NE W 5G The Complete Manual FOURTH EDITION Digital Edition 100% UNOFFICIAL Discover the future of mobile networks Find out how 5G will change your life I Welcome to 5G The Complete Manual We’ve been listening to networks, phone manufacturers and politicians rave about 5G for such a long time now that it’s easy to dismiss the whole thing as corporate and political hype. But as soon as you dig beneath the surface of 5G, scratch past the topsoil of faster movie downloads and better web browsing, it becomes clearer what a revolution 5G will be. So if you’re interested in how the tech works, the ways it’s going to transform cities and homes or just want a faster phone, let us fill you in. I 5G The Complete Manual Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA Editorial Editor Josh Russell Art Editor Ryan Wells Compiled by Aiden Dalby & Steve Dacombe Senior Art Editor Andy Downes Head of Art & Design Greg Whitaker Editorial Director Jon White Photography All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Media packs are available on request Commercial Director Clare Dove International Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com www.futurecontenthub.com Circulation Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers Production Head of Production Mark Constance Production Project Manager Matthew Eglinton Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Managers Keely Miller, Nola Cokely, Vivienne Calvert, Fran Twentyman Printed in the UK Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9001 5G: The Complete Manual Fourth Edition (CMB4332) © 2022 Future Publishing Limited We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this bookazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The paper holds full FSC or PEFC certification and accreditation. All contents © 2022 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 Contents What you can find inside the bookazine Introducing 5G How 5G will transform... 08 Everything you need to know It’s really fast. But speedier mobile downloads are only part of why 5G will change everything 16 How does 5G improve on 4G? Here are 10 things 5G can do that 4G can’t 22 Why 5G is about more than just speed It’s a digital revolution, not just a speed-boost 26 How 5G will change your life It’s not just about faster phones. 5G will help upgrade society as a whole 46 Wearables Smartwatches and fitness trackers could be even more useful with 5G 50 Smart homes 5G will make your home smarter, faster, and better 34 Things 5G will do you didn’t expect From better music to a ‘tactile’ internet, here are some ways 5G will surprise you 58 Augmented reality 5G could be the key to unlocking AR’s potential 64 Virtual reality The next-gen of mobile connectivity is the boost VR needs 38 How will 5G affect security? The volume of data will increase in the era of 5G – but so will its value to unscrupulous individuals 54 Movies Get used to a world of portrait-first video 70 Mobile gaming Console-grade graphics on the go thanks to 5G? “The unprecedented speed upgrade of 5G could change the way we think about all of our tech” 6 116 5G phones tested! 76 Sports Better for fans, better for broadcasters Buyer’s guide 90 AT&T All the info you need on the AT&T rollout of 5G and 5G+ in the US 110 O2 Despite launching later with a smaller slice of the 5G spectrum, the network is rapidly gaining ground 94 T-Mobile Thanks to the Sprint merger, T-Mobile is growing fast 80 Education Faster, smarter and more interactive – a new generation of learning 98 T-Mobile: Sprint Merger What exactly did T-Mobile add to its 5G network when it merged with Sprint? 102 Verizon The Verizon 5G network is offering improved coverage in several larger cities 106 EE The network has brought 5G to the most UK towns 84 The workplace How the next generation of wireless technology will empower workers on the frontline 112 Three After something of a delay, Three’s UK 5G phone network is now live 114 Vodafone With unlimited tariffs and roaming on 5G, the network is looking to topple some of its rivals 116 The best 5G phones The best 5G phones deliver much faster downloads, lower latency and a lot more 7 Introducing 5G Everything you need to know 8 Introducing 5G Everything you need to know 5G Everything you need to know As you might have guessed from the name, 5G – the fifth generation of mobile technology – is the successor to 4G. On paper, 5G is faster than any currently available Wi-Fi tech, even maxed out Wi-Fi 6, and faster even than any home broadband available anywhere outside South Korea. 4G LTE, the standard we’ve relied on until now, is around 100 times slower than 5G when considering theoretical lab maximums. That’s huge, but it’s also not entirely realistic; in real-world applications, 5G introduces something more like a 50 times increase in speed, though the majority of connections top out a little slower than that. The raw numbers, even if they’re not wholly likely to be what reach a phone from the mast, are still impressive, and it’s important to see them in context. They’re easily enough to pull in entertainment content; the BBC requires 2.75Mbps to stream high-definition content from iPlayer, while Netflix asks for around 25Mbps for streaming its Ultra HD video. Even if new colour technology, frame rates or the move to 8K bumps those requirements up still further, there’s cavernous headroom in the top-end 1,000Mbps bandwidth of the 5G spec to cope with it. Even if environmental conditions mean you only get 200Mbps or 300Mbps, that’s still comparable to the best home broadband connections available today. 9 All images © Getty Images unless otherwise stated It’s fast. Really fast. But speedier mobile downloads are only part of why 5G will change everything Everything you need to know Introducing 5G BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS 5G reaches those speeds in a few ways. First, it uses multiple antennas, allowing it to take advantage of Massive MIMO, which is similar to the tech used in modern Wi-Fi routers. Put simply, MIMO involves opening up multiple data streams from and to your device simultaneously, for a theoretically faster and more consistent connection. 5G uses frequencies in a similar range to 4G bands, and most 5G modems will also include backwards compatibility and fallback should a true 5G signal not be available. But that’s not all: 5G also takes advantage of a new region of the radio spectrum. The 5G New Radio spec (AKA 5G NR, more on that later) is able to utilise so-called millimetre waves in the EHF band, running at somewhere between 30 and 300GHz. The shorter wavelength (emitting pulses between 10mm and 1mm apart, hence the name) means these frequencies are capable of huge amounts of bandwidth. Consider, if you will, the quality of AM radio, which has a long wavelength, with the much shorter-waved FM – the difference in signal quality and consistency is stark, because FM’s higher frequency helps it put far more data into the same time window. Above: Current 4G LTE has a latency of 30-60ms while 5G could reduce this to as little as 3ms 10 Introducing 5G Everything you need to know How does 5G compare to 4G? Median browsing speed 4G 71Mbps 5G 1,400Mbps Median latency Data capacity isn’t the only advantage. Improved latency – jumping from an average of between 30-60ms on 4G LTE to as little as 3ms – means 5G data can get from one place to another much faster. 5G radios, in theory, can also be made much smaller, something which is true at both ends of the communication equation; devices will be able to shave off space (particularly if they’re able to drop Wi-Fi modules) and individual 5G transmitters can be much less intrusive than current masts. Naturally, this also leads to better power efficiency, giving smart devices the battery life they so sorely need. Again, much of this is theoretical, as we’re still in the very early days of 5G. The continued rollout is likely to focus, as it has so far, on delivering faster wireless broadband, before moving on to add additional infrastructure to improve latency and support massive numbers of smart devices. The service you get today will obviously not be the same service you’ll get as the network matures – both in terms of additional masts and service upgrades, and the flip side of the coin: when the network is supporting an expanded number of 5G devices, it’s likely to slow down somewhat. 4G 115ms 5G 4.9ms But still, let’s look at the long term: the unprecedented speed upgrade of 5G could change the way we think about all of our tech, and bring some massive consequences for the development of basically everything in the future. The same generation that once 11 Source: Qualcomm network simulation NEXT-GENERATION HARDWARE 5G 186Mbps 4G 10Mbps Download Speed (Top 90%) Introducing 5G © Getty images Everything you need to know “We’ll be able to send messages between devices, over the air, literally faster than your eye can see” spent five minutes loading a few kilobytes of unreliable computer software from cassette tapes could soon able to download an entire 4K movie to our phones in seconds. We’ll be able to send messages between devices, over the air, literally faster than your eye can see. It could be the enabler for tomorrow’s transport network, made up of entirely autonomous and seamlessly interconnected cars and trucks. Sharing sensor and mechanical status data between them, and talking constantly to one another at super high speed, future cars will be effectively accident-proof, and they’ll balance their routing to avoid traffic for a more efficient ride – something 4G doesn’t have the muscle to keep up with efficiently. 