5G vs 4G : What is The Difference?
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5G is poised to be the next big thing in mobile internet, providing significantly faster mobile speeds than current 4G technology. While 5G won’t replace 4G immediately, it’s already available in thousands of US cities and promises to provide speeds similar to Wi-Fi and even cable connections. Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, smart cities, augmented reality applications, and self-driving cars will soon to take advantage of the benefits of 5G.
What’s the Difference between 4G and 5G?
When you consider 4G vs. 5G, the most obvious difference is data transfer speeds. 4G and the more advanced 4G LTE technology offers speeds 500 times faster than the best 3G network. 4G LTE-A, the latest rollout in the 4G family, offers maximum speeds of 1 Gbps. Launched in the late 2000s, 4G allows users access to HDTV on mobile devices, faster browsing, and the ability to make high-quality video calls.
Impressive though these speeds are in comparison to 3G, 4G and 4G LTE are slowly becoming obsolete thanks to the emergence of the Internet of Things, where everything from televisions and cars to refrigerators and coffee machines can connect online. It’s estimated over 20 billion connected devices will be consuming bandwidth by 2020. Simply put, 4G isn’t designed to handle that much traffic. 5G, however, can transmit and receive large amounts of bandwidth with ease.
4G vs 5G Availability
Creating a mobile communication infrastructure capable of supporting 5G takes time. At present, 5G networks are available in over 1,700 major US cities, while 4G has nationwide coverage. 4G vs. 5G availability will continue to favor 4G for the next few years, much as 3G once had greater coverage than 4G. Over time, however, 5G networks will catch up to 4G, and eventually eclipse the older mobile broadband internet system. To see the latest network coverage from Verizon for your address please click here.
How Much Faster is 5G?
When you compare 4G vs. 5G speed, 4G is left in the dust. 5G is expected to provide peak data transfer speeds of 100 gigabits per second. That’s not only 100 times faster than 4G – such speed also beats the best home broadband networks.
Latency describes the time between when data is sent from one device and when it can be used by a receiving device. 5G latency is so low users will be able to use their mobile connection as a viable replacement for Wi-Fi and cable connections. This will increase upload and download speeds, improve video calls even more, and allow users to watch 4K video on mobile devices without buffering. Businesses will also be able to take advantage of 5G speed, which will improve the responsiveness of AI store assistants and retail-based augmented reality programs.
5G Phones
To take advantage of 5G speed, you’ll need a 5G-compatible phone. Most new phone models now support 5G, while also supporting 4G networks. In contrast, a 4G phone can only connect to a 4G network. With a 5G phone, you can switch back and forth between 4G and 5G networks depending on your needs and whether or not 5G is available in the surrounding area.
Interested in accessing the speed and power of 5G? Drop by your local Victra store to talk to our friendly customer service representatives and find the 5G phone or tablet that fits your mobile device needs today! Shop some of our topselling 5G smarphones below or visit a store near you for a discussion on Verizon’s latest network news. For the latest list of our 5G compatible phones click here.
is a skilled Web Developer and Designer. He builds and designs websites that focus on best UI/UX practices. Justin is also a Verizon Product Expert at Victra, helping customers with Verizon products and services. His mix of design, coding, product, and general knowledge makes him a valuable and knowledgeable team member.
