The advantages of 5G for companies

Be careful, when reading these cards, you may encounter difficulties in determining the 5G coverage at your place of residence. Indeed, concerning the graphic representation of SFR, two types of 5G coverage are displayed. If you want to benefit from a real improvement in your flow, pay particular attention to the 3.5 GHz band cover. The 2100 MHz band offers flows 5 times less, sometimes even lower than 4G. On the side of Bouygues, the operator distinguishes the 3.5 GHz high bands from those of 2.1 GHz on his map. The operator Free displays a particularly deployed 5G coverage in France due to its strategy to use the 700 MHz frequency band which provides the lowest 5G flow rates. Finally, Orange also remains blurred with regard to the consumer on quality differences between 3.5 GHz frequencies and 2100 MHz.

5G, it changes what ? Why, how and at what price ?

The arrival of the new 5G network, both on the market for mobile plans and necessarily on that of smartphones, raises several questions. The operation and objectives of this new mobile network, but also its price and the conditions necessary for its use are all questions that come up regularly about 5G. Everything you need to know about 5G, with the editorial staff to choose.com.

Posted on 02/23/2022 | Updated on 02/23/2022 | by the team choose.com

What is 5G ?

Fifth generation of mobile network, 5G is an evolutionary technology which should make it possible to improve four axes according to the regulatory authority for electronic communications, posts and distribution of the press (ARCEP): Develop shared flows, make the more reliable and reactive network, increase the number of connected objects and adapt several qualities of service to a network. In principle, 5G allows you to benefit from much higher flows than 4G, reduced latency time and improved communication quality.

What is the interest of 5G ?

Benefiting from 5G allows on the one hand a greater speed on the Internet, whether to download an application, post content or do research faster. On the other hand, it improves the quality of videos or calls in videoconference that could thus be made in high definition and with several interlocutors and would make it possible to use virtual reality applications.

In the future, she is likely to promote innovations in the management of medical equipment in hospital, telemedicine or the fight against chronic diseases. In the field of transport, the operation of autonomous cars or shuttles would be based on its technology, as well as the management of road traffic or even remote control of vehicles in complex areas. Agriculture is also an area that will benefit from the contribution of 5G by promoting the development of autonomous and interconnected equipment or by allowing intelligent management of cultures.

Its interest lies in its evolutionary character: 5G is a technology whose performance will progress and to which will be added new features as new frequency bands are deployed. Thus, the advantages that we immediately withdraw from the development of 5G are only part of the much greater profits which will be collected thanks to this new generation of mobile network.

If 5G is essential today, it is also because it brings a solution to the saturation of 3G and 4G mobile networks currently used. The challenge of the arrival of 5G is ultimately double: developing new uses of the mobile network and avoiding saturation to maintain current uses of mobile networks.

5G history

It is from 2013 that the European Union began to discuss the project to develop 5G in order to anticipate the future saturation of the 4G network planned around 2022. For this, new frequencies are created to improve the quality of flows. Thus, in 2017, the Telecoms Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) dedicates frequency bands between 3.4 GHz and 3.8 GHz at 5G. However, the conflict between Huawei, the large Chinese mobile communications group, and the United States contributes to slowing down the development of the 5G project in France. It is from 2019 that a government agreement is given to French operators to test 5G in the cities of France. In 2020, Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile win auctions for 5G frequency bands. However, this new technology arouses many oppositions. In question, the potential harmfulness of the waves on the health of the French according to certain local representatives. The first 5G site nevertheless opens its doors in 2020 in the south of France, in Nice. The deployment of this technology taking time, the globality of the French population should only benefit from 5G around 2030.

As a reminder, the 5G mobile network follows the 2G (1990s), 3G (2004) and 4G (2012) networks (2012). For a general encrypted overview of the evolution of mobile networks, the indicative flow in bits goes from 9.6 kb/s for 2G, to 1.9 Mb/s for 3G and 150 Mb/s for 4G. According to ARCEP surveys, the 4G network offers internet connection up to three times faster than the 3G network. In theory, the 5G network should ultimately be able to wear the flow beyond 10 Gbit/s and allow an Internet connection up to 10 times faster than 4G.

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How does 5G work ?

When we come to the operation of a mobile network, a certain number of parameters come into account. And 5G is no exception, with differences in deployment according to operators who have repercussions on the quality of the connection of the packages, and which cannot be understood without a minimum of technical knowledge on the subject.

