5G

5G is the fifth generation network of cellular mobile communications, first launched in March of 2019. 5G uses many new technologies that make it faster than 4G. 5G currently can get between 100 Mbit/s and 2 Gbit/s depending on the frequency that is used. It is eventually meant to replace 4G.

There are three main groups of frequencies used by 5G:^[1]

Lowband 5G is a type of 5G that uses low frequencies, just as 4G does. Lowband 5G has long range (meaning you can be far away from a tower or inside a building and still get signal) but slower speeds than other types of 5G. Lowband 5G is only a little bit faster than the LTE (Long Term Evolution) version of 4G. Lowband 5G usually has speeds of around 100 Mbit/s.

Midband 5G is a type of 5G that uses frequencies slightly higher than lowband 5G. It has shorter range than lowband 5G, but you can usually still get service indoors using midband 5G. Midband 5G is much faster than LTE. Midband 5G usually has speeds of 600 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s.

mmWave 5G is a type of 5G that uses frequencies much higher than lowband and midband. It has very short range. With mmWave, you can't get service inside buildings. Most solid objects can block mmWave. mmWave is much faster than any other type of 5G and can reach speeds of up to 2 Gbit/s currently. mmWave is considered the least practical version of 5G since the range is so short and basically anything can block it.

4G phones do not work on 5G. To use 5G, you need a phone that supports it. Most 5G phones have "5G" at the end of the phone's name.

There are concerns from conspiracy theorists that 5G might cause cancer or COVID-19. Scientists have found these theories to not be true.^[2]

5G Media

An Android phone, showing that it's connected to a 5G network
5G 3.5 GHz cell site of Deutsche Telekom in Darmstadt, Germany
5G 3.5 GHz cell site of Vodafone in Karlsruhe, Germany
5G connectivity on an iPhone
An anti-5G sticker in Luxembourg
The World Health Organization published a mythbuster infographic to combat the conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and 5G.

References

↑ Horwitz, Jeremy (19 December 2020). "The definitive guide to 5G low, mid, and high band speeds". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/10/the-definitive-guide-to-5g-low-mid-and-high-band-speeds/. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
↑ Betz, Bradford (2020-04-09). "Coronavirus 5G conspiracy theory debunked: Experts say there’s no connection" (in en-US). Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/tech/coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory-debunked. Retrieved 2022-02-18.

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[1] Horwitz, Jeremy (19 December 2020). "The definitive guide to 5G low, mid, and high band speeds". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/10/the-definitive-guide-to-5g-low-mid-and-high-band-speeds/. Retrieved 10 July 2020.

[2] Betz, Bradford (2020-04-09). "Coronavirus 5G conspiracy theory debunked: Experts say there’s no connection" (in en-US). Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/tech/coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory-debunked. Retrieved 2022-02-18.

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