Television commercials, billboards, social media ads have all been proselytizing the use of the new 5G network. Although the 5G network has been in existence since 2015, the recent rollout of 5G networks promises lightning-fast download and upload speeds, ushering in a new era of connectivity. This technology not only benefits smartphone users, but also fuels the growth of the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, and augmented reality experiences. But what is 5G? How is it different from 4G and why should I really care about it? I wanted to know more about the service myself so I decided to do a deep dive into 5G.

In order to get a better understanding of what the 5G network does, let’s take a trip to McDonald’s. One of the things that I love to order when I go to McDonald’s is the Double Quarter pounder with cheese meal. When I order that meal, it comes with fries and soda and they are usually regular sized. Back in the early 2000’s there was a time where you could supersize your meal-meaning that you could get way more fries and a larger drink with the same meal with an increase in price. Think of 4G as the McDonald’s regular sized meal and 5G as the McDonald’s supersized meal. They both have the same basic structure meaning they both provide cellular and internet connectivity but the 5G service gives you more in regard to connectivity, power usage, etc. Thus making 5G the supersized meal.

But what more can 5G give us you may ask? Well, that is a great question. The way that your cell phone works is through radio waves and those radio waves are usually emitted through a cell phone tower. You may have seen those big radio towers alongside the road as you are driving. The primary difference is the way that 5G and 4G communicate. 5G no longer has to use those massive cell phone towers that would take up acres of land and waste a lot of power. The 5G towers are so small that they can fit on a light pole and use less power than those gargantuan 4G towers.

Also the 5G network provides greater connectivity. How does it do this? The old 4G towers were not the greatest in providing cell phone connectivity to all. There were huge gaps in the radio coverage that these towers could provide even though they were so massive. Have you ever had a time where you drove in a very remote rural area while talking on the phone and suddenly the phone call dropped? What do you immediately do? Look down at your phone and determine whether you have enough “bars” to determine if the call was actually dropped or if you accidentally hung up on them because of your huge cheeks (please don’t laugh my cheeks have hung up on many a person). These are the gaps that we are referring to with the 4G network. The 5G towers are smaller and can provide pinpoint directional radio wave output and therefore provide fast connectivity to users with little to no lag or gaps in service.

The deployment of 5G also sparks debates about socioeconmic concerns and the digital divide, as not everyone has equal access to these high-speed networks. As with all technological advances, 5G does have some pitfalls. In fact, in January 2022, American Airlines in the Dallas Fort Worth area had to cancel some of its flights because, “the new group of frequencies auctioned by the FCC are too close to the frequencies used by aircraft equipment such as altimeters, which measure the altitude of a plane.”Additionally the deployment of 5G reignites concerns regarding the new technology increasing the digital divide. According to Katie Terrell Hanna the digital divide is

a term that refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology (ICT), and those that don’t or have restricted access. This technology can include the telephone, television, personal computers and internet connectivity.

Think of what happened in the pandemic when many schools were shut down. There were dozens of children and adults who were at a disadvantage because they did not have access to computers or even a stable internet connection. This not only occurred in communities of color where some households did not have the money to purchase these items. This also happened in rural communities where the small town may still have been using a dial up internet connection because their community did not have broadband yet. In fact according to Forbes and Broadband Now, there are still 42 million Americans have no access to broadband.

The evolution of 5G technology has sparked a sense of excitement into many due to its connectivity and technological advances. Yet as we begin to embrace the nuances of the 5G network, it is important that governments, organizations, etc all work together to ensure that the benefits of 5G and any new technological advance benefit the whole of society including the under-served and remote communities. The greatest indicator of success regarding new technology will be how effectively we enable its benefits to uplift and empower every individual regardless of their background or location.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What have your experiences been with your cell phone network? Do you have access to the 5G network? Do you know how to determine if your area uses 5G network? If you need help determining if 5G services are available in your area please comment below and I will research your area and let you know what services are available to you.