD movie (approximately 4GB)	Download speed of an MP3 album
4G	More than 3 min	15 s
5g	10 s	3 s

A reduced latency

Another size difference: the latency. The shorter this time, the more fluid the Internet connection. With 4G, it is 10 ms, while with 5G, it amounts to 1 ms.

So, if you use 5G, your connection will be much more stable and you will suffer a lot Less cuts and blockages. The quality of video calls will therefore be greatly improved.

Better quality internet connection in dense areas

5G mainly uses 3.5 GHz frequency band which is much less congested and allows you to reach faster flows. Thanks to this, more people and/or connected objects can Use the network simultaneously From the same place, without undergoing a slowdown in their internet speed.

It is however important to note that operators deploy 5G on several frequency bands both. Some, like Free, have chosen to develop a large part of their network on frequency bands 700 MHz and 800 MHz which offer internet connections less efficient than the 3.5 GHz band.

Different uses

The arrival of 4G had already transformed the universe of telephony. It notably made it possible to develop the use of mobile Internet. But with 5G, the telecoms world could well be revolutionized. The use of the 3.5 GHz frequency band makes connections fairly powerful which promises to upset our daily lives ..

The development of virtual reality and augmented reality

More and more smartphones and mobile applications already incorporate augmented reality. But with the deployment of 5G, its use will be popularized. Thanks to its ultrarapid flows, simulation applications will multiply. This should benefit a large number of sectors such as tourism, retail or medicine.

The power of 5G will also have an impact on the virtual reality (VR). Currently, there are two types of VR headsets: those that must be connected to a powerful computer to operate and those that can be used in mobility, but which are very losing in quality. It is therefore difficult to be able to fully experience virtual reality. That said, 5G allows you to watch videos in 8K quality while moving. It will therefore be possible to use virtual reality in mobility. Qualcomm is already working on the development of light and more affordable VR headsets.

The multiplication of connected objects

Already in full swing, with the arrival of 5G, the Internet of Objects will experience a real boom. By 2023, the number of connected objects should be multiplied by five. 5G is therefore a real issue, because it will greatly improve the speed of data transmission. This should cause a real revolution in homes. Fridge, heating or even coffee machine, with 5G, we go straight to the advent of Connected houses. It should also allow the development of new intelligent objects.

Modernization of industry

5G also promises to modernize the industry. The data transmission speed will in particular make possible the Remote control of production lines. For example, an expert can support a technician in real time on the assembly of parts. And this, even if they are thousands of kilometers away. The use of 5G will thus allow the increase in productivity.

The revolutionized health sector

With 5G, telemedicine will experience a real revolution. During surgery, a specialist will be able to Help in Visio another surgeon During a complex operation. 5G will also allow real -time monitoring of patients hospitalized at home.

Improvements in the transport sector

5G will also be beneficial for transport. Its deployment will allow in particular The emergence of autonomous vehicles that should be much more reliable. On the road, signaling lights should be provided with sensors so that traffic is better managed.

On the public transport side, at present, Orange is already testing an HD videos download service at Rennes station, reserved for SNCF passengers.

An ally for the environment

5G will also be an environment for the environment. Its use will allow the multiplication of Sensors to monitor pollution, temperatures or humidity. This will allow real -time decision -making, which will have a positive impact on cities management or even agriculture. For example, it will be possible to reduce the maximum speed on the roads as soon as a peak pollution.

The development of connected agriculture

5G also announces major changes in the agricultural sector. Manufacturer John Deere has already unveiled a remotely controlled tractor of tractor remotely.

5G technology should also allow the development of digital platforms to help farmers analyze production and potential risks. The use of sensors will in particular allow Determine what is the best day for watering or harvesting.

5G should therefore lead to the development of Connected farms. In England, a farm has already equipped its cows with 5G necklaces in order to remotely control the health state of animals and automate trafficking.

Buying a new smartphone

With 4G, if you change your package, you can keep your mobile phone. Unfortunately, this is not the case with 5G. If you want to take advantage of the network and its quality, you will have to Buy a compatible smartphone.

