Menu
Cart 0

4G vs 5G mmWave Technology

Dec 31, 2019

4G vs 5G mmWave Technology

Many people still have no clue how a 5G world will affect their lives. Those who have limited knowledge may understand that 5G will deliver speed improvements, but perhaps still wonder when and how 5G will be delivered, and how it will affect them personally. And while it is true that 5G mmWave technology is just around the corner, there's still a lot of work to be done before phone users across United States and Canada will get to experience the power and speed of 5G cell phone signal technology. Without further ado, let us take a look at the differences between 4G and 5G.

5G Technology Will Deliver Improved Latency and Throughput.

"Latency" is the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer. A lot of the media buzz around 5G technology is an anticipated reduction in latency and boost in data speed that will be experienced with broader and much higher 5G frequencies. The 5G spectrum will produce maximum speeds up to 100-times faster than any other band is capable of offering today. That means it is no exaggeration to say that users will be able to download an entire movie in just seconds. In addition, it is anticipated that the latency of 5G signals will be practically unnoticeable, with delays expected to be up to 10 times shorter than currently experienced with 4G LTE technologies.

Really Exciting Stuff About 5G.

What is really exciting about 5G is that there will be a richer and deeper level of mobile communication between device users that we simply cannot imagine at the moment. We're not just talking about person-to-person communications. 5G will shine with machine-to-machine (M2M or IoT) capabilities. This means that all our appliances will function in harmony to boost the currently-unheard-of benefits of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our homes, in businesses, and out on the road.

Besides improved performance features of 5G signals, a further benefit is that the shift of cellular data communications to the 5G mmWave spectrum will provide much-needed relief to an overcrowded 4G bandwidth landscape. This will provide carriers with ability to handle a greater number of simultaneous users. Effects of this relief will be clearly obvious in downtown areas, arenas, stadiums and so on; areas that demand the capacity of large networks to cope with all the data consumed by users.

The Disadvantage of 5G Signal Propagation.

The one clear disadvantage to welcoming 5G into our lives is the method by which 5G signals propagate. We know that the range of 5G signals could be 50% less than the capacity of current 4G LTE cell towers. In addition, we know that 5G cellular signals will be super-sensitive to signal-blocking obstacles like the terrain, walls and other constructions, including the weather.

This means that, if you want to receive a reliable indoor 5G signal, there will have to be a signal boosting system in almost every room of every structure where 5G capabilities are being provided to tenants. Users will not be able to access a reliable and strong 5G indoor signal without the supporting infrastructure to catch and reproduce the 5G signal throughout buildings.

4G cell towers are capable of delivering a strong and reliable signal for up to 45 miles away, whereas with 5G cell towers, after just one city block, the combination of obstacles and distance will reduce cell signal to mere noise. This means that, because of the range of 5G mmWave signals, it will become an absolute necessity to use a signal booster. A 5G cellular signal booster won't be deterred by walls and obstacles. Additionally, it will effectively amplify signal for those users who are located on outer edges of the 5G cell tower's range.

It Will Be At Least Another Decade before 5G Replaces 4G LTE.

As you can see from the above, 5G does present certain challenges. That means logically speaking, existing 4G LTE technologies will still be utilized in conjunction with 5G mmWave signals for many years to come. This combination of technologies will deliver strong and reliable signal for both low-intensity Internet usage and rural areas, while 5G bands will cover close-quarter signal distribution.

Research also supports the fact that 4G LTE is going to be around for many years to come because it is anticipated that by the year 2025, the 5G network will still only be covering half of all cellular data communications. Initial rollouts of the 5G network will be in outdoor densely-populated areas, which leaves 4G LTE to pick up the rest.

There's also currently not the demand for incredible speeds of 5G, which in itself creates an obstacle towards a complete transition to 5G. Most users are not necessarily fussed about downloading their favourite movie in just a few seconds. However, many admit that at times it would be quite handy to have the option of simultaneously uploading work files and streaming Netflix using the 5G cellular mmWave bands.

Today, people generally seem quite satisfied with today's communication technologies like video, talk, and text. This means that new 5G-enabled communications methods could emerge over a number of years as we continue discovering the rich mediums offered by 5G.

An exciting aspect of Smart buildings and homes-of-the-future that will impact on users' lives will be the integration of IoT (Internet of Things) into 5G bands. Our homes will evolve in conjunction with our habits and preferences by a network of appliances powered by an AI core. Utilizing 5G will not only mean more wide-ranging IoT capabilities, the signal booster used to deliver 5G cellular connectivity inside our offices, homes, and other buildings will enable the network of appliances and devices within our spaces to communicate with each other.

