Cell Phones with 5G

5G is the fifth generation of mobile communication technology. It is the successor to 4G (LTE Advanced), 3G (UMTS, LTE) and 2G (GSM). 5G should reach theoretical speeds of 20 Gbit per second but in practice this will be lower. In addition to a higher speed, there is a lower latency. Because transmitter and receiver do not have to wait as long for each other, new possibilities arise, including real-time applications.

Applications 5G

In addition to even faster internet via our mobile phone, 5G will achieve even more. It will be the basis of Internet of Things (IoT) where each device has a connection to the Internet. Self-propelled cars will also be bathed at 5G because of their low latency. This allows such cars to exchange information with each other much more quickly, which is necessary in view of the relatively high speeds. Online gaming will also be one of the possibilities.

5G in the Netherlands

As with 4G, the rollout of 5G will depend on the availability of 5G telephones. A chicken-egg problem because who wants a 5G phone if there are no 5G networks. KPN and Vodafone will continue to test with 5G in limited areas until 2019. T-Mobile and Tele2 have expressed the wish to have a nationwide 5G network operational by the end of 2020. This deadline may not be met due to the eavesdropping station in Burum (Friesland).

After a 5G network is available, it will not immediately be necessary to purchase a 5G phone. Also your 'old' mobile can handle it because 4G and 3G are still supported for some time. Anyone who wants to use 5G in the meantime and doesn't want to buy a 5G phone can always purchase a MiFi router. This is a kind of mobile router that can receive and send 5G signals. Your current equipment can then connect to the MiFi via WiFi. These devices were also popular for some time around the introduction of 3G and 4G.

Problems deployment 5G

The introduction of 5G is delayed in the Netherlands due to the intended frequencies on which 5G has to work. It has been agreed at European level to use the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) frequency for this purpose. In the Netherlands it is forbidden to use this frequency above the imaginary line Amsterdam - Zwolle. This would interfere with the eavesdropping station in Burum (Friesland). The Ministry announced at the end of 2018 that it was inevitable to move the bugging station abroad. This will not happen until the end of 2021 / beginning of 2022 at the earliest, after which a fully national 5G network can only be rolled out.

5G phones

Manufacturers only started announcing 5G telephones in 2019. This was on the one hand because the 5G standard had not yet crystallised, but also because 5G modems were not ready for a long time. Meanwhile, Qualcomm the Snapdragon X50 5G Modem and Huawei the Balong-5000 chip announced. Telephone manufacturers will eventually use these in telephones to build 5G telephones. In the meantime, the first commercial 5G telephones have already been announced, these have not yet appeared in the Netherlands. Manufacturers do not yet see any benefit in this because 5G is not yet available here.

Sub6 and mmWave

Like 3G and 4G, 5G uses radio waves of a certain frequency. In general, the lower the frequency, the slower the data transfer and the greater the range. Compare it with noise from the neighbour's stereo system. That's where you hear the bass tones more often. They pass through buildings easier than high-pitched tones. The same principle works with the frequencies 5G uses. Anything below the 6 GHz limit is called Sub6 and is basically intended for better coverage over a large area but offers a limited speed gain over 4G. Above the 6 GHz limit is also called mmWave or millimeter wave and promises much higher speeds of even 2 Gbit/s.

It is obvious that telecom providers will start offering Sub6 5G. It is more advantageous because a nationwide network can be obtained with fewer masts.