Everything you need to know about 5G

The pandemic has not stopped expansion plans and new connectivity is becoming more widespread. In the following paragraphs we will illustrate how 5G works, what are its advantages and its performance.

5G will be a real revolution in technology : Not only will it be possible to view high-resolution videos with the same ease with which we listen to music today, but thanks to the greater available bandwidth and low latency, uses will be possible that we still have difficulty imagining.

We have tested with the cloud gaming de Google Stadia, Microsoft XCloud and Amazon Lua. Sooner or later the 5G mobile connection could also replace our home broadband connections, offering comparable stability and latency.

How 5G works

First of all, 5G is the first connection protocol that provides such different frequency spectrums. We have two transmission spectra Sub-6GHz:

• one that travels on frequencies between 3.4 and 3.6GHz, which is the most similar to previous generation networks;
• and one at 700 Mhz, which guarantees lower speeds but a higher degree of penetration, which makes it perfect for the Internet of Things.

Transmissions below 6GHz will soon be joined by frequencies between 24.25GHz and 29.5GHz, called millimeterWave or mmWave (in our language millimeter waves).

Millimeter waves represent the most revolutionary part of the generational leap. These travel at frequencies close to 30 GHz, which are frequencies so high that they allow 20Gb/s theoretical maximum speeds.

Millimeter waves will also enable good network performance in areas with a high density of connected devices, such as stadiums or concerts, where the current network is suffering. In addition, latency will also be reduced, finally bringing mobile values ​​that can compete with those of the best current standards.

Increased frequency

The large increase in frequency brings not only the advantages that we have described but also causes some drawbacks, which are already partially visible to those using a dual-band router at home. In fact, the most attentive will have noticed that the 5 GHz WiFi signal degrades with distance and when it passes through walls much faster than the 2,4 GHz one.

In general, a higher frequency electromagnetic wave spreads less and has more trouble overcoming obstacles. Then hehe new millimeter wave will degrade much more significantly than the old generation transmissions..

For this reason it will be necessary to install a greater number of antennas at a shorter distance to ensure 5G coverage comparable to that offered by the 4G signal.

As for speed, the theoretical maximum of 20 Gb / s is normally reduced in the daily about 10 times. In most cases, a maximum speed in real conditions close to 1 Gb / s is obtained today, which should tend to increase in the coming years.

This is already a remarkable performance, as it achieves exceed 10 times what you can get daily with the LTE connection.

The advantages of the 5G network

You might already guess them from the network features, but we'll describe them for you:

• significantly higher speeds, comparable to those of fixed networks, of the order of Gb / s;
• very low latencies that will drop to 5 ms, opening up a whole new world of possibilities on mobile, like the cloud gaming we were talking about in the introduction;
• increased network stability even in situations with a larger number of connected devices, connection to 1 million objects per square kilometer can be guaranteed;
• possibility of an easier, more ubiquitous, reliable and widespread Internet connection also thanks to the high frequency of penetration at 700 Mhz that will allow a greater development of the Internet of Things.

However, they also accompany this Some disadvantages:

• The transition will not be quick, not all old antennas can be adapted to 5G technology and also, as we have said, they would be insufficient.
• For a long time to come, the difference in connection speeds will increase between metropolitan areas, the most densely populated in the country, which will surely be reached sooner, and the less populated.
• In addition, for a long period of time, the new generation network will coexist with the previous generation.

The use of new frequencies, previously used by other services, forces the latter to change the way the signals are transmitted / received (we will see more in the next paragraph).

5G frequencies

We said that 5G will have a signal on three different frequencies. These in Spain present several problems. ANDLet's start with the 700 Mhz. The transition of televisions to the new DVB-T2 standard has already been discussed. The new standard also serves to free up these currently occupied frequencies.

By 2022, the radio and television bandwidth in Spain will have to be reduced. However, the higher efficiency of the new compression algorithm should make it possible to offer the same number of channels (or almost). Even in the other bands the situation is not exactly rosy.

The health risks of 5G

We have heard all about the possible risks arising from the new generation connection, there have even been those who have attributed the outbreak of the pandemic to the new 5G signal.
The situation is complex, but we will try to be clear briefly.

More antennas and more frequencies, are two elements on which the detractors of the new generation hit a lot.
They claim that higher frequencies are dangerous, this is false, as we have explained the more the frequency of a signal increases radio, the worse is its ability to spread over distance and to penetrate materials (hence also the human body).

The increase in the number of antennas should not alarm us, as this will lead to transmissions with even less power and more homogeneous than those of the previous generation.
Therefore, there will be no emission peaks that can now be detected near the repeaters.

In addition, thanks to the use of new technologies taken from WiFi connections, such as beamforming and massive MIMO technology, the antennas will be smarter by being able to send the signal where it is needed. Unlike current antennas that transmit with the same power in all directions.

So why have even prestigious organizations sounded the alarm?

The answer lies in the number of connected devices, in our country alone it is estimated that the devices connected to the new generation 5G mobile network could be between 600 and 800 million! Only these estimates have prompted some to call for more studies, fearing that more connected devices could cause an increase in air pollution. electrosmog.

The study most cited by critics of 5G in this regard is that of the US government agency NTP (National Toxicology Program), which correlates the appearance of tumors and exposure to radio frequencies.

So what reassures us?

In our country there are very strict laws for electromagnetic radiation and, if revised, can only be done by demonstrating the harmlessness of the new levels..

We are also reassured by studies showing that 5G could break down the most dangerous part of electromagnetic pollution, the high-powered part. This is done thanks to the new technologies used in the antennas.