5G’s huge capacity could also 12 take that transport to the air, backing an intricately piloted array of delivery drones programmed to keep to the correct airspace and not clonk into each other. A Blade-Runner-style flying car future perhaps isn’t on the cards yet – 5G can’t do anything about gravity, sadly – but it’s not hard to see the impact it’ll have. 5G’s high capacity will also take the notoriously bandwidth-heavy tech of VR to the next level. Not only could it do away with the wired tether that makes most PC-led VR experiences awkward and restrictive, it could also push the powerful PCs themselves into obsolescence, moving all that effort into the cloud. You won’t even need to be at home to strap on a headset, provided you’re in 5G range – and those autonomous vehicles Introducing 5G Everything you need to know 5G can support many more devices simultaneously compared to 4G will know where you are should you wander into the street while in another world. The low latency of 5G also means VR should react to your movements more precisely than ever before, eliminating the potential for sea sickness caused by today’s microscopic delay. 5G’s immense bandwidth could make a huge difference when it comes to crowding. If you’ve ever been to a concert or sports game – or even visited a busy town centre – you’ll know the pain of having a supposedly full 4G signal yet absolutely atrocious (and possibly non-existent) data rates. Your local 4G tower, and the frequencies it uses, can only throw out so much data at one time. If everyone wants a slice of the pie, it needs to cut it infinitesimally thin; 5G masts, when all is said and done, will be far more numerous, and able to support many more simultaneous devices, although speeds will be limited by whatever connects those masts to the main internet. Kit will be able to stay constantly connected. Smart devices won’t need to rely on Wi-Fi, and the smart home will move outwards – indeed, constant low-power networking could mean tomorrow’s smart devices do more than we can even imagine today. THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN We’ve barely scraped the surface as to the sort of technology 5G could one day power, and there are some who theorise that 5G could lead to major change: the demise of local storage, the death of home broadband, even the end of the smart phone as we know it. There’s a lot of sci-fi brainstorming out there, mainly because a 5G future, one with unprecedented connectivity and network speed, is so exciting to imagine. That’s the good news. The bad news is that even though there’s a lot of potential, 5G is still fluid. The first and most crucial factor of a successful 5G rollout is consensus; while, happily, 13 Everything you need to know Introducing 5G To get the most from 5G users need a clear path between them and the mast it looks like the 5G NR standard has been pretty much universally adopted worldwide, not every company adhered to it at the start. US network Verizon, for example, initially implemented its own unrelated 5G formula, though it has stated that it’ll change in the future as long as 5G NR meets its expectations. There are also different interpretations of that 5G NR standard to deal with; many countries’ spectrum licensing regulations do not allow for all possible bands of the standard to be used, and networks are generally assigned only a portion of that available bandwidth. 5G also has a host of other external factors to deal with. While it’s able to throw around a massive amount of data very quickly, 5G is far more prone to atmospheric interference than slower-speed wireless tech – if you’ve ever compared 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to 5GHz and noticed the latter struggling with reach, it’s a similar situation. 5G’s radio waves can, at the most, propagate around a kilometre in clear line of sight and with no obstructions, and generally aren’t effectively 14 received outside of around 250m. Put walls or other obstacles in the way, and that distance is reduced even further. Taking advantage of the fastest 5G transmissions requires close proximity to a mast – so our mobile infrastructure, and even the theory around it, is going to need a major overhaul to make 5G the norm. We’ll also need a jump forward in device support. Backwards compatibility with 4G networks won’t be an issue since the older system won’t be going anywhere for the foreseeable future, but at the time of press we’re still waiting for a number of companies to get fully on board with 5G. That said, networks have committed to and pushed for a rapid rollout, and even collaborated with each other to get the job done in the case of O2 and Vodafone. Device manufacturers are equally excited to get on board – with a global standard now seemingly ratified, and masts popping up all over, expect 5G support in phones and even home routers to become the norm. And let’s not forget consumers. We all want to get our hands Everything you need to know Introducing 5G 5G fakery © Shutterstock When is 5G not 5G? When it’s 4G wearing a fake moustache and glasses. Connect an iPhone running iOS 12.2 or later to American network AT&T, and you’ll see a logo for what it calls 5G E. That’s very exciting, but 5G E absolutely isn’t 5G. In fact, it’s a slightly boosted form of 4G LTE with an average data rate of around 40Mbps, slapped with a confusing and, some might say, highly shady label. This is a controversial practice, and hasn’t gone down well with other networks (“AT&T is blatantly misleading consumers,” says rival Sprint) but we suppose it’s up to AT&T what it decides to do with its branding. There’s more to the not-quite5G equation than just a label, though. Even a year on we’re in the early stages of its rollout, which means that some networks have only partially launched 5G coverage. That doesn’t simply mean limited range, either: some networks are in what’s called the non-standalone phase, which means they have only implemented certain aspects of 5G, with the rest being made up for by 4G tech. Uploads, in particular, remain handled by 4G on a large number of networks worldwide. It’s not likely to be forever, particularly when 5G for home broadband becomes a regular technology, but if you’re getting slow uploads, that’s likely the reason – and given that a couple of key players providing technology for the 5G backbone have been blackballed in many places, it could be a while yet. “The 5G rollout may focus on delivering faster wireless broadband first” on 5G devices. This means it’s a perfect storm of demand and, hopefully, supply. YEARS OF HOPE 5G absolutely means a bright future for technology, and it’s tantalisingly close. By the end of 2019, the UK’s networks had already installed limited 5G in some of the country’s busiest urban areas, and 2020 has seen a big expansion. But the rollout will not be as fast as, say, 4G, which itself was frustratingly slow to grow – 5G’s comparatively short range means it requires many more transmitters, making widespread installation a difficult task made even harder by certain controversial Chinese telecommunications companies. It could be years until 5G reaches your street. Rural areas will almost certainly have to wait even longer once the main 5G rollout is complete, but for those forced to rely on satellite internet because traditional broadband is too expensive to install, 5G (when and if it reaches them) may be a truly life-changing tech. We’re also not positive on what the price will be when 5G becomes the norm. If 5G continues with its current capped data plans, its utility may be limited not by its speed but by its cost – so your home broadband is safe for now. But that’s an ‘if’ – given the potential capacity of 5G, unmetered connections like the 50 Euro per month plan from Finnish network Elisa may be a solid possibility. 15 How does 5G improve on 4G? Introducing 5G How does 5G improve on 4G? Above: With 5G it is possible to transfer far more data than 4G in the same time frame Right: Huawei caused a real stir in 2019 when it announced the world’s first 5G 8K TV Here are 10 things 5G can do that 4G can’t From the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G to the OnePlus 9 Pro and beyond, there are now plenty of great 5G phones on the market. Alongside them, the 5G networks have continued to expand – although coverage is far from ubiquitous yet. If you live somewhere where 5G is available, it could be worth signing up, as it’s much faster than 4G, offering lower latency and lots of other benefits besides speedy connections. It’s the next generation of mobile technology, set to leave 4G in its dust, thanks to faster downloads, smoother streaming and more. But it doesn’t just have speed on its side; it will also open up whole new use cases that just weren’t possible or practical on 4G. Some of the best uses for 5G may not even have been thought up yet, but for ten exciting ones that we already know about, read on. Above: Console-quality games could be streamed to mobile devices with little lag 16 Introducing 5G How does 5G improve on 4G? 01. Console-quality online gaming with no lag 02. 