Currently, the main operators offer the purchase of a mobile with their 5G packages. This can be an advantageous solution when you know that for the moment, most smartphones compatible with the network are high -end quality and therefore available at expensive prices.

Different mobile plans

The first 5G packages are already marketed and there are already two important differences from 4G offers: their price and their Data envelope.

Regarding prices, 5G subscriptions are slightly more expensive than 4G packages. Departure rates without promotion often are around 30 €. Only Free has not increased the cost of its offers. The operator offers its free package at the same price in 5G as in 4G. But there are still few 5G low cost subscriptions for the moment.

As 5G requires a compatible phone, the main operators offer a smartphone at a preferential rate with their 5G packages. To take advantage of it, you must agree to get involved for 24 months instead of the usual 12 months.

On the other hand, most 5G packages include a much greater data envelope than that included in 4G offers. The subscriptions sold include between 50 GB and 150 GB of mobile data, which should allow you to take advantage of the network without risk of offset.

Where is the deployment of 5G ?

To deploy their network, operators have not all used the same frequencies. While Orange mainly invested the 3.5 GHz, SFR and Bouygues band mainly use the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands. While Free is mainly on the 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands.

To date, the 5G is active in major cities (with the exception of Lille, Strasbourg, Nantes and Rennes) and in thousands of municipalities.

Number of municipalities in which each operator has already activated 5G ::

Bouygues Telecom	free mobile	Orange	SFR
Number of municipalities where 5G is activated	1,200	7,700	230	300

If you want 5g, But do not know if it has already been deployed in your city, do not hesitate to consult the map of mobile networks on the site of the arcep (regulatory authority for electronic communications and posts). And to find the right subscription, don’t forget to use our mobile package comparator.

4G VS 5G: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two networks ?

Even if 5G is more efficient than 4G, that does not mean that there are no advantages and disadvantages in the two networks.

Summary of the advantages and disadvantages of 5G and 4G ::

5g	4G
Benefits	– Internet flow rates 10 times faster. – a better quality internet connection. – Packages including a larger data envelope. – the use of connected objects. – No problem of network engorgement.	– cheaper packages. – Compatible with all phones released in recent years. – a network deployed almost everywhere in France and Europe.
Disadvantages	– 5g packages are more expensive. – the purchase of a 5G compatible smartphone. – The network is still being deployed.	– a less stable internet connection. – an increasingly engorged mobile network. – slower internet flows.

What about 6G ?

There 6g should logically succeed 5G. Its flow rates should reach 95 Gbit/s. But for the moment, international standards for this technology have not yet been defined. Although several giants like Samsung, LG, Huawei and Nokia have expressed their interest in 6G, it should not happen before 2030.

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Is 5G better than 4G ?

With the 5G available on all the latest smartphones, you may be wondering if it is time to go up a gear. Let’s take a look at our 4G vs 5G comparison and try to answer the question that everyone is asking: 5G is it better than 4G ?

What is 5g ?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile technology. It provides an ultra -fast connection for phones, devices, and even internet at home.

The latest 5G technology promises maximum download speeds of 1.25 GB per second. At this speed, you could download a 4K movie in just a few seconds.

5G is the future in terms of the Internet and any connected object. It is the Internet of Objects (IDO), smart cities, driverless cars, cloud and all other fashionable words you may have heard.

In case you sometimes lose sight of the speed of technology and mobile phones, here are the main characteristics of each previous generation:

• 1980: 1G – Voice calls via analog phones only
• 1990s: 2G – Digital and SMS vocal calls
• 2000s: 3G – Mobile Internet
• 2010s: 4G – Mobile video

The main difference between 5G and 4G

Higher speeds are the main difference between each generation of mobile technology. 4G was a great improvement compared to 3G when it was introduced. The same goes for 5G compared to 4G.

All wireless technologies use radio waves. Satellite communications on Wi-Fi, these are simply waves broadcast in the air. It’s the same for 5G networks. They simply extend to a new part of the spectrum.

