5G NETWORK-HOW IT WORKS-EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 5G

It is a capital improvement project the size of the entire planet, replacing one wireless architecture created this century with another one that aims to lower energy consumption and maintenance costs. It’s also a huge gamble on the future of transmission technology, doubling down on consumers’ willingness to upgrade.

The most important promise made by the proprietors of 5G wireless technology. The telecommunications service providers, the transmission equipment makers, the antenna manufacturers, and even the server manufacturers -- is this: Once all of 5G's components are fully deployed and operational, you will not need any kind of wire or cable to deliver communications or even entertainment service to your mobile device, to any of your fixed devices (HDTV, security system, smart appliances), or to your automobile. If everything works, 5G would be the optimum solution to the classic "last mile" problem: Delivering complete digital connectivity from the tip of the carrier network to the customer, without drilling another hole through the wall.

The "if" in that previous sentence remains colossal. The whole point of "Gs" in wireless standards, originally, was to emphasize the ease of transition between one wireless system of delivery and a newer one -- or at least make that transition seem reasonably pain-free. (Not that any transition has ever been a trip to the fair.)  5G entails a set of simultaneous revolutions, all of which would have to go off without a hitch. . . or at least without any further hitches:

How does it work?

5G initially used super high-frequency spectrum, which has shorter range but higher capacity, to deliver a massive pipe for online access. Think of it as a glorified Wi-Fi hotspot.

But given the range and interference issues, the carriers are also using lower-frequency spectrum -- the type used in today's networks -- to help ferry 5G across greater distances and through walls and other obstructions.

Last year, Sprint (now part of T-Mobile) claimed it has the biggest 5G network because it's using its 2.5 gigahertz band of spectrum, which offers wider coverage. But T-Mobile in December launched a nationwide network using even lower-frequency spectrum, which can spread further. T-Mobile intends to use Sprint's 2.5 GHz spectrum to add more speed to its network. AT&T also launched 5G with lower bands at the end of last year, and says it plans to have nationwide coverage by the end of summer.

The result is that the insane speeds companies first promised won't always be there, but we'll still see a boost beyond what we get today with 4G LTE.

Wait, so there are different flavors of 5G?

At the risk of complicating things further, yes. That low-band spectrum -- the type used in 3G and 4G networks -- is what gives carriers a wide range of coverage. But the speeds are only marginally better than 4G. In some cases, they're almost the same. But that wide range is key for covering as many people as possible.

The opposite end of the scale is the super high-frequency band, known as millimeter-wave spectrum, that carriers like Verizon rolled out early on. You get tremendous speeds, but the range is short and it has trouble penetrating windows and walls.

Then there's midband spectrum like Sprint's 2.5 GHz swath. Around the world, it's the most commonly used type of spectrum since it offers the best mix of speed and and range. In the US, only T-Mobile has access to this kind of spectrum for now.

Where do these carriers get the spectrum?

Some of these carriers already control small swaths of high-frequency radio airwaves, but many will have to purchase more from the government. Carriers around the world are working with their respective governments to free up the necessary spectrum. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission is holding more auctions for so-called millimeter wave spectrum, which all the carriers are participating in.  

How did the launch go?

Between the end of 2018 through the first few months of last year, the carriers were racing to claim some sort of "first." Verizon and AT&T launched their mobile 5G networks, while KT said a robot in South Korea was its first 5G customer. Sprint turned on its network in June, followed shortly thereafter by T-Mobile. UK carrier EE was the first in its country to turn on 5G.

Verizon launched the first "5G" service in the world in October 2018, but it's a bit of a technicality. The service, called 5G Home, is a fixed broadband replacement, rather than a mobile service. An installer has to put in special equipment in your house or apartment that can pick up the 5G signals and turn that into a Wi-Fi connection in the home so your other devices can access it.

There was also some debate about whether the service even qualified as 5G: It didn't use the standards the industry has agreed on. The company wanted to jump out ahead, and used its own proprietary technology. Verizon argued that the speeds, which range from 300 megabits per second to 1 gigabit per second, qualify the service for 5G designation. Its rivals and other mobile experts dispute that claim.

The launch was extremely limited in select neighborhoods in Houston, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles and Sacramento, California. (Let us know if you're among the lucky few who got it.) In October, Verizon expanded the service to Chicago and said it had switched to using industry-standard 5G equipment.

At the end of December 2018, AT&T turned on its mobile 5G network in a dozen cities and more specifically in "dense urban and high-traffic areas." Take note, Verizon: AT&T boasted that it's the "first and only company in the US to offer a mobile 5G device over a commercial, standards-based mobile 5G network." But access to these networks were initially limited to preferred business customers, and consumers weren't able to access this super-fast service for all of 2019.

Where is 5G available?

This is pretty complicated question depending on your carrier, region and what specific flavor of 5G you're talking about.

A lot of countries have been using that midband spectrum, with its nice mix of range and speed, and coverage has improved steadily since the launch -- even if there are plenty of dead spots still. But in the US, the picture is more fragmented.