8K video streaming Streaming 4K video isn’t something many people do over 4G. With 5G, however, it should be possible to take a giant leap forward and stream video in 8K quality without buffering. Because data can be transferred faster with 5G, it’s possible to transfer more in the same amount of time, meaning that you can stream in far higher qualities with no noticeable difference in how fast and smoothly the footage is delivered. We don’t have devices that can take advantage of this just yet, but we expect they’ll be on the way soon now the tech is there for it. © Huawei Online gaming over a mobile network isn’t always ideal – not just because of speed, but also latency. Latency is the time it takes for the network to respond to a request, and that should be a lot quicker with 5G. This means that when you input a command in a game it will happen instantly, so you won’t miss out on crucial kills or be stuck watching helplessly as your character runs off the edge of a platform because of lag. Online games themselves could become more detailed and closer to console quality, since higher network speeds will better handle multiple players in these worlds. There will also be the potential for the games themselves to be streamed, leveraging the power of 5G to handle the heavy lifting in the cloud and allowing for higher end games than your phone might otherwise be capable of – along the lines of what Google Stadia can do. 17 Introducing 5G How does 5G improve on 4G? 03. Huge downloads in a flash As well as streaming in higher resolutions, you’ll be able to download content far faster over 5G, which will make downloading 8K movies more viable. Technically, you could download them over a 4G or even 3G connection, but it would be extremely slow. Plus, the extra speed of 5G will help make any large downloads more viable, which could also mean bigger games and apps, with better graphics and more features. So you might want to make sure you have a phone with plenty of storage going forward. 04. VR game streaming Speaking of streaming games, the sky really is the limit once you move processing to the cloud, which 5G will help to enable. We won’t just be looking at console-quality games, but potentially also richly detailed VR games, way beyond what current phonebased headsets and maybe even the likes of PlayStation VR are capable of, all played on a phone or even just a headset with no real computing capabilities built in. 05. Live-streaming events in VR Getting closer to live sporting events and concerts through VR isn’t a totally new concept, but it’s still very rare and usually requires a speedy home internet connection to achieve. However, with 5G you should be able to strap on a mobile VR headset and get front row seats wherever you are. Live-streaming events in VR over 5G has the potential to bring events to life in a whole new way, and makes the idea of splashing out on tickets to be there in person seem far less appealing. 18 Introducing 5G How does 5G improve on 4G? It's not just about mobile phones; 5G could also lead to far more live events being broadcast on TV. With current technology, companies are limited by lower speeds out in the field or massive equipment, such as broadcast trucks. With 5G, the speed and portability of equipment can both be massively increased, meaning it will be viable and affordable to broadcast more niche events. Suddenly, you might be able to watch every football match rather than just the bigger games, while broadcasting live concerts could become the standard, rather than a rarity. Red Bee Media, a broadcasting services company, has argued that this ability to broadcast more live events will help traditional broadcasters compete with on-demand services like Netflix. In other words, there might be life in linear TV yet. © Vodafone 06. More live-streaming of events in general 07. Holographic calls You can already make video calls, but how about holographic calls? It’s something Vodafone has already successfully carried out over 5G. While there are more technologies involved than just 5G itself, it means that one day you could virtually be in the same room as the person you’re talking to, making the world feel ever smaller and hopefully bringing people ever closer together, too. 19 Introducing 5G © Shutterstock How does 5G improve on 4G? 08. Smarter homes and cities One thing the speed and bandwidth of 5G could really help with is the Internet of Things (IoT). Although we’re already seeing the beginnings of this, with everything from smart thermostats to smart lights appearing in people’s homes, 5G should provide the capacity needed to make nearly every connected home smart. And it won’t just be homes. We should start seeing truly smart towns and cities powered by 5G. This would mean cities with the ability to monitor pollution, traffic, pedestrian flow, energy use and more, all in real-time. This in turn could cut resource use and costs, for example by allowing street lights to automatically dim when there’s no one around – leading to leaner, greener urban areas. If you think the world is connected now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. 09. Enhanced augmented reality © Shutterstock Augmented reality is a technology we’ve seen a lot of over the last few years, but it’s still in the very early stages. 5G could change that. With the high speeds and low latency offered, it will be able to augment reality in far greater ways than is possible on 4G. In the future you might even see completely personalised billboards projected through your car’s windscreen or your smart glasses. Speaking of cars, 5G could potentially enable features like navigation instructions overlaid on the road when viewed through a smart windscreen. Those are just two examples, but AR clearly offers a lot more than just Pokémon Go. 10. Mainstream autonomous vehicles 5G could be the key to making self-driving cars commonplace. For them to work most effectively they need to be able to rapidly send and receive data to and from other cars, smart roads and more, which requires a speedy network, low latency, lots of bandwidth and high reliability. 5G promises all of that. As Ordnance Survey explained to the BBC: "When you switch a light on, it turns on immediately. That's what you need with autonomous cars – if something happens, the car needs to stop immediately. That's why [...] 5G signals are required." 20 Introducing 5G How does 5G improve on 4G? 21 Introducing 5G © Deutsche Telekom Why 5G is about more than just speed Why 5G is about more than just speed It’s a digital revolution, not just a speed-boost 5G is here, but if you think it’s all about ultra-quick downloads and web pages that are faster to load, you’re only half-right. New 5G cells will be able to transfer not just more data, more quickly, but they’ll also communicate instantly. A real-time internet is coming, which means a real-time cloud, and the creation of a new class of electronics that can exchange information fast enough to make near-instant decisions. Cue driverless cars, drones, trains and much more besides. A tactile internet where touch becomes as important as what you see or hear. A new era of electronics where wearables, smart fabrics, and connected-everything is possible. The Internet of Things (IoT) in full bloom, but also 22 a new, real-time economy based on an industrialscale IoT. None of these things will happen overnight. 5G will take years and years to significantly spread beyond 5G hotspots in urban areas. 5G won’t be egalitarian either; select urbanites (and businesses) will have it first, while everyone else will only experience it occasionally. It will be years until we all use it regularly. However, we do know that 5G, when it finally reaches mainstream adoption, is going to be about significantly more than just having 1Gbps speed connections on our smartphones. Here are five things about 5G that are more important than the speed. Introducing 5G Why 5G is about more than just speed 01. More capacity 02. Better quality voice calls 5G is just as much about capacity, as it is about speed. An important part of the 5G spec is what’s known as mMTC (massive Machine Type Communications). The result of this kind of communication is something incredible: up to a million connected devices per square kilometre. Why does that matter? Take a sports stadium. Put yourself in a crowd of 50,000 and, right now, you cannot get a phone signal. Want to find out other scores at half-time? Or send a text during a match? Forget it. However, with 5G, not only will anyone at a major event be able to get online, livestream video, and make calls, but a lot more tech will be enabled in the stadium itself. Why bother with those big screens, and even scoreboards, at either end of the stadium when the organisers could just make it available for anyone in the stadium to stream on their phone or tablet? It’s even possible that spectators could don a camera and livestream what they can see, in HD, to anyone at home… perhaps even in 360 degrees to anyone with a VR headset. Away from stadiums, 5G could be beneficial in busy places where live updates are be useful, such as in airports and train stations – bringing us better connectivity on the move. WhatsApp is convenient, and it’s free, but there’s another reason that more and more of us are using the messaging app to make voice calls. Voice calls made over WhatsApp – and any voiceover-internet-protocol (VoIP) service like Skype or Zoom – are much, much clearer than on the phone network. High-definition voice wasn’t a priority for the designers of 3G and 4G networks, but with 5G, you can expect all voice calls and video calls to contain speech