Skip to main content

Wait! Why is everyone on the rush for 5G technology?

5G is finally  here,  with EE launching the first 5G network  in the UK this week. This is a huge milestone,  but other networks  like Vodafone are also expected to launch their 5G in the UK a view days from now.
This has left many in the UK exited, and has elicited alot of reactions with many looking forward to have a 'taste' of 5G.
However, they are not alone......
5G technology  is taking the world by storm,  with each country, chip manufacturers,  Telco providers and device manufacturers racing to be the first,  or among the first in the 5G race.
But What is 5G?
  • 5G is 'fifth generation mobile network's,  the emidiate successor  of 4G, but much faster and with more applications than 4G.
  • It is believed that 5G can have speeds up to 10 GPS,  many times faster than 4G. This can allow you download a full HD movie in less than 10 seconds. 
  • Unlike 4 G which was mainly mobile phone based,  5 G has lots of applications.
US and South Korea  have been on each others  case,  each claiming to have been the first to launch 5G in the world, and is believed that South Korea  had to even push their launch date days ahead in order to ensure they launched before the US.
Both launched their commercial 5G network in April.
In the US,  Verizon launched its 5 G home service which could be accessed  with a 5 G enabled router in some cities including Houston,  Los Angeles.
This was April,  and AT$T had controversially  gone ahead of them, to launch a 5G network late 2018, via a mobile hot-spot, with some criticising them by equating AT$T to a runner who run back towards the starting line to claim victory.
 In this race for 5 G,  everyone is not left behind,  including world leading technology  providers,  device manufactures and network providers.
During the mobile world Congress in Barcelona Spain on February 26, Rain, a South Africa data only network operator, declared itself the first to launch 5 G in South Africa.
 In partnership with Huawei, Rain launched several 5G sites in Johannesburg using the 3.6 GHz band.
However, it is interesting to note that vodacom, the African unit of UK'S Vodafone, launched Africa's first 5 G network in August last year in Lesotho after it was granted a temporary 5 G testing licence.
Vodacom claimed that it had not launched in South Africa, since they did not have the 3.5 GHz spectrum and would immediately launch once it was granted the spectrum licence.
Many of these initial launches were more of 'a test bed', and is believed the first commercially available 5 G was in South Korea, when its three network providers, SK Telecom, KT Corporation and LG Uplus launched 5G in April this year, and is believed to have signed up 260,000 subscribers within the first month.
EE on the other hand seems to have Successfully launched a more sustainable 5G network in the UK, and many seem exited about it, as the next UK network operator preparing to switch the second UK 5G network by early June.
Apart from being in a 5G enabled Zone, one needs to have a 5G enabled device.
Already A number of 5G enabled phones are available with various device manufactures in the rush to come up with 5G phones and devices, and many more are expected by end of this year.
While launching their 5G, South Korea picked the new stylish Samsung Galaxy S10 5G as their flagship device, while US Verizon on their part settled for Leno's Moto Z3.
On their part, EE in the UK already have a number of devices on their list including
  • One Plus 7 pro 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Oppo Reno 5G, LG V50 Thin Q, 5 GEE Home router and 5GEE WiFi.
So, Why is everyone on the rush for 5G
We cannot clearly pinpoint some of the reasons, or discuss them exclusively on this post, but according to my own observations, the following could possibly be the reasons why everyone wants to be ahead of the rest in the race for 5G technology.
  • As a show of might. Any country or technology firm that leads in rolling out a new technology usually becomes proud, and stamps their authority in the world as the tech leaders.
  • Economical reasons. According to the Global system for mobile communications in London, 5G related economic benefits is estimated to be worth USD 565 billion globally. Most of these will be generated out of mostly 5G related soft and hardware, including installation of base stations, 5G devices and bandwidth sales. Remember that 5G will require a lot much more base stations than 4G technology, and currently the only available 5G phones are high end phones which costs quite a fortune. The first to comfortably commercialize 5G will also have an opportunity to export their technology abroad especially to developing countries.
  • Unlike 4G, 5G is more focused on machines, and is expected to exponentially see the world of artificial intelligence grow. Think of smart cars, smart appliances smart homes, teleconference, communicating machines, smart healthcare and so on.
  • Due to it's reduced latency, 5G is expected to greatly influence the world of gaming and online streaming, as well as possibly result to new technology inventions.
  • Finally, according to my own observations, 5G is likely the last technology in terms of generations, as it operates at the highest possible frequencies of up to 300 GHZ. Above this frequency and we are at the infrared region. This is probably why every tech company is trying to make the best out of this region, before it also becomes saturated.
Is the 5G race Worth it?
Well, if you already have a 5G phone and in a 5G zone, you might have a totally different opinion than mine, but let me ask you; was the rush worth it?
Most probably no, coz your highly priced device might always be on LTE than 5G, especially if you travel a lot.
There are still a number of concerns I think should first be well looked into, including 5G enter port ability, the convenience of the mm waves and the price of 5G enabled phones and devices before declaring the world 5G ready.
For the developing countries, don't waste billions of dollars signing some costly contracts, maybe not now.
Wait until until at least 2021, when 5G will have been fully rolled out in countries like the US, Japan, Australia and in Europe.
By then, many challenges associated with early adoption will have been fully dealt with, the initial cost will have come down and many will be in a position to afford a 5G phone.
For now continue rolling out 3G and 4G.