The deployment of 5G in France

At the launch of 5G in France on November 18, 2020 exactly, more than 20,000 5G branches were activated by mobile operators according to ARCEP. In terms of the number of antennas deployed, it is Free which takes the lead with the ranking with around 12,000 units, followed by Bouygues Telecom at 5,000, SFR at more than 3,000 and orange around 2,500. These four operators are the only ones to have participated in the process of allocating the frequency bands of the new mobile network and are therefore the only ones to participate actively in the deployment of 5G. The deployment, started several months ago so that you can activate antennas from the launch of 5G in France, should be done gradually in the coming years to last until 2030.

However, Free, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Orange will not be the only operators to offer 5G mobile packages ! Indeed, ARCEP has imposed on these four historic operators to welcome MVNOs on their 5G offer. Already, you can find 5G mobile plans among the offers of NRJ Mobile operators, Coriolis, La Poste Mobile or Prixtel.

What is a mvno ?

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) are operators who do not benefit from their own mobile telephone network. Therefore, they buy the services of one or more mobile network operators in large quantities. However, MVNOs remain masters of their various commercial offers and are responsible for the distribution of mobile communications services to their subscribers.

Deployment, operator by operator

To understand the progress of the deployment of 5G, it is not enough to look at the number of antennas deployed. Because other parameters come into account to know which operator is the most advanced or the most efficient.

free mobile. The operator is the one who has deployed the largest number of 5G branches, with more than 12,000 sites in mainland France. However, it is important to add that only 1,691 sites are equipped with 3.5 GHz frequency bands, for 12,000 equipped with 700 MHz frequency bands. Only 14% of the antennas deployed by Free are therefore in 3.5 GHz, and the 12,000 equipped with frequency bands 700 MHz offer more than average flow. Thanks to this deployment, Free covers around 9,500 municipalities or more than 70% of the population.

Bouygues Telecom. If Bouygues Telecom was already the second operator in terms of number of sites at the launch of 5G, he is especially the one that has progressed the most during the third quarter of 2021 with more than 2,000 new sites for a total of more than 5,000. Among them, 1,934 are equipped with 3.5 GHz frequency bands or 39%, but none of 700 MHz frequency bands since the 4,701 other frequency bands are 2.1 GHz. Bouygues Telecom covered at October 1, 2021 38 cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and more than 3,000 municipalities.

SFR. SFR is the penultimate operator for the number of 5G sites with a total of 3,160 and points to the same place in the classification for the progress in the third quarter with 1,409 new 5G branches. However, it is important to assign the operator second place in share of 3.5 GHz bands (55%) and, as for Bouygues, the absence of 700 MHz bands. The operator covered over November 2021 more than 2,500 municipalities in mainland France.

Orange. It is not easy to locate the operator vis-à-vis his competitors. Indeed, the operator is both the one that has fewer sites (only 2,473) and the one that progressed the least during the third quarter of 2021 (601 new sites). However, he is by far the one who has the most 3.5 GHz frequency bands and this in both sides and number of antennas despite his bad rankings all bands combined. Orange has actually deployed to date 2,177 sites with 3.5 GHz frequency bands, which represents 88% of its total, the rest being 475 sites fitted with 2.1 GHz frequency bands. With these figures, Orange covers around 1,000 municipalities, including around thirty of them over 100,000 inhabitants.

5G operates thanks to the assembly of various innovations. Two in particular presented below: frequency bands and 5G antennas.

5G frequency bands

To exchange data, mobile networks use waves that are cut into multiple frequency bands. Their award for use falls under the State Agreement. Each frequency at a different range and flow. The larger the frequency strip (depending on the size of the pipes), the higher the flow rate between subscribers is high. Logically, the higher the number of users in the same place and at the same time, the lower the flow will be. The SUTURE PIPE. Consequently, very dense areas however better endowed in strip width can have a low speed. At the same time, a user in a low dense area can benefit from many resources despite a lower band width.

Regarding 5G, it works on bands already present for 4G such as those of 700 MHz, 2.1 GHz or 1800 MHz. In 2020, ARCEP allocated a new one: that of 3.5 GHz. The latter is special because it offers a larger and more effective frequency band than 4G. Thus, the flow provided by this band is more important. It may be good to remember that 5G can be deployed on frequency bands already mobilized by 4G. It can precisely optimize the flow by replacing the 4G strip with a 5G.