that’s clearer, sharper and altogether much more realistic. It’s about time. And it’s set to go further than simply HD with so-called Voice over 5G (Vo5G), which looks set to be an integral part of other 5G services, such as video calling, telepresence, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). © EE © WhatsApp “A real-time internet is coming, which means a real-time cloud” 23 Introducing 5G Why 5G is about more than just speed © Bosch Connectivity could lead to fewer incidents on the road as well as better fuel economy 03. Platooning A key part of the 5G specification is URLLC (UltraReliable and Low Latency Communications), which allows for reliable, instant communications between the network and devices. This is what makes the era of driverless cars a very real possibility, by allowing vehicles to communicate their exact speed and position with each other in real-time. Known as Cellular-V2X (C-V2X), it could eventually lead to something called platooning, which will get traffic moving faster. Groups of vehicles in a connected platoon will be able to drive with a one-second gap between each vehicle, automatically matching each other’s speed and braking. The reaction time for braking could be reduced to zero. 24 Platooning will basically mean the vehicle at the front of the group will dictate the speed. Although it could affect all driving, for now the tech is mostly being talked-up for trucks and haulage, not only to make goods transport more efficient, but also to reduce carbon emissions. “Platooning has the potential to improve traffic flows on highways and to decrease the environmental impact of transport,” says Gunnar Tornmalm, head of predevelopment, systems development at Scania, who adds that drag accounts for 25% of a truck’s fuel consumption. “However, the technology will only reach markets broadly if vehicles from more than one brand can find each other,” he adds. A format war is never far away, is it? Introducing 5G Why 5G is about more than just speed 04. Human health The proximity of the timing of 5G’s rollout to that of the global pandemic, coupled with previous fears about microwave radiation and electromagnetic fields in phones, has led 5G to become something of a pariah for some. There are those that claim that 5G is damaging to health or, preposterously, responsible for the pandemic itself. These are the kinds of people that usually carry placards and refuse to wear a mask in public. You know the type. There is certainly research to be done on the long-term effects of 5G’s frequencies and likely a lot of ‘not in my back yard’ nonsense to go through, given that masts will need to be installed on a much more local level to ensure strong coverage. But you can rest assured that there are no proven health risks associated with 5G, just as there were none with 4G or 3G before it. Even 5G’s fastest frequencies fall into the bracket of non-ionising radiation, and land on the complete opposite side of the electromagnetic spectrum to harmful things like X-rays. So don’t heed the hysteria. You can already broadcast VR 360-degree video on Facebook, but the quality is pretty poor. It’s the same story for breaking news footage, which is presently done in low resolution. News-gathering, live sports, and events need to catch up to the 4K era, then go way beyond to 8K, AR and VR. Could 5G transform broadcasting? AT&T and LiveU have just begun working to bring 5G to LiveU’s HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) portable broadcast units. They’re going to test the real-world impact and performance enhancements 5G technology can have on live broadcast video production using LiveU HEVC portable broadcast units. This is about broadcasters taking advantage of 5G’s higher speeds and lower latency in the field. “We see 5G as a critical advancement for the broadcast industry disrupting the way breaking news, live sports, and other live events are produced,” says Avi Cohen, chief operations officer and co-founder of LiveU. “We anticipate the technology will bring more capabilities to our customers such as multiple channels of audio, multi-camera productions from a single portable transmission solution, 4K streaming, and high-quality video return.” © Live U © Ericsson 05. Mobile broadcasting 25 © Getty How 5G will change your life It's not just about faster phones. 5G will help upgrade society as a whole Clearly, 5G will have bigger ramifications on your life than putting a faster phone in your pocket (though we are excited for that). Rather than just being about streaming 8K videos and gaming on the go, it in fact has the potential to absolutely transform your life, revolutionising the way we receive and use information. While it’s easy to focus on the personal benefits 5G will bring each of us, it also stands 26 to have a much bigger impact on society as a whole. For example, it will replace home broadband and bridge the gap between rural areas and cities; give kids in schools more learning tools; improve health care outcomes; make streets safer with self-driving cars; and bring augmented reality from a Google-Glasslike spectacle into the mainstream. Here’s how. How 5G will change your life © Verizon Introducing 5G 5G providers: A number of internet providers already have 5G networks up and running 5G IN YOUR HOME: CABLE BROADBAND KILLER? 5G isn’t just going to make your phone faster. Theoretically, your home internet will also be faster if you opt for 5G fixed wireless over broadband. Instead of paying a cable company to wire your place and hook you up to the internet, you can install an antenna that beams 5G into your home from a cell tower. For rural areas in which laying cable is super-expensive, grabbing a 5G signal from an existing tower would be much cheaper. “We used to talk about fibre to the home and running cable in the neighbourhoods. People were excited about that, and you had to check your ZIP code to see if it was available in your area,” says Steve Koenig, vice president of research for the Consumer Technology Association. “5G won’t eliminate that, because there will sometimes need to be a physical connection, but for consumers, your home broadband service could be 5G. 5G can penetrate better than 4G because it penetrates across three bands: low, mid and high.” Carriers like Verizon and AT&T are already getting into the 5G fixed wireless business, and though it’s the early days still, increased competition for cable providers could mean lower home internet bills for consumers, who still don’t have many options when it comes to broadband. 27 How 5G will change your life Introducing 5G “Why watch it on YouTube? Why not just put on your AR glasses and say: ‘Alexa, show me instructions please.’” 28 How 5G will change your life “Why watch it on YouTube? Why not just put on your AR glasses and say, ‘Alexa, show me instructions please,” says Peter Linder, head of 5G marketing at Ericsson Linder goes on to explain that fixed wireless could improve internet access for people outside metropolitan areas, where fixed broadband connections aren’t great and mobile connectivity isn’t much better. “If we’re trying to make the city smart, we have to make sure the countryside is clever,” Linder says. “Otherwise the gap between rural and metropolitan opportunities is going to get even bigger.” 5G ON YOUR BODY: AUGMENTEDREALITY GLASSES GET REAL Many experts also predict that 5G will usher in the era of augmented reality. While people have been hyping AR for years, 5G will make the Introducing 5G devices that we will still need to wear to overlay information on top of our vision a whole lot lighter and thinner. To get an idea of what that may look like, picture something like the defunct Google Glass, but considerably more attractive. “5G connectivity may not just be on your phone, it could be across a range of consumer devices: wearables, like AR glasses, could have their own 5G connection,” explains Koenig. Currently, augmented-reality glasses require a connection to a computer – either over a Wi-Fi connection or physically tethered to a wall-mounted or a wearable computer attached to, for instance, a belt. Headsets with fully integrated computers, like Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, are massive. 5G AR glasses would eliminate connectivity issues and would be comfortable enough to wear for lengthy periods of time. That would unlock a whole new way of interacting with the world. Augmented reality places computer-generated images into the real-time environment 29 How 5G will change your life Introducing 5G 5G IN THE CLASSROOM: FLYING OVER THE GREAT WALL There’s a presentation about China: a PowerPoint. It’s a good environment. But there’s another child in the class. [The teacher says]: ‘Put on that headset and we’ll drop you into a 360-degree video so you can be [in China] without being there.’ [The kid says:] ‘I’m flying over the Great Wall! That is unbelievable!’ The second child had an experience. A whole chunk of his brain lit up. That immersive environment is between three and eight times more effective.” © Shutterstock The faster speeds and lower latency that 5G will deliver will make AR and virtual reality transformative for kids in classrooms. Toby Redshaw, senior vice president of 5G innovation at Verizon, offers a scenario in which 5G could make education more accessible: “You have a child that sits in a class for four hours. © Getty Images “I grew up reading manuals, and my daughter laughs about that: ‘Why don’t you just watch it on YouTube?’” says Ericsson’s Linder. “I think her kids will laugh: ‘Why did you watch it on YouTube? Why not just put on your AR glasses and say, ‘Alexa, show me instructions please.’ “[In] the 4G era the input to the device is more or less centred around always tapping on glass – the output to you is coming out of the glass window. 5G is breaking out of that as the only way of doing things.” 30 How 5G will change your life © Verizon Introducing 5G “For students who need more than a lecture or a textbook to fully understand concepts, 5G could unlock a whole new way to learn” Verizon put out a call for innovative applications for 5G in middle-school classrooms for its 5G EdTech Challenge. Earlier this year, the carrier’s foundation awarded $1m to 10 groups that created ways to make 5G useful in the classroom. Some of the winning ideas included a virtual-reality experience of space, a mixed-reality game to help students with autism work on social skills, and an app that brings physics to life. For students who need more than a lecture or a textbook to fully understand concepts, 5G could unlock a whole new way to learn. 5G IN THE HOSPITAL: HOLOGRAPHIC SURGERIES AND BEYOND Just as 5G could make it easier for kids to experience subjects that most of us have only read about in books, next-gen speeds combined with augmented reality could also make it easier for doctors to learn and perfect procedures. In May 2019, medical startup Medivis received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for an augmented-reality platform called Surgical AR that will guide surgeons through procedures via a holographic overlay on the patient. Earlier that year at CES, Medivis CEO Christopher Morley said that 5G will reduce latency so much that surgeons will be able to use AR to perform surgeries in real time. Morley expects 5G and AR will reduce the possibility of error and improve post-surgical outcomes. But 5G could take surgeons out of the operating theatre entirely. The Consumer Technology Association’s Koenig says 5G could allow doctors to perform operations remotely using 5G-connected robots. Outside of surgical suites, 5G could improve health care outcomes across the board. Columbia University is using Verizon’s 5G network to test remote rehabilitation for stroke patients using virtual-reality headsets. Therapists remotely guide patients, who are wearing VR headsets, through exercises to improve their motor skills, which is critical for those who can’t travel to facilities for in-patient rehab. The program is also useful for therapists, because it analyses everyone 31 Introducing 5G How 5G will change your life © Verizon The speed of 5G can reduce latency when using programs such as Surgical AR who follows the program and determines if the exercises actually work. “How often does this great therapist show up in rural Arkansas, or east Los Angeles? Probably never,” Verizon’s Redshaw says. “In the 5G world, what do I need for this person to show up? I need them to have a connection and this $200 set of goggles. Economically that’s a great thing for that industry and, for patients, it’s fantastic to blast through socioeconomic barriers.” 5G IN SELF-DRIVING CARS: SAFER (AND MORE FUN) RIDES Self-driving cars are already being tested on the roads, but experts predict that 5G will make them safer and alleviate concerns that most of us have about letting a computer drive for us. It’s also one of the most exciting use cases for 5G – and there’s a lot at stake. 32 “Connecting cars, giving them the ability to connect to the internet, streaming movies to passengers – but also advanced safety [features], giving the cars ability to communicate with other cars, passengers [and] infrastructure. Those are the marquee [use cases for 5G],” explains Danny Tseng, technical marketing manager at Qualcomm. Above the fleets of self-driving vehicles that Tseng, Koenig and others imagine will take over the roads in the near future, autonomous drones will be delivering packages and embarking on rescue missions with the help of 5G. The time it takes for a drone to receive instructions and deliver footage to the ground will be near instantaneous over 5G, which will make its missions much safer and more accurate – whether they are for Amazon deliveries or searchand-rescue operations. How 5G will change your life Introducing 5G “5G could take surgeons out of the operating theatre entirely, allowing doctors to perform operations remotely using 5G-connected robots” OK, COOL – BUT WHEN IS THIS 5G NIRVANA HAPPENING? The transformative potential of 5G can sometimes feel overblown. After all, many people still can’t even access a 5G network yet, and we have been talking about it for years. But you can expect that to change very soon. “You’re not going to see this incremental thing,” says Verizon’s Redshaw. “It’ll be: ‘‘Wow, now I’m surrounded by 5G.’ You’ll start to see the differences between non-5G spaces and 5G spaces by the end of next year. Marry sizzle to economic benefit and you’ll see this take off tremendously.” But what exactly will happen when 5G is everywhere? We obviously have some ideas, but there are also life-changing applications that no one has thought of. “5G is going to be a catalyst of incredible innovation, much like we saw with 4G mobile broadband,” says Koenig. “Some of which haven’t been imagined yet.” 5G networks: The switch to 5G will be instantaneous rather than a gradual change 33 Introducing 5G Things 5G will do you didn’t expect Things 5G will do you didn’t expect From better music to a ‘tactile’ internet, here are some ways 5G will surprise you Download a 4K movie in three seconds! That’s the headline feature of 5G according to the lazy mainstream media, which is probably why the public aren’t yet as excited about 5G as they should be. So 5G isn’t about downloading movies quickly? No, though the focus on 5G’s incredible speeds is no surprise. After all, 5G networks will bring speeds of about 1Gbps. Compare that to the 4G LTE networks we have in the UK right now that offer speeds of about 20Mbps; 5G will be 100 times faster, and in the long-term it’s expected to jump even further up to 20Gbps. 34 However, this is just the eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband) feature of 5G, which is only a small part of the story. To understand 5G, you need to know that 5G networks will be able to support up to a million devices per square kilometre thanks to massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) and that they’ll also have Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC). Jargon? Yes, but by being super-fast, superdense and enabling latency-free communication, 5G will bring changes to the tech world we can only imagine. Luckily, we can imagine quite a lot already… besides, who still downloads movies? Introducing 5G Things 5G will do you didn’t expect 02. The ‘tactile internet’ 01. An internet of (many) things A core 5G feature is mMTC, and that’s about density. It’s great news for sports fans. Never again will you sit in a packed stadium and be unable to use your phone. That’s because 5G networks can support up to a million devices per square kilometre – but face-timing at the football is only one tiny aspect of what 5G will enable. With that kind of support, the number of connected devices will explode. That Fitbit on your wrist? Why bother when you could have sensors all over your body – perhaps in clothes – that communicate with each other, and with the cloud via the 5G network, in real-time? Everything you own could be connected to the network, such as your backpack, the belongings inside, headsets, headphones, bikes, car…and family members. This could extend to industry as well, with companies’ assets, farm equipment, robots, and even tanks. Another dimension of low latency is the realtime cloud. Instead of needing local processing power, devices like phones, wearables and laptops will link to the cloud for everything – files, data and artificial intelligence – perhaps only storing the absolute essential data on devices. That means smaller and essentially ‘dumb’ devices that are conduits to the cloud. 