Why is 5G so much slower than 4G? (2023)

Why is 5G just as slow as 4G?

Unfortunately, while the 5G side of DSS is legitimate 5G, of a sort, its actual performance is, in Verizon's own words, "comparable to [its] award-winning 4G LTE." This is due to a combination of factors, including congestion, the limitations of older hardware, and the same reliance on low-band frequencies.

Some of these factors include distance from network nodes / cell sites, obstructions, interference from other electronic devices, building materials, construction, terrain / geography, and even significant growth of foliage can contribute to the blockage of signal, resulting in a slow or unstable connection.

5G is different from 4G because it's the newest form of wireless technology. It's over twice as fast as 4G on average and can deliver speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps in some urban areas. 5G phone and hotspot users experience less network congestion and lower latency rates.

Latency. The biggest difference between 4G and 5G is latency. 5G promises low latency under 5 milliseconds, while 4G latency ranges from 60 ms to 98 ms. In addition, with lower latency comes advancements in other areas, such as faster download speeds.

Cybersecurity Risk: Another drawback of 5G technology is it increases the risk of hacking thus impinging on cybersecurity. Moreover, lack of encryption during the connection process also makes the devices using 5G technology an easier target for cyberattacks and data theft.

The 5G standard uses millimeter waves, which are a lot shorter than the wavelengths 4G uses. The shorter wavelength means 5G can carry a lot of data much faster than 4G, but it also means a much shorter range.

Slower internet speeds at night are often the due to network congestion. Just like rush hour traffic, when everyone uses the internet at the same time, the network's limited bandwidth struggles to keep up.

Seeing as the majority of 5G plans are the same as 4G plans, and most new smartphones are 5G-ready, it's a no-brainer to say that yes, 5G is worth it. In most cases, if you're getting a new handset or deal, you'll probably get 5G included at no extra cost, and then you'll get connected to superfast download speeds.

Part of T-Mobile's 5G network uses a low-frequency band, n71, that covers small towns and rural areas. A small amount of that is set aside for 4G, but much of it is used for 5G. So performance in those rural areas will probably improve with a 5G phone.

Is 4G more reliable than 5G?

5G versus 4G

All these devices, competing for bandwidth are slowing the network down. 5G may have the capacity to handle up to a million devices per square kilometre³. You will have less concern with dropped connections or how many devices you have connected to the network, it's that much more reliable.

No, 4G LTE shutdown will not be happening for atleast a decade. Therefore, the thing to remember is that 4G will not be going away anytime soon, regardless of how fast the 5G network grows. The plan is for existing 4G LTE networks to be used by carriers well into 2030.

T-Mobile and Sprint 3G/2G/4G LTE network shutdown dates

T-Mobile has listed the dates for shutting down Sprint's 3G and 4G LTE networks, and migrating people to modern broadband speed pastures. These are January 1, 2022 for Sprint's 3G network sunset, and June 30, 2022 for the 4G LTE connections, respectively.

6G internet is expected to launch commercially in 2030. The technology makes greater use of the distributed radio access network (RAN) and the terahertz (THz) spectrum to increase capacity, lower latency and improve spectrum sharing.

If a 5G network doesn't show up on your device even when you're in an area that's supposed to be supported, it could be because you're not paying for 5G access. Most companies include 5G in most of their plans but check with your carrier for specifics. Turn 5G on or off, depending on your situation.

You can customize these options for when to use 5G and how much data to use in some apps. However, inside the cellular settings, you can choose to turn 5G on/off on iPhone manually to optimize for speed or battery life.

5G can be massively faster than 4G and 3G speed—with the capability to deliver speeds as fast as Wi-Fi. With superior speeds of up to 20 Gbps, you can download a full 8k movie in seconds, experience tech such as VR, AR, automated driving, and connect even more devices than ever before.

A T-Mobile website suggests toggling between LTE and 5G to save battery life on Samsung Galaxy S20 5G phones. “In particular, the super-fast mmWave flavor has shown that battery life drains down quicker when tapping those higher power frequencies,” said Luna.

5G has lower latency than LTE. The 5G standard is intended to substantially reduce downloading latency down to 4 milliseconds for phone devices and one millisecond for devices such as self-driving vehicles that depend on ultra-reliable low latency connectivity (about ten times quicker than LTE's ten milliseconds).

According to communication principles, the shorter the frequency, the larger the bandwidth. Using shorter frequencies (millimeter waves between 30GHz and 300GHz) for 5G networks is why 5G can be faster.

Is 5G replacing WIFI?

5G will not replace WIFI, in the same way as 4G has not replaced WIFI. 5G will however continue to provide the best user experience through instant connectivity, has cost benefits for fleets of devices and a global connection, based on standardized technology existing roaming business models.

