Let's stop calling it 5G

[estebancam]

I don't know about anyone else, but this mid-band 600mhz "5g" consistently gets the same or slower speeds than my wife's LTE Note 10.

Why do we call this 5G?

In fact, I was browsing my Google photos and found a picture of a speed test done in 2012, when Verizon first launched their LTE network, and it was 33 Mbps. That is about the same as I am getting on T-Mobile's 5G network On a typical day.

Sure, at some times, in some places, in some cities, with some lack of congestion I am getting 60-80 Mbps.... But I was also getting those speeds, in similar conditions, with 2012 LTE.

Why are we accepting calling this 5G?

LTE was supposed to achieve speeds it 1,000mbps. I remember vividly. It never got there.

Now, we are calling a technology that is showing exactly zero significant change in speed, a next generation tech.

The group that gets to name wireless standards needs to be consulted on this one.....

 

[cnotes2019]

I don't know about anyone else, but this mid-band 600mhz "5g" consistently gets the same or slower speeds than my wife's LTE Note 10.

Why do we call this 5G?

In fact, I was browsing my Google photos and found a picture of a speed test done in 2012, when Verizon first launched their LTE network, and it was 33 Mbps. That is about the same as I am getting on T-Mobile's 5G network On a typical day.

Sure, at some times, in some places, in some cities, with some lack of congestion I am getting 60-80 Mbps.... But I was also getting those speeds, in similar conditions, with 2012 LTE.

Why are we accepting calling this 5G?

LTE was supposed to achieve speeds it 1,000mbps. I remember vividly. It never got there.

Now, we are calling a technology that is showing exactly zero significant change in speed, a next generation tech.

The group that gets to name wireless standards needs to be consulted on this one.....

How about we wait a year or two to have these discussions? but okay. I agree about T-Mobile’s low band. Same with AT&T. But there’s a ton more tech that’s going into 5g to make it truly better. T-Mobile has low band nationwide. AT&T will also. Verizon will at some point. New T-Mobile will have ample mid band. Verizon and AT&T will too hopefully especially with the next auctions coming up. And they are all working on mmwave and we’ve seen what those speeds can accomplish. And with tech out there and coming along to make mmwave more productive and practical we will see those great speeds in due time. I’m waiting for the new Samsung and Apple phones to come out to see where 5g is especially where I live work and travel to purchase my first 5g phone.

 

[Super Spartan]

5G is a gimmick IMHO because:

1) I rarely get 5G signals, it always drops and is only available in some parts of the city

2) Even if it does work and even if it does have significantly higher speeds, what are you gonna do with them? download the internet? LTE is more than enough for streaming, VoiP, downloads, you name it

 

[Mooncatt]

2) Even if it does work and even if it does have significantly higher speeds, what are you gonna do with them? download the internet?

https://youtu.be/_uXtWIg_A7M

Though in all seriousness, there are benefits. It allows for greater capacity and is supposed to help with latency sensitive devices such as autonomous cars. You are right, though, that 5G is pretty much a gimmick when it comes to real world used experience in a phone.

 

[Darth Mo]

I don't know about anyone else, but this mid-band 600mhz "5g" consistently gets the same or slower speeds than my wife's LTE Note 10.

Why do we call this 5G?

In fact, I was browsing my Google photos and found a picture of a speed test done in 2012, when Verizon first launched their LTE network, and it was 33 Mbps. That is about the same as I am getting on T-Mobile's 5G network On a typical day.

Sure, at some times, in some places, in some cities, with some lack of congestion I am getting 60-80 Mbps.... But I was also getting those speeds, in similar conditions, with 2012 LTE.

Why are we accepting calling this 5G?

LTE was supposed to achieve speeds it 1,000mbps. I remember vividly. It never got there.

Now, we are calling a technology that is showing exactly zero significant change in speed, a next generation tech.

The group that gets to name wireless standards needs to be consulted on this one.....

5G simply means 'Fifth Generation Network.' It does not simply refer to a progression of download speeds for the devices connected to the network.

All data networks have to evolve to handle the ever growing number of devices that are now connected from refrigerators to soda dispensers.

The evolution of the network provides increased capacity for devices, increased reliability, and lower latency which is key for the on demand type information that we're growing more accustomed too. The higher download speeds touted is merely one aspect.

I'll give you that the cell phone company's primarily use 5G as a marketing tool touting download speeds of eleventy megabits when in reality 90% of customers have no idea what a megabit is, only that bigger must be better. You can sit around and run speed tests all day and poopoo "5G" because the numbers aren't that much bigger, but really has your usage been affected?

 

[estebancam]

5G simply means 'Fifth Generation Network.' It does not simply refer to a progression of download speeds for the devices connected to the network.

All data networks have to evolve to handle the ever growing number of devices that are now connected from refrigerators to soda dispensers.

The evolution of the network provides increased capacity for devices, increased reliability, and lower latency which is key for the on demand type information that we're growing more accustomed too. The higher download speeds touted is merely one aspect.

I'll give you that the cell phone company's primarily use 5G as a marketing tool touting download speeds of eleventy megabits when in reality 90% of customers have no idea what a megabit is, only that bigger must be better. You can sit around and run speed tests all day and poopoo "5G" because the numbers aren't that much bigger, but really has your usage been affected?