5G’s URLLC feature is all about low latency. Latency is the time it takes for a communication to start, stop and then start again, which you can experience every time you try to load a webpage. On a 4G network it takes at least 40 milliseconds, but 5G could reduce that to just a single millisecond. Think about it; 5G could change everything we do online on our smartphones by making it near instantaneous. Cue the ‘tactile internet’. Defined as instant, interactive communications, the tactile internet could enable a revolution in industry, with robots able to receive instructions in real-time, essentially allowing them to collaborate on complex tasks. In healthcare, surgeons could be able to see body scans and brain scans in real time, examine a patient remotely using a telepresence unit, and perhaps even remotely operate on patients using a surgical robot controlled across the internet. “Instead of needing local processing power, devices like phones, wearables and laptops will link to the cloud” 35 Introducing 5G Things 5G will do you didn’t expect 04. Connected hotels 03. Smart buildings It’s not just inside the home where 5G will enable more devices to get online – it’s out in the wider world too. The extra capacity and bandwidth of 5G technology means that buildings and street furniture can be fully connected and communicating with other infrastructure, opening up a wealth of new possibilities for autonomous systems that can operate with minimal help from a human being. Imagine lighting, heating and security all managed automatically across an office block, with sensors reporting back on current conditions and a central computer making decisions about how devices should be managed: in all kinds of different areas, the workplaces of the future should become more energy efficient and safer as a result of the spread of 5G. More 5G-connected sensors could tell you how busy the canteen or car park is without you having to move from your desk (very useful if you have to go up or down several flights of stairs to get there). Look for 5G-enabled sensors to be embedded in outdoor street furniture too, everything from speed bumps that communicate with self-driving cars, to air quality monitors that can tell city planners about pollution levels in real time. We may even see smart traffic lights that adjust themselves based on the flow of traffic around a city. 36 5G means faster speeds, lower latency, more bandwidth and more reliability, and that’s going to be very useful indeed for hotels. While many hotels are already packed with gadgetry and wireless connections that cover Wi-Fi and 4G, the arrival of 5G should take the technology to another level – and we’ve already seen some venues start to experiment with what 5G can offer. In short, this means more connectivity and convenience, and we’re not just talking about being able to connect to the web when you’re relaxing (or trying to get some work done) in your hotel room. Applications of 5G for consumers in the home will also apply to travellers in a hotel: think 5G virtual reality rowing machines in the gym, 5G cloud gaming and computing services you can connect to in a second, and high-resolution video streaming to a big screen in every room (with rooms constantly monitored for air quality and temperature as well of course). The rollout of 5G should also lead to more automation in the hospitality industry and a greater use of robotics in hotels – when you check in or visit the restaurant, you might be greeted by a robot or a electronic display more often than an actual person, or maybe you’ll get shown around the premises by a 5G-connected droid that never gets tired of giving guests essential information. Introducing 5G Things 5G will do you didn’t expect “’Although a lot of the 5G talk is around video-based entertainment, a lot could change in the music world” 05. Hi-res audio everywhere Although a lot of the 5G talk is around videobased entertainment, a lot could change in the music world. After all, why persist with compressed MP3 and iTunes AAC files when hi-res uncompressed 24-bit/192kHz audio as FLAC, WAV and MQA music files are just as easy to stream over a 5G network? Hi-res audio (HRA) is lossless audio codec capable of reproducing the full range of sound from recordings that have been mastered from better-than-CD quality music sources. The massively increased bandwidth coming with 5G will likely popularise and normalise high-quality audio, which for now is a relatively small niche among audiophiles. It’s growing though, with Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz already offering hi-res music, while Amazon is reportedly about to launch a hi-res audio streaming service. There’s also Spotify Hi-Fi that offers listeners lossless CD quality. Let’s just hope 5G phones come with unlimited data plans… 37 How will 5G affect security? Introducing 5G 38 How will 5G affect security? Introducing 5G How will 5G affect security? The volume of data will increase in the era of 5G – but so will its value to unscrupulous individuals It’s easy to overhype 5G, but it’s not an exaggeration to suggest the arrival of the next generation network represents the most significant development in the history of mobile communications. The transitions from 2G to 3G, and 3G to 4G, both delivered significant performance enhancements and new capabilities that have allowed mobile technology to become an integral part of everyday life. 39 How will 5G affect security? Introducing 5G © Getty Images More devices at home mean will mean that security is more important than ever 5G is no exception, offering greater speeds and capacity that will allow for a faster and more reliable connection. Mobile operators are rebuilding their networks so the time it takes for data to be sent across them is significantly reduced. Not only this but 5G is the first generation of mobile network to be designed for machineto-machine (M2M) communication, enabling a whole range of new use cases that promise to change how we live, work and play. The possibilities are seemingly endless – but could this new era of ubiquitous connectivity introduce new security risks? For example, eHealth applications will collect extremely personal data about our bodies and wellbeing, connected car services will monitor our movements and smart city applications will collect information about how we live our lives. THE CHALLENGE TO PRIVACY This data collection will be accelerated by the sheer number of connected objects. It is thought that in the 5G future, the smartphone will become a super-connected hub for other personal devices like smartwatches. Meanwhile, as the first generation of mobile connectivity to be designed for M2M communication, your 5G-enabled devices will The biggest security challenge that 5G networks pose is to our privacy. 5G networks will enable new kinds of applications and will allow us to connect more devices to the network (and to each other), encouraging us to capture and share more and more of our personal data. Some of which may never have been captured digitally in the past. 40 “5G networks will encourage us to capture and share more and more of our personal data” How will 5G affect security? Introducing 5G ‘talk’ to countless sensors that comprise the connected world. All of this is an opportunity to harvest more of our data. THE THREATS OF 5G There’s no doubt that in the vast majority of cases, this data will be used ethically and will be useful to the user. However, the increased volume and variety of information makes it more valuable to attackers who have nefarious intentions. The scope for blackmail, identity theft, and even personal safety would be potentially limitless. For example, what if an attacker was able to access to a 5G-enabled camera or connected car application? Some are also concerned that because 5G needs more network sites to compensate for reduced range, that the location data held by operators would be more accurate, potentially giving hackers your exact address. Meanwhile, the increased number of connected devices means more targets and launchpads for attacks. If just one of your devices isn’t configured correctly, then it might be possible for cybercriminals to steal data or launch a more widespread attack using a botnet. BUILT-IN SECURITY The threat to privacy is one of several reasons why the debate about 5G security has become 41 How will 5G affect security? © iStock Introducing 5G “It’s important to recognise that there’s no reason for 5G networks to be any less secure to use than 4G” so prominent in the media. As more sensitive data is transmitted across the network and more mission-critical applications become reliant on 5G, the risk of an attack, service outage, or state-sponsored surveillance operation becomes increasingly unpalatable. Infrastructure left insecure – either by accident or design – is simply too great a risk to contemplate. The good news is that mobile operators are ensuring that security is built into the fabric of their 5G networks. 5G is a more secure standard than 4G, while more stringent testing requirements and security obligations at a national and international level should minimise the risk of vulnerabilities in telecoms equipment. Despite recent debates about the security of Huawei kit in the UK, there’s no evidence to suggest that any major vendor is a risk, and operators are likely to build their networks in a way that minimises the risk of an outage or anyone accessing your data. 42 5G networks comprise three main elements. The radio network transmits data from your phone to the mast, the transport network sends this from the mast to the core network, and the core network processes the data and sends it back again. The core is the most sensitive part of the network as it handles all the main customer data and information. Operators will use a mixture of suppliers in each part of the network and, just for added piece of mind, Huawei kit has now been banned from the UK and will be removed entirely by 2027. But this should be of little concern because, as one major operator said, hacking a phone mast is so pointless you might as well hack a phone. WHAT CAN YOU DO? It’s important to recognise that there’s no reason for 5G networks to be any less secure to use than 4G. A mobile network can never be 100% fail-safe, but it’s significantly safer to use than public Wi-Fi, for example. How will 5G affect security? 