5G: The New Wave

By Ben Korkowski '19

Living in a modern, metropolitan society, it is safe to assume that the majority of students at Episcopal High School own some sort of smartphone. Some of us may own the latest and greatest Apple iPhones or their Android equivalents, devices which despite being touted as cutting edge in their respective categories, aren’t that much different than their predecessors. For example, these new phones may have more cameras and sensors than the average user can count, and they may finally be able to last more than a couple hours on a charge. Yet ironically, the extra costs that have lead their pricing to eye-watering values are really a result of gimmicks. Phones aren’t truly getting faster or exponentially better; instead, phones are just minutely iterating upon their already incredibly capable screens, cameras, and gesture controls.

The last true leap forward in cellular technology was in actuality the creation of 4G and LTE services. Before these norms in cellular connection existed, the majority of consumers subsisted upon merely 2G and 3G connections that were incredibly cutting-edge in their heyday but have now become incredibly clunky. Consider before 4G existed. Streaming HD video and those finals episodes of GOTs wouldn’t have been possible without a wired connection. And before 4G existed, the ability to conduct Facetime calls or send Snapchat videos with friends and family all over the world was unheard of. Yet, in recent times, these innovations have become so accepted that they are viewed as basic or necessary to survive in the digital world. In sum, the true shakeups that have occured in the cellular markets aren’t the new gimmicks and quirks (these are merely icing on an already pretty good cake), but instead the iterative changes in cellular connection, the “Gs” which have the most profound impact.

Luckily, we are nearing the next iteration in cellular connectivity by way of 5G. Companies such as Qualcomm, Huawei, Verizon, and Samsung have already announced plans as to how this new advanced connection will be incorporated into their business models. And for some, these technologies and capabilities are already being tested in locations such as China, Chicago, and other larger metropolitan areas. With 4G connectivity having been released in 2010 and realised en masse in 2012, 5G and its capabilities are slated to bring a much needed improvement in the fabric of our modern society and an industry that is quickly becoming dated.

This future is what brings me to my final point, what exactly is 5G? What are the new capabilities it is set to bring? And how will America and the greater world be affected? In short, download speeds are expected to become at least 20 times faster, browsing speeds are set to become 9 times faster, and videos will soon be able to be viewed/streamed in up to 8K resolution. The digital world we know today is about to become turbo-charged, and even if these estimates fall short, the marginal improvements will still provide a welcome impact. 5G is set to change the digital world and the electronic playing field in enormous ways, both on a personal and business level. So next time you see a news article about 5G or see the graphic in the top right corner of your smartphone switch to 5G, don’t be nervous of the change, but rather, embrace the new age of cellular communication and feel the speed.

Works Cited

Clark, Don. “What Is 5G? Here's What You Need to Know About the New Cellular Network.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 Dec. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/31/technology/personaltech/5g-what-you-need-to-know.html.

Gartenberg, Chaim. “Qualcomm's Simulated 5G Tests Shows How Fast Real-World Speeds Could Actually Be.” The Verge, The Verge, 25 Feb. 2018, www.theverge.com/2018/2/25/17046346/qualcomm-simulated-5g-tests-san-francisco-frankfurt-mwc-2018.

Looper, Christian de. “Verizon Reveals 20 New Cities That Will Get Its 5G Network in 2019.” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 2 May 2019, www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/verizon-5g-rollout/.