Efficiency of 5G Network over 4G 

-MICHAELA GOSS

In a perfect world, each generation improves upon the best qualities of its predecessors and thrives in ways previous generations couldn’t. In a way, new generations respond to the issues created by older generations.

This is particularly relevant for generations of mobile networking and cellular technology. In the case of 4G vs. 5G, 5G aims to not only surpass 4G network capabilities, but also meet and exceed 4G’s goals for general speeds, latency and density.

The 4G era saw the innovation of various networking trends, such as IoT growth, greater numbers of smartphones, and remote and mobile workforces. These trends advanced throughout the 2010s, which created a need to support faster speeds and greater cell density. Pundits hope the latest generation, 5G, addresses the issues 4G introduced.

As organizations consider 5G, they must understand the differences between 4G and 5G network architectures and determine how both architectures could affect business operations. This feature dives deep into those differences and discusses what these key differentiators mean for organizations globally.

The differences Between LTE, 4G and 5G

4G

4G is the fourth generation of mobile network technology and 5G’s predecessor. In the 2010s, 4G reigned as the latest, most innovative generation of cellular technology and reached ubiquity within the decade. Some of 4G’s promises included enhanced cell density, improved VoIP capabilities and greater bandwidth.

LTE

LTE developed as a 4G standard during 4G’s reign. LTE is the golden, global standard for wireless broadband and sets the foundation for 5G networks. Both 4G and LTE support various traffic types, something previous generations struggled to do and which 5G must now improve upon.

5G

5G is the latest generation of cellular network technology. Small, early deployments began in the late 2010s, but carriers are still developing their 5G infrastructure. Benefits of 5G include faster network speeds and real-time communication capabilities.

Each wireless network generation has reflected a significant increase in speed, and the benefits of 5G the fifth generation of cellular network technology will push far beyond 4G LTE.

Predicted speeds of up to 10 Gbps represent up to a 100x increase compared to 4G. In practical terms, 4G vs. 5G speed enhancements will mean exciting possibilities for consumers. Transferring a high-resolution movie at peak download speeds will go from taking seven minutes to just six seconds. That time savings could mean being able to grab that new hit film before the flight attendant asks you to put your phone in airplane mode.

After carriers roll out full 5G features, consumers and businesses may begin to consider 5G networks a strong alternative for fast broadband connections. some of the benefits of 5G over 4G network includes;

1. Low Latency

Latency measures how long a signal takes to go from its source to its receiver, and then back again. One of the goals for each wireless generation has been to reduce latency. New 5G networks will have even lower latency than 4G LTE, with the round-trip transmission of data taking less than five milliseconds.¹

5G latency will be faster than human visual processing, making it possible to control devices remotely in near-real time. Human reaction speed will become the limiting factor for remote applications that use 5G and IoT and many new applications will involve machine-to-machine communication that isn’t limited by how quickly humans can respond.

While agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics will all benefit from lower latency, gamers also eagerly anticipate the 5G rollout. The combination of high speed and minimal lag is perfect for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications, which are likely to explode in popularity as connectivity improvements create a more seamless, immersive experience.