It will especially be the 26 GHz band that will allow much greater flows when it is allocated in the coming years. Located on millimeter bands, it will ensure the best speed ever reached to date on a mobile network. So far, this frequency band has been used for satellite or infrastructure links. Thanks to it, 5G may allow other the development of telemedicine or autonomous car thanks to improving the quality and speed of data exchange. However, to reach this very high speed, the antennas must be about five times more numerous than those currently present for 4G.

The characteristics of the frequency bands used today by 5G

According to ARCEP, the 700 MHz frequency band has very good penetration inside the buildings, lined with a strong range, but its flow is low. For its part, the 3.5 GHz frequency offers a much better coverage/debit ratio, while having low penetration inside.

5G antennas

Today, the majority of antennas that allow access to 5G are non-stand alone antennas, that is to say that do not have a system of emission and directional reception of signals. The frequencies of these antennas are less than 1GHz. These antennas are also those which allow access to 2G, 3G, 4G. For example, the free operator having chosen to use the frequency band of 700 MHz for 5G, it can thus use non -stand alone antennas already present in the territory.

In fact, there is not yet a stand alone antenna for the moment on French soil, that is to say that allow intelligent network management and a communication almost in real time. These antennas concentrate the signal to the devices which require it to optimize the use of the flow and make it more powerful. Operators can only offer their subscribers the total 5G potential when this type of stand alone antennas will be set up in France around 2023 according to Arcep.

Today, to benefit from 5G, you must be in an area covered by it, but also be covered by the 4G strip with the signaling, called anchor strip. Please note, you may see a 5g logo on your screen without sometimes being able to benefit from this technology. Indeed, in some cases, the phone can be connected to a 4G anchor frequency band while the 5G band is not accessible. According to the arcep, the display of the 5G logo does not necessarily mean that the technology is accessible.

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Concretely, how to get 5G ?

To have 5G, three conditions are necessary. First, opt for a 5G package with your operator. Second, have a 5G compatible phone. Finally, be in a 5G network.

To benefit from 5G, you must first have a compatible smartphone, that is to say being certified by its manufacturer as being able to give access to this new technology. Most of the phones used currently not being equipped for 5G, it will most likely be necessary to acquire a new one to benefit from this feature, unless you have changed enough phone. Large groups of telephone manufacturers such as Samsung or Apple have already marketed on the market.

However, it is not because your phone is 5G compatible that you automatically have access to the new mobile network. Indeed, a 5G compatible phone can also operate only on the 4G, or even 3G or 2G network. If you are looking for a new phone, choosing a 5G compatible phone you make sure of its longevity without depriving yourself of other advantages.

Thus, only free operators and more particularly subscribers of its offer at 19.99 euros can benefit from 5G for free by making the request to customer service. But this remains an exception among the mobile plans since for subscribers to other packages and at other operators, you must subscribe to a package offering 5G, generally the most expensive because having the most provided formula in data.

If you have a 5G compatible phone but your mobile package is a 4G package and you do not want to add additional costs to your mobile budget, don’t worry. The 4G mobile network is not yet at the best of its capacities in France, especially in terms of territory coverage and debit, users will not have to switch to 5G in a certain time. In addition, 2,000 additional sites must still be put into service to improve the coverage of 4G in France. If you do not want to change your express phone or mobile package to access 5G, it is therefore possible to wait for the moment.

You are still in full reflection on your way or not to a 5G mobile plan and your choice depends mainly on the prices of 5G ? You will find below a summary table of the 5G mobile package offers by operator.

