How can one companies 5G be “better” than another? Doesn’t 5G refer to the speed/strength of the connection?
In: Technology
5G is a minimum standard. Specifically, it’s the fifth generation of standards for cell networks (hence 5G). It’s not so much a specified speed as it is an agreed-upon set of technologies and protocols that allow different networks and devices to work together. These technologies and protocols are more advanced than the previous generation, and as such networks built to that standard will deliver better speeds than networks built to 4G standards.
Put another way, we’re moving from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles. Some automobiles will be faster than others, or more reliable, or more luxurious, but they’re all cars in the end. As long as you’ve got brakes, headlights, taillights, rearview mirrors, windshield wipers, and so on, you can register your car, slap on a license plate, and drive your car on public roads.
5G networks are the same way. As long as they’re built to that standard, they’re considered 5G. Yes, 5G marketing to the end user mostly just emphasizes connection speed, but coverage is also a big factor in what makes a network “better”. Both also vary wildly according to the frequency used by the cell tower you’re connected to: higher frequencies mean higher connection speeds, but higher frequencies also have a shorter range and are more easily blocked by trees, walls, windows, etc. Some networks are built out faster than others or prefer higher or lower frequencies. All these factors mean that the quality of a 5G network can be highly variable; even the quality of the *same* network can vary highly by location.
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