5G enables ‘network slicing’, which allows operators to effectively ring-fence part of the network for a dedicated user or application, guaranteeing speed and capacity, and stopping anyone else from accessing that bandwidth. It’s also worth bearing in mind that all data sent over 5G is encrypted. Meanwhile, mobile operators are working to ensure their services are as secure as possible at an infrastructure level. It’s not surprising, given a report from Ericsson found that four out of ten people consider the security and trustworthiness of a network to be important considerations when picking a provider. What 5G does change significantly is the applications and devices that we will use. This means the precautions you take to secure your device are even more important. Basic measures such as using a PIN code or biometric security to access your smartphone Introducing 5G should be the bare minimum. You should only grant permissions to applications you trust, use encrypted applications where possible, and be wary of granting access to health or location data if there isn’t a clear need for it. If you’re not convinced, then bear in mind future 5G devices will offer increasingly advanced security options and it appears as though there is some demand. It may sound like science fiction, but according to Ericsson, 29% of people questioned would like DNA authentication to be a biometric security option. It’s unlikely that the debate about best practices and protection will go away any time soon, such is the growing importance of mobile connectivity to our everyday life. But at least it means the mobile industry is committed to finding answers. And if you’re bored of it already, you’ll be delighted to know that work on 6G, the successor to 5G, has already started. 43 How 5G will transform Intro How 5G will transform... Given 5G’s lightning fast speeds and almost imperceptible latencies, it stands to revolutionise almost all areas of society As we’ve already established, 5G is an absolutely game-changing technology. And very little of that is because it will allow us to stream 4K movies on the go. Well, alright, that’s pretty great too. But the really exciting thing about the new standard is how it stands to revolutionise the way we do so many different things in ways we’re scarcely able to predict. 44 Whether you’re itching to get behind the wheel of a self-driving car, lose yourself in virtual worlds, embed your clothing chockfull of sensors or just still get reliable signal in a packed football stadium, 5G is coming to make those dreams a reality. How 5G will transform Intro 45 How 5G will transform Wearables Wearables Smartwatches and fitness trackers could be even more useful with 5G Faster, better, and the future of mobile internet, 5G is certainly the connection you want on your smartphone. It means faster speeds for when you want to download something in a hurry, as well as being able to stream video more efficiently while sitting on the train during your daily commute. With speeds potentially being 100 times faster than standard 4G, the new norm is going to be 46 spectacularly speedy (providing you live in an area that supports 5G). What does that mean for your smartwatch or fitness wearable though? It’s not as though you’ll find yourself often downloading hefty files to your watch or fitness tracker, after all. So will 5G really make a significant difference to smartwatch users? With a growing trend for wearables to be self-sufficient rather than relying on smartphone How 5G will transform Wearables connectivity, there’s huge potential for growth here, but not necessarily in the same way that you’ll see with your smartphone. The importance of 5G to wearables is a little more complicated than simply being faster. What we do know so far is that the way we use our beloved wearables could be set to change rapidly over the coming years. SPEED ISN’T EVERYTHING So we all know that the best thing about 5G is its huge speed advantage over 4G, but there’s more to it than that. 5G is smarter. It offers lower latency so its response times are speedier. For a phone, that might mean a fasterloading webpage due to a lower ping, but for a smartwatch that means exchanging data faster – so, for instance, you won’t have to wait for map updates or your step counter to sync up. In theory, it’ll all just work automatically rather than leaving you to stand around waiting for your data to sync. “Wearables could also look smaller, sleeker and more fashionable” 5G can also handle more users simultaneously than 4G because it can co-exist alongside other wireless signals without any risk of interference, as it operates on three different spectrum bands. For a smartphone, that means it can operate at a high enough speed to stream the latest Netflix hit uninterrupted – but the next-gen mobile network will also improve our wearables as well. Theories suggest that 5G devices could have two different modes available to them – a high- speed, high-bandwidth mode for streaming and downloading, and a low-power, long-life mode for an increased battery life and improved reliability. While few smartphone users will be interested in the latter, a long and reliable battery life lends itself perfectly to smartwatches and wearable devices. Through 5G, it’s possible to have thousands of wearables connected within a small geographical area without disruption. Something that will be immediately appealing to those who live in busy cities that can have congested airwaves. THE CLOUD JUST GOT BIGGER With the rise of 5G, no devices may need substantial physical storage to be built into them any longer. With faster connections, lower latency and near instantaneous transmissions, users could simply store all their apps and 47 How 5G will transform Wearables files on the cloud rather than requiring their smartphone or wearable device to include physical storage. That has a few benefits tied into it. By turning your smartwatch or fitness wearable into a gateway for your data, it means that they can also become smaller. Instead of having chunky devices that contain lots of physical storage, manufacturers could focus on providing more advanced sensors and better batteries. Wearables could also simply look smaller, sleeker and more fashionable – something that’s particularly relevant in the case of ring- or necklace-based trackers. Most wearables are able to track how far you’ve run, your current heart rate, and your location, but all of these features can be somewhat inaccurate at times. With more nano sensors built into them, we could benefit from sleek-looking wearables that are also highly accurate, right down to being Battery life has always been a sore spot for wearables but 5G could change that 48 able to measure body temperature or other vital signs. For the avid runner, this could mean no longer needing a heart monitor strap as well as a smartwatch, for example. The idea of wearables that can work as your own personal trainer or doctor is far more likely with 5G too, especially if it frees up storage space and makes the reams of data they would need capture more accurate. SMARTER USE OF SMALLER TECHNOLOGY More space for a better battery, in conjunction with 5G’s more efficient use of power, could also go some way to reducing the smartwatch’s biggest obstacle up until this point – its limited battery life. Smaller wearables in the future may also lead to a growth in smart clothing. Smart clothing already exists, but it’s limited in scope and popularity currently. 5G and the How 5G will transform Wearables “5G has the potential to massively change how we utilise wearable technology” implementation of wearable antennas within the material of clothing could be exactly what’s needed to boost the popularity of smart clothing. It might sound like science fiction right now but a recent paper has suggested that 5G antennas could be manufactured from conductive threads and adhesives. So what’s next for wearables and 5G? Smartwatches and fitness trackers have come a long way in a short space of time. It wasn’t that long ago that smartwatches relied on users to also have their smartphone with them at all times. Now, you can easily spend the day with just your smartwatch on your wrist and you won’t miss out on key features like making contactless payments or tracking your exercise. That’s important if manufacturers want wearables to continue to be popular. Right now, smartphones are seen as an essential part of daily life, but wearables and smartwatches are usually just a welcome ‘bonus’ to those that can afford them. 5G has the potential to change all that. If 5G technology is able to reduce the size of wearables while enhancing the battery life, that could be exactly what’s needed to convince the general public that smart technology deserves a place on their fingers, wrists, or neck. Therefore, 5G has the potential to massively change how we utilise wearable technology – simply put, it’ll be fascinating to see what the first few 5G wearables offer. 49 © Shutterstock Smart homes 5G will make your home smarter, faster, and better Much has been said about 5G being the future for mobile technology. After all, it’s the natural next step after 4G and promises to be substantially faster than anything we’ve seen before. We’re not just talking about incremental speed boosts either, given that 5G will be, on paper, 100 times faster than standard 4G. So far, that seems to be the case, but how will it help the average user? Particularly in the case of the smart home, 5G technology has the potential to revolutionise. That is, if you buy into the hype and speculation that’s 50 rampant while we wait for more 5G to reach more towns and cities. The smart home is an environment a growing number of us live in – a household that, besides possessing laptops and smartphones, also contains IoT (Internet of Things) gadgets, from smart speakers like the Amazon Echo to smart light bulbs and smart locks, right down to all-in-one gadgets like the Google Home Hub. Connected devices are a great way of streamlining how you do things around the home, but they are limited too, thanks to speed How 5G will transform Smart homes restrictions and other issues. Could 5G be the saviour that makes the smart home a more appealing proposition to all? FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT SMART DEVICES It’s important to know that 5G isn’t just faster. It’s also vastly more efficient in how it approaches things. It offers lower latency so its response times are speedier and it’s also generally smarter. It can handle more users simultaneously than 4G due to its ability to co-exist alongside other wireless signals without any risk of interference. 