5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new industries.

They aren't built for high bandwidth use around the clock. The rise in streaming services, online gaming, and the addition of billions of IoT devices creates an overwhelming strain on the network.

4G wavelengths have a range of about 10 miles, whereas 5G has a range of just 1,000 feet. Due to this, 5G signals can be blocked by physical barriers like walls and glass. Difficulty moving from outdoors to indoors can result in poor coverage and slower download speeds.

The main drawback with mmWave-based mobile 5G is that wireless high-band technology does not work well indoors. This is because mmWave signals struggle to penetrate building walls and certain types of glass, thus hobbling indoor 5G performance.

Other than that, if you're buying a 4G smartphone, definitely go ahead and get one. 4G phones are available across all budgets, the infrastructure is already there and, on the whole, 4G services are here to stay. Fun fact - 5G projections are projected to reach 500 million userbases by 2027.

Almost all new phones in 2022 are 5G ones, in all sectors of the mobile market. Folding or not, premium or budget, camera- or gaming-focused – the vast majority of new mobiles have 5G. So if you're looking to buy a new phone, you're almost definitely going to be picking a 5G one, whether you know it or not.

Remember that a 5G phone will still work as normal on a 4G network (albeit at lower speeds), so don't be afraid of buying a 5G phone like the S22 Ultra or iPhone 14 even if you aren't in a 5G zone.

Investing in a new 5G phone is generally the best move if you can afford it since it ensures that your device will feel fast and relevant for years to come. But if your budget is limited, or the 5G phones available to you right now don't fit your needs, you won't be missing out on too much by opting for 4G instead.

4G devices will continue to work. Mobile providers are expected to maintain their 4G networks as they invest in 5G deployment. If your mobile device is more than a few years old, it may be a 3G device. Check with your mobile provider to see if it plans to phase out its 3G services.

What if I don't want 5G on my phone?

Turn Off 5G on Android Smartphones and Tablets

This means that the way to disable 5G on an Android tablet is the same as for an Android smartphone. To turn off 5G, go to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Network Mode and select any of the options that do not say "5G" in the title.

AT&T announced that it phased out its 3G network beginning in February 2022. Verizon announced that it will finish shutting down its 3G network by December 31, 2022. T-Mobile announced that it finished shutting down Sprint's 3G CDMA network as of March 31, 2022 and Sprint's 4G LTE network as of June 30, 2022.

As we shared in the blog post, 4G to 5G: How Long Will 4G LTE Be Available, the main reason for network shutdowns is that the carriers have limited spectrum available for expansion.

So what's the difference between 4G and LTE, and is 4G or LTE better? In short, 4G offers a much faster speed, more stability and access to a larger variety of online activities. LTE is a half-point between 3G and 4G, so its performance suffers compared to the fourth generation.

Google Pixel/stock Android phones

Open Settings> Network & Internet> SIMs> Preferred network type>Choose 5G.

Eventually, in an estimated 15 to 20 years when there are few 4G LTE devices in use, most if not all of the spectrum will be used for 5G. Dynamic spectrum sharing lets carriers use the same spectrum band for both 4G and 5G.

Starting the day before your December 2022 bill cycle begins, if you are a Verizon customer using a 3G CDMA or 4G phone device that does not support HD Voice (Non-VoLTE), your line will be suspended without billing, and the device will no longer make/receive calls, send/receive text messages, or use data services.

We find that the need for download speed in 2025-2030 will range from just 25 Mbit/s for the least requiring user type to 470 Mbit/s for the user type with the greatest need. The need for upload speed will correspondingly range from 10 Mbit/s to 445 Mbit/s.

The Japanese government has said that commercially 6G internet will be launched before 2030. However, Japan is not the only country to start work on launching 6G. Apart from Japan, 4 more powerful countries of the world, China, America, South Korea, Europe have also started work on it.

However, one must make note that a 7G network speed would lie somewhere around the regions of 11 Gigabits per second and such speed in quite rightly too much for an average user.

What are the pros and cons of 5G?

4G cellular networks often get congested which will result in various problems while accessing important data. On the other hand, 5G networks allow users to avoid them due to better speed and more bandwidth. The main disadvantage of 5G is that it has limited global coverage and is available only in specific locations.

5 GHz networks do not penetrate solid objects such as walls nearly as well as do 2.4 GHz signals. This can limit an access points reach inside buildings like homes and offices where many walls may come between a wireless antenna and the user.

Q: How will 5G affect me? A: 5G is designed to do a variety of things that can transform our lives, including giving us faster download speeds, low latency, and more capacity and connectivity for billions of devices—especially in the areas of virtual reality (VR), the IoT, and artificial intelligence (AI).