Ghana is set to introduce 5G technology in the coming months which comes as a boast for its network infrastructure. A network infrastructure is the entirety of network system operations that enables the transfer of data and communication.
With 5G being introduced, there is a need for you to know why technology is important and how different it is. In this article, I explain everything you need to know about 4G vs 5G.
5G (5thGeneration) is the next generation of mobile networks which comes as an upgrade of 4G. As fast as 4G operates, it has a high latency especially when many devices are connected. Latency is the amount of time it takes for data to reach its destination over a network. 5G is here to solve the flaws of 4G and to take your digital experience to the next level.
Evolution of mobile networks
The first generation of mobile networks emerged in the early 1980s where the network allowed only voice calls to be made.
The second generation of mobile networks (2G) introduced the sending of SMS and MMS messages working together with voice calls.
The third generation of mobile networks (3G)brought some game-changing innovations which paved the way for how we use the internet today. The main aim of 3G was to support high-speed data and technology allowed data rates up to 14Mbps. It allowed the ability to transfer data at greater speed which enabled users to browse the internet, share large files and even make video calls.
4G enhanced the innovations of 3G with the introduction of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology which delivered download speeds between 10Mbps and 1Gbps.
5G is the latest network and it promises to be an absolute upgrade. In theory, it has a peak speed of up to 20 Gbps and offers lower latency which takes our digital experiences to another height.
Key differences between 5G and 4G?
- Speed
5G is faster than 4G but to what extent? The 4G technology has a download speed capable of reaching 100 Mbps (Megabyte per second) as the highest speed when all factors are considered. Read on internet speed.
The 5G on the other hand, in theory, has the capability of reaching 20 Gbps (Giga byte per second) which sounds unreal but actually can.
This leads to a higher bandwidth in 5G. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data that can be transferred over a network in a given time. With 5G, you can download large files within in few minutes and enhance your real-time interactions.
- Latency
Latency refers to the delay or the time taken for a data packet to reach its destination over a network. When you send your friends a message, the amount of time it takes for them to receive is what we call latency.
5G offers lower latency which means fast transmission of data as compared to 4G. Game enthusiasts can enjoy online gaming without lags while using the 5G network.
The latency of 4G is 30 milliseconds which is okay but 5G has an outstanding 1 millisecond low latency.
- Network capacity
Network capacity defines the ability of a network to handle numerous devices without affecting performance.
Do you realize when you are connected to a public WiFi with more devices the connection is slow? This is because the network capacity cannot handle the number of connected devices which leads to a lower performance.
5G has an improved network capacity that can handle more devices at a spot than 4G.
In conclusion, the 5G technology is a massive upgrade of 4G technology. Ghana will be running this technology in the coming months and if your phone supports 5G, you are already ahead of the curve.
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