Operator	Package	Price per month	Data	Commitment
free mobile	210 GB package	€ 19.99	150 GB	Without engagement
SFR	140 GB package	€ 21 (12 months) Then 33 €	140 GB	24 months
SFR	150 GB package	€ 30 (12 months) Then 45 €	150 GB	24 months
SFR	220 GB package	50 € (12 months) then 65 €	220 GB	24 months
SFR	Unlimited package	60 € (12 months) Then 75 €	Unlimited	24 months
Red by SFR	200 GB 5G package	17 €	200 GB	Without engagement
Bouygues Telecom	B & you	€ 24.99	130 GB	Without engagement
Bouygues Telecom	Sensation	€ 16.99 (12 months) then 31.99	70 GB	24 months
Bouygues Telecom	Sensation	€ 20.99 (12 months) Then € 39.99	90 GB	24 months
Bouygues Telecom	Sensation	€ 29.99 (12 months) Then € 48.99	150 GB	24 months
Bouygues Telecom	Sensation	54.99 (12 months) Then € 69.99	200 GB	24 months
Mobile Post	100 GB package	€ 19.99	100 GB	Without engagement
Mobile Post	50 GB package	€ 14.99	50 GB	Without engagement
Orange	120 GB package	€ 20.99 (12 months) Then € 32.99	120 GB	Without engagement
Orange	130 GB package	€ 29.99 (12 months) then € 44.99	130 GB	Without engagement
Orange	200 GB package	€ 49.99 (12 months) then € 64.99	200 GB	Without engagement
Mobile NRJ	130 GB 5G package	€ 24.99	130 GB	Without engagement

Please note that SOSH does not yet offer 5G packages.

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When to opt for 5G ?

With the development of 5G on frequency bands above 24 GHz around 2022 or 2023, it may be recommended to wait for this period to opt for 5G. Indeed, you will benefit, on the one hand, from all the potential of this innovative technology, on the other hand, more attractive prices offered by operators.

Weaker 5G flows than waiting

According to the latest report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) published in December 2021, there would be an increase in the quality of the mobile services offered by operators but which does not yet reach the expected objectives. 5G does not allow today a connection three times faster than 4G. In the best of cases, flow is increased by around 50%. However, these data remain averages. Various factors take into account in particular geographic location, the presence of obstacles, proximity to an antenna or the choice of operator.

The uneven distribution of 5G

Depending on your place of residence, your access to 5G will be strongly impacted. If 4G is already a source of inequalities between urban and rural areas, this new generation of flow increases particularly these. Thus, in the most distant areas of urban and tourist centers, the difference between 4G and 5G is nonexistent without distinction between operators. Even in urban areas such as Paris or Lyon, not all districts benefit from 5G.

How to know if 5G is deployed at my place of residence ?

Mobile operators provide cards on their website that allow you to know if their various networks are deployed at your place of residence or in your region.

• Orange: network.orange.FR/Cover/Mobile-3G-4G-5G cards
• SFR: assistance.SFR.FR/Mobile-et-Tablette/Reseau-SFR/Couverture-RESEAU-SFR.html
• Bouygues Telecom: Bouyguestelecom.FR/Network/covers-coverage-reseau-mobile
• Free Mobile: Mobile.free.FR/COVER

Be careful, when reading these cards, you may encounter difficulties in determining the 5G coverage at your place of residence. Indeed, concerning the graphic representation of SFR, two types of 5G coverage are displayed. If you want to benefit from a real improvement in your flow, pay particular attention to the 3.5 GHz band cover. The 2100 MHz band offers flows 5 times less, sometimes even lower than 4G. On the side of Bouygues, the operator distinguishes the 3.5 GHz high bands from those of 2.1 GHz on his map. The operator Free displays a particularly deployed 5G coverage in France due to its strategy to use the 700 MHz frequency band which provides the lowest 5G flow rates. Finally, Orange also remains blurred with regard to the consumer on quality differences between 3.5 GHz frequencies and 2100 MHz.

If you do not yet have an operator or want to change it, the Cartoradio site.en also allows you to more generally identify the sites deploying 5G in France.

Better 5G speeds according to operators

According to the data provided by ARCEP in December 2021, Orange seems to be the operator providing the best 5G flow rates in most geographic areas, followed by SFR and Bouygues then Free.
Recall that it is only the frequency band of 3.5 GHz, the highest, which allows you to benefit from flows three times faster compared to 4G. The 700 and 2,100 MHz bands offer only flows equivalent to those of 4G. So, depending on where you are, your operator can mobilize a certain frequency band that will not allow you to download a film in a few seconds.

5G covers according to operators

ARCEP’s interactive cards offer tools to compare operators between them. Here is the deployment of 5G sites in France according to SFR, Orange, Free and Bouygues.

Did you know: Free subscribers, attention

ARCEP data show that Free subscribers benefit from the lowest 5G flows regardless of their place of residence. If the operator highlights the fact that its customers are those who manage the most to capture the 5G signal, the fact remains that these are disadvantaged compared to the customers of other operators. Even more, those who benefit from the 5G offer seem to capture less good flows than the group’s 4G subscribers. A share of the explanation lies in Free’s strategy to deploy 5G on the frequency band of 700 MHz, which no other operator has undertaken. Consequently, Free can affirm its subscribers quickly cover a large part of the territory at a reduced price. However, these frequencies cannot provide high speeds to users.

