What Is 5G Service & When Is It Coming To Canada?
The 5th Generation, or 5G service, is the latest cellular standard to revolutionize how fast we can send and transmit data. Internet service in Canada continues to thrive. Smart cities are relying on this technology to reduce wait times and deliver products faster. No one wants to hesitate a second longer than they have to. Whether you are looking up your latest Google inquiry or setting your house or business alarm on your cellphone, faster is better on many levels.
Benefits of 5G vs 4G include:
- Lower latencies
- Faster data rates
- Automotive technology
- Lower cost and longer battery life
- Smart homes & cities
- Rural connectivity and much more
5G Cellular vs. 5 GHz Wi-Fi
The router in your home has 5GHz Wi-Fi, although, this doesn’t make your router 5G cellular. The new wireless carriers have been marketing their campaigns and it is easy to get confused. For instance, if you are an AT&T customer, note that you will be seeing the term 5G E and this is actually NOT 5G service but simply a new name for their old 4G network…confused yet?!
What Is 5G Wi-Fi?
Fix My Touch understands the confusion and is here to help you navigate through this latest generation of connectivity. If you are hearing “5G Wi-Fi” it is referencing five gigahertz and not the 5G service you will need an updated phone to enjoy.
5 GHz is faster and less crowded and is more popular for surfing the internet; however, many wireless phones and other devices in your home may rely on the 2.4 GHz. The longer 2.4 GHz waves are better for going through walls and cover more ground than the 5 GHz. Most modern routers are dual-band and can support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz simultaneously.
2019 & 2020 5G Service In Canada
What is 5G cellular if it is not 5GHz Wi-Fi (a frequency band, five gigahertz) or 5G E? 5G service refers to the fifth generation of cellphone networks. The industry specs to define this range are called 5G NR (new radio). This provides a more efficient way of encoding data compared to previous generations. It is capable of better communication with remote servers with its’ lower latency and can fit more data into a single radio cycle.
The 5G network in Canada can work with more devices in a square mile than the previous 4G LTE; hence all of the advertisements showcasing how much more “connected” you will be with this service. 2019 & 2020 wireless carriers offering 5G service include:
- T-Mobile
- Rogers
- Telus
- Huawei
- Verizon
- AT&T
- Verizon
- Bell
Future Technology Relies On 5G Service
This wireless generation has been designed to be flexible with the technological applications of the future. Forecasts predict more communication between devices as being the wave of the future. Think self-driving cars and remotely operated drones. Precise communication is essential and 5G service is set to deliver. It has been hailed as “connecting things,” more than “connecting people.” However, it is estimated that it will take approximately a decade for this technology to mature.
How Fast Is 5G?
Expectations are advertising that 5G networks (under ideal conditions and peak speeds) will be able to reach approximately 20Gbps download speeds. Believe it or not, this is 20 times what is available with LTD-Advanced options today. The latency time or time it takes to access content from the network will additionally be reduced to roughly a millisecond. Note that these numbers rely on mmWave or Millimeter-wave which is a key band spectrum.
5G Service In Vancouver & Toronto (in certain locations)
Telus and Rogers have certain 5G locations up and running in 2019. Namely, the 5G Living Lab (Telus partnership with Huawei) and Rogers have a location at the UBC Vancouver campus and downtown Toronto. There are plenty of 2020 locations scheduled to launch this winter. Check out other 5G launching estimates from around the globe. Alternatively, check with your wireless carrier to stay on top of the latest updates.
Stay In Touch With Fix My Touch
Your favourite Kelowna cell repair can handle water damage, broken screens, charging port issues and so much more. Don’t get down if your technology is on the fritz.