Even if you are not using 5G, you may have already noticed a difference between the 5G VS 4G networks. There are many more relay antennas. This is explained by the fact that 5G uses “small cells”. Each cell lap covers a smaller area, so much more are necessary for 5G networks. You may notice them on lampposts rather than large pylons.

Advantages of 5G compared to 4G

Speed. The maximum theoretical download speed for 4G-LTE Advanced is around 35 MB per second. This means that 5G is almost 40 times faster. At least in theory.

Use:
– High quality videos broadcasting
– Fast sharing of large amounts of data
– Internet at home

(For reasons only known to computer scientists, download speeds are generally expressed in megabits per second. But the megabits are not the same as the megacts. This leads to all kinds of confusion. Have you ever wondered why your 100 Mbps internet internet connection does not seem to download 100 MB in a second ? here’s why. An byte contains eight bits, which means that 100 megabits actually correspond to 12.5 mega -typles. We use the mega -typles to avoid confusion).

Latency. Download speed is only one aspect of the question. A stable online experience also involves a low latency. The announced download speeds indicate that the amount of data you may receive. Latence measures the speed at which your device communicates on the Internet. The lower it is, the better.

The difference in 4G vs 5g latency is as important as the download speed. With 4G, an average latency of 50 milliseconds is normal. With 5G, we could possibly see less than a milliseconde.

It may seem little, but this is the difference between a traditional conversation and the video cats to which we are used to. Everything that requires real -time communication will benefit from a low latency.

Indeed, low latency is one of the main advantages of 5G. The possibility of exchanging information almost instantly changes the situation.

Bandwidth. The bandwidth corresponds to the amount of data that the network can manage in one go. You can see the limits of the 4G bandwidth in very congested environments. When everyone tries to use the Internet at the same time, the network can slow down.

The bandwidth of 5G compared to that of 4G represents a considerable improvement. Many more devices can use the network at the same time.

In an area the size of a typical house pâté, 4G LTE can support around 2,000 devices. With 5G, this figure could reach 1 million devices. This type of bandwidth will be necessary to build the smart cities of the future. It will also be useful for smart factories, and even smart agriculture. Anyone can connect online easily.

Disadvantages of 5G compared to 4G

There are some drawbacks when it comes to 5G vs 4G. Here are some of the main disadvantages of 5G:

• Battery discharge. Yes, your battery will empty even faster with 5G. Most smartphones only allow you to use 5G when it is actually faster than 4G available. Which brings us to another of the disadvantages of 5G.
• Short -range. The fastest signals of 5G are not far away. In practice, most of the current 5G signals use a slower variety that is not far away. This means that 5 g networks may not be much faster than 4G in the real world. If you want to know which network operators have the best 5G performance, take a look here.
• Weak signal. The fastest 5G is not very efficient either when there are obstacles. In theory, it is faster than Wi-Fi, but it is much less efficient in turns or through the walls.
• Unequal coverage. The construction of 5G networks will take a long time. Most major cities already have good coverage, but it is limited elsewhere. Discover the 5G coverage card in France here.
• Expensive. As 5G can consume your data quickly, you may exhaust your package faster and have to pay more. To avoid this problem, read our blog on operators with the best mobile networks in France.

5G myths

The effects of 5G on human health arouse many concerns. People fear that it will cause COVVI-19 cases, cancers, brain tumors and much more.

The most important thing to note about 5G is that it is only radio waves. We are already surrounded by it and 5G is only another part of the spectrum.

One of the main advantages of 5G is that it can be much narrower towards individual devices. This technology is called beam training. This means that 5G waves do not influence the environment as much as 4G.

5G will certainly cause new problems, but probably not related to physical health. In the world that 5G promises, we should be more worried about our mental health, and possibly robots.

Is 5G better than 4G ? The verdict

In the end, the answer will be yes, 5G is better than 4G. All the advantages of 5G prevail over the disadvantages. In practice, however, we will rely on the two networks for a long time. 4G can provide the type of wide coverage on large areas that 5G cannot provide.

But once 5G networks are fully deployed, there will be no doubt about the best solution.