With big names like Google and Amazon making the IoT industry a big part of their huge success, it appears that IoT will give many users the reason they need to upgrade not only their buildings and homes, but also their devices and appliances to enable 5G mmWave connectivity.

Once 5G regulations have been set down by the FCC, it is anticipated that there will be an explosion in the IOT 5G-world with strong competition between businesses vying to succeed in the home automation market.

Discussing the Future Impact of 5G Technology.

For businesses, not only will there be huge savings on energy expenses with IOT-enabling 5G technology, it is also anticipated that latency improvements will ensure that remote surgeries where instantaneous haptic feedback is vital to success will become even more achievable under 5G technology.

The high speeds and low latency of 5G will have a huge impact on smart vehicles, which are capable of collecting huge amounts of information about their environment, like the weather, temperature, traffic lights, and road conditions. 5G mmWave technology will be vital to ensure that self-driving cars and other vehicles are able to not only connect with each other, but make the safest decisions while out and about. With Google's intention of growing and developing business applications to smart-cities, it is clear that 5G capabilities and smart city networks are just around the corner.

For those users who have decided to sit back and wait for 5G technologies to come to them, it is clear that there will be plenty of opportunities to experience 5G mmWave technologies either in public areas or at work, because it is highly likely that it will be businesses who step up and take advantage of this new economic opportunity.

What Does the Future of 5G Look Like?

The truth is that we don't have to look too far into the future to see what 5G will look like. 5G technology is rapidly coming to fruition, with 5G test cities being named across United States. Mobile device users are just beginning to understand some of the incredible things that 5G will be capable of. One example is mobile gaming, which is destined to become pretty hard-core. With 5G signals producing such low latency, gamers with fast reaction times and skillful dexterity are going to experience serious competition.

Carriers themselves, however, have a lot of work ahead of them as they navigate their way through the distinctive challenges of 5G mmWave signals. To start with, there's enormous expense of creating 5G cell towers on each and every block. Furthermore, there's the challenge of ensuring those 5G signals can access all building walls within that limited area. Innovative technologies like MIMO and Beamforming can certainly help by optimizing spectrum efficiency and signal delivery throughout the network of a 5G cell tower, but even then they still don't have the ability to provide reliable and strong 5G connectivity within buildings.

Introducing Next-Generation of 5G MmWave Boosting Technology.

5G mmWave propagation challenges were predicted a long time ago. With almost 20 years of groundbreaking excellence to its name, SureCall recently completed the development of a cellular signal boosting platform of 5G signal boosters, together with the necessary 5G antennas.

SureCall's signal boosters resolve 5G distribution issues by not only ensuring that the signal is able to travel through obstacles (like walls and other objects) but also by boosting a weak and unreliable signal at end of its range. 5G signal boosters not only resolve the innate disadvantages of 5G frequencies, they become the necessary link between a carrier and our mobile devices. The fact that 5G signal boosters are capable of resolving these issues means that the potential adoption of 5G mmWave technology into the lives and homes of all device users is greatly increased.

SureCall has been developing award-winning signal boosters for almost 20 years and has become an industry leader in signal boosting technology. With many thousands of signal boosters shipped and a return rate of less than 1%, SureCall has a proven track record of designing and manufacturing innovative signal boosters at reasonable prices.

All SureCall signal boosters are FCC-approved and conform to Network Protection Standards. To date, SureCall remains the only company offering 5G signal boosters under the FR1 and FR2 bands, proving yet again that you can trust SignalBooster.com to deliver SureCall products you need for offices, homes, and vehicles.


Share this post


← Older Post Newer Post →


  • 5G is finally here and while it’s becoming common, 4G isn’t ready to vanish. The best thing to remember is that 5G has some cool things to offer but it still has some limitations and you may have to get a signal booster to really benefit from 5G. Some people are willing to do that but if not, they might want to stick with 4G. I know I am.

    Derek Fell on
  • Completely missed the health implications – the lack of safety testing and the growing backlash about safety is causing communities and cities to push off implementation – the longer it goes the more people will know – there are currently 100 studies on the implications and safety concerns of scientists on 5G and there is a growing body of knowledge and science that says 5G went too far. If it will realistically take 4-5 years to get all the transmitters in place, clearly the whole thing will not give the speed benefits it was sold on. Meanwhile companies like Apple will find a way to make deals with the satellite companies – 5G is a bucking bronco that has killed or will kill many of its riders. Look out!

    MICHAEL on
  • No 5G for me. I know that at some point I’ll have to switch over, but I am going to go kicking and screaming. I don’t like the idea of buying a cell phone booster for its so-called improved technology. I’m even more worried about the health scares I’ve heard associated with 5G. Count me out of this one.

    Charles Garrison on

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published.