Now, several years into 5G’s rollout, the platform has already offered significant changes and advantages to our online systems. Though 5G’s development might have been overlooked by many users, its contributions to the online realm are immense in many aspects of digital life. Taking a closer look at what 5G brings to the digital table, we want to explore its benefits within several forms of common use.
What is 5G Anyway?
5G is the general term given to the fifth generation of mobile connective technology. It offers several upgrades over 4G, though it won’t act as a total replacement. This is because, despite its benefits over 4G, 5G lacks 4G’s range and building penetration. These realities mean that 4G is still a preferable alternative in many areas.
PC Mag notes 5G offers three major benefits over 4G:
- Higher bandwidth
- Lower latency
- More active connections per tower
Higher bandwidth means more data can be sent and received to a system every second. Lower latency means that the signal will take less time performing a round trip. More active connections per tower mean more reliable connection points, as connections dropping from overuse become much rarer.
The Effect on the End User
The usefulness and effectiveness of 5G depends on the use case. For some uses, the change could be immense, while for others, a move to 5G might be less noticeable, even when it is providing benefits.
In terms of undeniable usefulness, the most visible advantages can come from the increased reliability that comes from more possible connections per tower. If you’ve been in a busy urban area during a festival or concert and struggled to use a mobile phone, you’ve likely experienced the limits of the prior generation. 5G’s greater connections don’t just aid convenience here, they also make it easier for emergency coordination and safety measures to be enacted.
Another use where 5G speed could come in especially helpful is with mobile users who rely on data-intensive tasks like video editing. Connecting to a 5G network could provide the bandwidth and latency performance to make working on such projects possible on the go. This opens up working away from the office immensely, which, as Business News Daily reports, is advantageous to both businesses and employees.
General increased efficiency and performance would also be experienced in some casual uses such as playing online casino games. Titles such as Reel King and Starburst already load quickly on older 4G connections, but 5G could make services like Slot Boss UK perform even faster. In essence, this could make loading appear instant instead of nearly instant, as with older connections. A small change, but one many users appreciate.
As with many gradual upgrades to online systems and architecture, the advantages of 5G might be overlooked even by those who rely on them. We’ve come so far in the last few decades of tech that we tend to forget the path travelled and just how frustrating online experiences used to be. Next time you’re connecting to the internet on the go, and you see that little 5G symbol at the top of your phone, consider giving a little thanks to what the new generation offers and what it represents.