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5G and the future: deadlines, deployment and environmental and social impacts

Mobile network operators are dependent on the calendars of local authorities and must carry out agreements to deploy 5G. Remember, however, that frequency use authorizations date from November 12, 2020.

Does 5G complete the fiber optics ?

If the fiber optics offers very high speed in the wired residences, 5G achieves this same objective when you are on mobility. The link between these two technologies lies in particular in the essential character of optical fiber to operate the 5G network by connecting the antennas between them.

What environmental impact ?

By promising a faster connection, 5G is inevitably a new generation requiring antennas, servers and other equipment even more demanding. While some operators promise electricity consumption equal to that consumed in 4G, it is likely that the massive increase in data substantial to the use of 5G entry an increase in electricity consumption.
In addition, this new generation will require a renewal of the smartphones park, which will also generate environmental costs.

What consequences on health ?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), no study has so far proven any harmful effect of waves on health while respecting the exposure values ​​of exposure. In addition, the high frequencies used by 5G penetrating the body tissues more weakly, the deployment of 5G does not seem to alarm the WHO. However, the National Agency for Health Security (ANSES) began a series of work to verify the potential consequences of new waves on the human body. Indeed, 5G will result in a limited increase in exposure to waves for users. In France, the National Agency for Radio Frequencies (ANFR) regulates the public exhibition at the air. More in -depth research must still be carried out concerning the frequency band of 26 GHz which will arrive by 2023.

The opinion to choose.com

It is still early today to be able to take stock of 5G. For the moment, it is always the future advantages that its deployments and final development which can really be put forward. Thus, before benefiting from a real evolution of the infrastructure around 2023, it is reasonable to think that 5G has not, to date, have reached all the promises of its potential. In practice, many users may pay a necessarily expensive service without the increase in the quality of their connection actually follow. Above all, the deployment started at the end of 2020 and which should still last a little less than ten years varies enormously in performance from one operator to another depending on the frequency bands with which new 5G sites are equipped. In the current state of things, it is possible that 5G mobile plans with real quality of connection are restricted to the main large cities and only to a part of the territory (typically, the Orange operator), while the mobile plans Taking advantage of the 5G network on a large part of the territory would find it difficult to provide a service that meets consumer expectations, or even below the latter (typically, the operator Free).

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The advantages of 5G for companies

There 5g which is being deployed in France* and abroad represents a real technological rupture. The 5th generation of mobile network promises a deep digital transformation of companies, which will be able to develop many innovative services.
Increase in flows, better responsiveness, more connectivity, advantages that reveal enormous potential of productivity gain. From agriculture to e-health, including smart city, transport, logistics, environment but also training, 5G is a real engine of innovations that will create new uses in business.
Discover the advantages offered by this new network to develop your business.

5G: Key advantages for your business

• Increase in flow

Ten times faster than 4G, 5G offers a download speed that can reach up to 10 gbits per second. Improving communication speed allows you to download/transfer very large files from a smartphone or other mobile device. Its ability to process large volumes of data Facilitates collaborative work thanks to the data sharing which is almost instantaneous. Employees of a company can easily participate in a multi-user visioconference in high definition and without cutting from their mobiles. Nomadic employees will be able to benefit from all their business applications, SaaS software and collaborative tools via their smartphone/tablet by connecting to the 5G network of the. The instantaneity of exchanges will improve work remotely by making employees more flexible and more reachable at any time and anywhere !

• Better responsiveness

The 5G Network Offer 10 times more responsiveness that 4G !
The response time between two actions is almost non -existent, the Information exchanges is done as real.
Unparalleled fluidity for an optimal user experience !
This improved latency time opens the field of possibilities: autonomous shuttles, connected cars, control of remote machines ..

• More connectivity

The number of objects connected to a network continues to grow each year and reach 30 billion units by 2023. Even in very frequented places, 5G is capable of absorbing a very large number of simultaneous connections multiplying by 10 the number of objects connected to the network at the same time. Ultimately she can bear until 1 million devices connected per km2. An essential technological advance for the development of the Internet of Things

5G is made for companies regardless of the sector of activity and represents an undeniable growth lever for your business.