Comments

Most Popular

Airtel Zawadi points-Everything you need to Know.

Zawadi is a Swahili term for a gift or to reward. Airtel Zawadi therefore is a loyalty program by Airtel Kenya aimed at rewarding its customers for staying loyal to the brand by using their various products and services .  The service closely resembles Safaricom bonga and Telkom Ziada , both also rewarding customers for using their lines to make calls, browse or send SMS as well as transacting on mpesa. How to register for Airtel Zawadi . Initially Airtel was giving it's subscribers an opportunity to register for Airtel Zawadi by dialing *326# and selecting the option for ' registration'.  Then later couldn't see the option to register and when we contacted Airtel they told us new customers we're automatically enrolled to the program on successful registration of their lines so that they could begin earning from their first top up.  However it seems Airtel are not enrolling their Subscribers for the program anymore, and when I tried to check my points balance

Safaricom Bonga Points phones.

  Safaricom's Jisort Na Bonga Points promotion is back and is now live at all Safaricom shops countrywide and online on Masoko.com. This is the first round of this year's Jisort Na Bonga Promotion, a regular Safaricom's promotion that seems to reward it's loyal subscribers with highly discounted devices including Smartphones, Power banks, memory cards, headphones and so much more. Safaricom bonga points phones. One major advantage of Safaricom's Bonga loyalty program as compared to  Airtel Zawadi  or Telkom Ziada is their long list of redeemable products. With Bonga points you can get almost everything including free flights, cement,electronic devices, fuel and even pay for goods and services at selected stores countrywide. There is also a long list of smartphones that you can redeem at any Safaricom shop with Bonga points starting from budget devices to high end smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S series, Note series or iPhones. The phones are grouped into two; t

How To Buy Safaricom Tunukiwa Offers including Minutes, SMS And Data.

Safaricom Tunukiwa daily  has now become part and parcel of Kenyan life and many Safaricom customers have embraced it due to it's  high affordability as compared to normal rates be it on data, SMS or call minutes. For instance, instead of buying 150 Mbs at ksh.50 daily you can get Tunukiwa 180 Mb daily at the same price. What are Tunukiwa Bundles? Tunukiwa is a Swahili term for 'rewarded'. Safaricom Tunukiwa, therefore, is one of the many Safaricom' s loyalty programs aimed at rewarding their customers for staying loyal and using Safaricom products and services. Others are : Safaricom bonga.  Allows you to earn bonga points when you buy various Safaricom products and services. You can later on redeem the points for various goods and services including Bonga Points Phones . Storo bonus. where you get free airtime to be used for SMS and calls once you reach your daily storo target. Tunukiwa was introduced in April 2017, immediately after Airtel Kenya launched a produ