Yes 5G means 5th generations but saying that it doesn't refer a progression of speed is incorrect.

The international mobile telecommunications team sets standards for each generation of wireless network.

I'm all, each generation is faster than the last.

So while the nomenclature is only "generation," it does stand for a set of guidelines.

 

[estebancam]

How about we wait a year or two to have these discussions? but okay. I agree about T-Mobile’s low band. Same with AT&T. But there’s a ton more tech that’s going into 5g to make it truly better. T-Mobile has low band nationwide. AT&T will also. Verizon will at some point. New T-Mobile will have ample mid band. Verizon and AT&T will too hopefully especially with the next auctions coming up. And they are all working on mmwave and we’ve seen what those speeds can accomplish. And with tech out there and coming along to make mmwave more productive and practical we will see those great speeds in due time. I’m waiting for the new Samsung and Apple phones to come out to see where 5g is especially where I live work and travel to purchase my first 5g phone.

Well, I think the carriers should have launched it correctly.

Telling me something is going to be a new generation of wireless and I get the same or worse performance than an 8 year old generation of wireless, I become skeptical.

 

[estebancam]

Honestly, the speed performance of AT&T's. "5Ge" is the exact same if not better than T-Mobile's true 5G.

So at this point what does it matter what we call it?

Hell, just stamp a 9G on it and say "look, a new network" while providing the same performance.

 

[blackhawkhot]

Bandwidth,Bandwidth, Bandwidth!!!
Not enough 5G towers, too many users, software and probably more variables killing the speed.
It has the speed when fully and correctly implemented.

 

[Ry]

5G simply means 'Fifth Generation Network.' It does not simply refer to a progression of download speeds for the devices connected to the network.

All data networks have to evolve to handle the ever growing number of devices that are now connected from refrigerators to soda dispensers.

The evolution of the network provides increased capacity for devices, increased reliability, and lower latency which is key for the on demand type information that we're growing more accustomed too. The higher download speeds touted is merely one aspect.

I'll give you that the cell phone company's primarily use 5G as a marketing tool touting download speeds of eleventy megabits when in reality 90% of customers have no idea what a megabit is, only that bigger must be better. You can sit around and run speed tests all day and poopoo "5G" because the numbers aren't that much bigger, but really has your usage been affected?

To be fair, it had meaning beyond "X generation network" prior to 4G.

 

[mad33man]

We will also probably have to realize that 5G is not really going to be a consumer product in the end anyway. We may see some speed increases but I'm general 5G's main focus will be powering IOT devices. Slow speeds on cell phones is more about location of towers and capacity. I'm not even sure sub 6 is fully implemented in networks that say 5G so there is still some performance to be gained down the road. The push for 5G compatible phones may be more about getting more users on devices that are capable so when they actually flip the switch, 5G consumer devices are fully hashed out and not overheating and lasting 1 hour like the roll out of 4G was. I think that was a bigger fiasco than this and we barely remember it.

 

[cnotes2019]

Just ordered my ultra I’ll do some speed tests

 

[JHBThree]

I don't know about anyone else, but this mid-band 600mhz "5g" consistently gets the same or slower speeds than my wife's LTE Note 10.

Why do we call this 5G?

In fact, I was browsing my Google photos and found a picture of a speed test done in 2012, when Verizon first launched their LTE network, and it was 33 Mbps. That is about the same as I am getting on T-Mobile's 5G network On a typical day.

Sure, at some times, in some places, in some cities, with some lack of congestion I am getting 60-80 Mbps.... But I was also getting those speeds, in similar conditions, with 2012 LTE.

Why are we accepting calling this 5G?

LTE was supposed to achieve speeds it 1,000mbps. I remember vividly. It never got there.

Now, we are calling a technology that is showing exactly zero significant change in speed, a next generation tech.

The group that gets to name wireless standards needs to be consulted on this one.....

5G was never about speeds, it was about capacity.

 

[anon(661246)]

I honestly don't care about speed improvements. i get around 85 down which is way more than I need. id happy with 20

 

[estebancam]

5G was never about speeds, it was about capacity.

Can't have one without the other

 

[ThrottleJohnny]

It's about future proofing. Once 5G is expanded and mature, these devices will be ready, without having to upgrade again to get the benefit.

 

[JHBThree]

Can't have one without the other

Yes you can. The capacity of a 5G tower, even at speeds roughly equivalent to LTE, will be higher than any generation before it. One of the biggest reasons for the 5G spec was increasing the number of users any given tower can support while maintaining speed.

 

[estebancam]

Yes you can. The capacity of a 5G tower, even at speeds roughly equivalent to LTE, will be higher than any generation before it. One of the biggest reasons for the 5G spec was increasing the number of users any given tower can support while maintaining speed.

Gotcha. I didn't think about it this way before.

 

[JHBThree]

Gotcha. I didn't think about it this way before.

Don't get me wrong, more speed would be nice and I don't think people will put up with the advertising of unattainable speeds and coverage for long. Right now I think they're focusing on capacity over speed and will get to the speed eventually.