T-Mobile is the only one claiming nationwide coverage, but it uses that lower-frequency spectrum that often looks a lot like a glorified 4G signal. At launch, the company said people could expect a speed bump of about 20 percent over 4G, which for many consumers isn't fast enough to be noticeable. The company said on Thursday that it covers 6,000 cities and towns and more than two-thirds of the population.

AT&T also has a low-band network, and plans to go nationwide by the end of summer. The company said on Thursday that it covers 190 markets with its broader ranging 5G, which like T-Mobile's network, is only incrementally faster than 4G.

Verizon said it would use spectrum from its existing 4G network to power a the more wide-ranging 5G network in the second half of the year but hasn't gotten too specific about its low-band plan. It's using a technology called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (think of rerouting the faster lanes of a freeway between 4G and 5G on the fly) to power this move.

When it comes to that super-fast millimeter wave flavor, Verizon is the main standard bearer. The company's so-called 5G UW is in 35 markets, with a target of hitting 60 markets by the end of the year.

T-Mobile said it has its millimeter wave network in parts of seven cities, including New York, Dallas and Los Angeles. The company also has the advantage of absorbing the midband spectrum that Sprint was using to power its own 5G network. For a short while in 2019, Sprint claimed to have the largest 5G network by virtue of its 2.5 GHz spectrum. The carrier has turned on the 2.5 GHz spectrum in Philadelphia and New York, and it's working on other markets.

What about that home broadband service?

Verizon's 5G Home service, which initially launched using proprietary technology, is not utilizing industry-standard 5G, which has resulted in broader availability and higher speeds. But the service is still limited to six cities. In late June, Houston got an upgrade to the industry-standard 5G, resulting in better service. The company says it plans to have 10 total markets with 5G Home.

T-Mobile, meanwhile, has talked about the opportunity to offer 5G service as a replacement for broadband, but has offered little details.

What about this 5G E thing from AT&T?

Sorry, but that's more marketing fluff. AT&T's 5G E stands for 5G Evolution, or its upgraded 4G LTE network that has a path to real 5G.

But the designation, which showed up on phones in early 2019, has caused some consumer confusion, with some thinking they already have 5G. To be clear, it's not, with many bashing AT&T for misleading customers. Sprint filed a lawsuit against AT&T, which, according to an AT&T spokesperson, the companies "amicably settled." The National Advertising Review Board has recommended that AT&T stopping using the term in its marketing, although the icon on your AT&T phone remains.

What about all the other 5G names?

Yeah, it's super confusing. Beyond the fake 5G E name, there are legit labels like Verizon's 5G UW (for Ultra Wideband), which signals the fastest flavor of 5G (using millimeter wave). AT&T is calling its super-fast next-generation network 5G Plus, while using 5G as a label for the service running on lower frequency spectrum.

Can I pick up 5G with my existing smartphone?

Sorry, no. 5G technology requires a specific set of antennas to tap into specific bands. Last year's Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is tuned for Verizon's network and its millimeter wave spectrum. This year's Samsung Galaxy S20 5G is compatible with more networks, but there's still a specific variant for Verizon that taps into its "UW" network.

Most of the early 2019 phones used Qualcomm's X50 modem, which is designed specifically to tap into specific 5G bands. Phones launching this year will use a second-generation chip that picks up more spectrum bands.

You can expect more 5G phones to launch later this year, with phones able to ride on different networks coming out in mass in 2020.

Are all the phones premium devices?

For now, yes. But the industry is working hard to drive down the prices. AT&T's McElfresh said he was working to get phone prices down so they're more accessible. Verizon said in January it plans to release 20 5G devices this year, with some dropping below $600.

TCL plans to launch a 5G device in the US later this year that goes below $500, according to Stefan Streit, general manager of global marketing for the Chinese phone and TV maker.  

Anything I should worry about?

High-frequency spectrum is the key to that massive pickup in capacity and speed, but there are drawbacks. The range isn't great, especially when you have obstructions such as trees or buildings. As a result, carriers will have to deploy a lot more small cellular radios, creatively named small cells, around any areas that get a 5G signal.

T-Mobile and AT&T are utilizing its lower bandwidth spectrum to get 5G into more areas. Verizon lacks that lower bandwidth, so it's using a technology called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing that allows it to use its existing spectrum for its 4G networks to also power 5G. AT&T is likewise testing this.

What about health risks?

There have long been lingering concerns that cellular signals may cause cancer. Unfortunately, there haven't been a lot of studies to conclusively prove or disprove a health risk.

That opens the door to concerns about 5G. While some of those networks will run at super-high frequencies, researchers note that it still falls under the category of radiation that isn't supposed to be harmful to our cells.

Critics say there isn't enough research into this issue and that the studies that have been conducted weren't adequate. The World Health Organization lists cellular signals as a potential carcinogen. But it also lists pickled vegetables and coffee as carcinogens.

  

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