5G operates on three different spectrum bands, which means it can be as fast as it needs to be, depending on the device that’s connecting to it. That frees up capacity for users in busy areas and reduces slowdown at peak times. The downside? Higher band spectrums need a clear and direct line of sight to the relevant mast to work as well. That means cities will need to install more 5G masts compared to the number that were installed for 4G. Potentially, we may all need some form of antenna or hub in our homes to get the most from the service. However, being able to cope with so many different connections at once is a huge advantage for 5G. Wireless connections are consistently under demand from many different sources all at once and becoming overloaded with different users and devices is a often hefty bottleneck for receiving a high quality service. Take a look around your home. How many devices already use a wireless connection in some way? It’s likely that your TV, games consoles, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and laptops all depend on a strong wireless connection to work effectively. But what about if you add a smart speaker or hub to the mix? Or a smart light bulb system? 51 How 5G will transform Smart homes Or locks? The list is near never-ending nowadays, with even large appliances like refrigerators or microwaves coming with smart home technology built-in. During setup, many of these devices create their own Wi-Fi network before switching over to the main home network. Others rely on Bluetooth for the early stages of setup. In either case, 5G can provide a more consistent form of service, consolidating setup and ensuring that things are easier to get started. It’s the kind of thing that can make smart home technology far more accessible and more intelligently designed, thereby encouraging more users to embrace IoT. Low latency is another way in which 5G could improve smart homes significantly. In the case of security camera systems like Ring and Nest, every millisecond counts. Being able to view 52 what’s going on outside your home is useful but only if the response rate means the pictures update rapidly. A 5G connection means a theoretical response rate of 1ms or 2ms compared to a home broadband connection of 10-20ms (at best). Instantly, it makes a security system more attractive to the concerned homeowner. Overall, 5G could be far superior to a home broadband connection. Faster, theoretically more reliable, and even potentially cheaper – however, there are issues to work through first. WAVING BROADBAND GOODBYE There are conflicting reports as to what 5G means for power consumption. While it’s more energy-efficient in principle, as we have mentioned above it also requires more masts to work effectively. Smart homes How 5G will transform 5G will greatly reduce latency on devices to as low as just a few milliseconds Like with any new technology, it’s also likely to have a knock on effect on the battery life of portable devices like 5G smartphones and wearables; it’s something that will take time, possibly a few years, to improve. There’s also the fact that you’ll need to replace your current smartphones and gadgets to be able to use 5G. That’s less of an issue for smartphones as many of us upgrade regularly, but swapping out smart home systems and infrastructure isn’t for the faint hearted – or for anyone counting their pennies. It’s reasonably likely that for a time, 5G will co-exist alongside existing home broadband setups. Base stations are key here, with homes potentially having a 5G hub alongside a hardwired broadband solution. That means increased reliability in the home (all-important when even your lighting depends on your internet connection), as well as eventually waving goodbye to the need for a landline. This also gives users time to adapt to 5G, slowly swapping out older devices for new ones that support the new protocol. At the more commercial end of the scale, the future can be seen a little through the eyes of Huawei’s plans for the InterContinental Shenzhen hotel in China: currently in the midst of a makeover, it’s set to be the world’s first 5G smart hotel. That means continuous 5G coverage for users, but also things like 5G-powered ‘welcome robots’, cloud gaming, virtual-reality rowing machines, and the ability to seamlessly stream 4K movies. Everyone likes a speedy internet connection and one that enables them to do more. 5G looks set to make smart homes even easier to set up and live amongst than before – it’s just going to take a little time and adaptation to get there. 53 How 5G will transform Movies Movies Get used to a world of portrait-first video Have you ever tried to stream a video on the bus? You know how it is: the latest Marvel movie trailer has just been posted by your friend on Facebook, and you don’t want to wait until you get home to see what all of the fuss is about. So you hit the link and… hope for the best. If you’re lucky, the video will play without a problem over 4G, but if you’re unlucky, you could quickly see the action paused, as a circle of dots tells you Spider-Man is currently buffering. And when it does play, you can’t really work out what’s 54 happening because the action has turned into a low-resolution mess of coloured blocks. The problem with 4G is that sometimes there just isn’t enough bandwidth. Your download speeds are being shared with everyone else, so if too many people are trying to connect in the same area, your connection can become unreliable. But, luckily, the solution is just around the corner. Over the next couple of years 5G is going to continue to grow and transform our mobile video experiences. How 5G will transform Movies “Over the next couple of years 5G is going to continue to grow and transform our mobile video experiences” For a start, watching video is going to become a lot more reliable, particularly in terms of download speeds. As 5G hype builds, this means you can expect to see lots of crazy claims about how you’ll be able to download full HD movies in just seconds. Though it will be significantly faster than 4G, 5G will probably never live up to those claims, simply because you will still be sharing the connection with everyone else in your local area. But don’t worry: 5G is still expected to be at least 20 times faster than 4G – and the benefits go beyond speed. 5G uses parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that will mean signals are better at penetrating buildings – so you can expect a more reliable connection when indoors. If we’re lucky, we may even be able to get a reliable signal when travelling through more remote areas on train journeys. The other major boon is with regards to latency – this is the combined round trip speed at which your device can both upload data to and download it from the internet. This will be most significant for gamers who need fast response times when playing online games like Fortnite, but it will also make watching video better too, as there will be less lag between hitting play on a video and it actually playing. DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS What’s perhaps more interesting though is to consider the second-order consequences from 55 How 5G will transform Movies Sony’s Xperia range was one of the first to feature 21:9 displays to allow for widescreen viewing. this technological shift – not just how 5G will make downloads faster, but how it could change our behaviour. For example, today if you’re planning to watch some Netflix or catch up with Amazon Prime Video, you have to plan ahead and download what you intend to watch on to your device ahead of time to get the best experience. With 5G and near ubiquitous connectivity, streaming will become the default option and you’ll be able to trust that the bandwidth and connectivity will be available when you need it. It also goes without saying, that 4K streaming over the air should also become routine, which will be just in time for 4K screens on phones to become commonplace. Of course, 5G isn’t just going to change us: it’s going to change where we get film and TV from too, and upset the industry in the process. 56 It’s going to accelerate the process of unbundling and ‘cord cutting’, as the idea of watching TV will be further divorced from the need to have Sky or Virgin Media in the UK, or Comcast or Verizon in the US. After all, why would we want to pay for bundles when apps will let us download what we want specifically over 5G? Given the bandwidth 5G enables, it is likely that, just like how many millennials have never had a landline phone, future generations may not even bother getting a broadband connection for their home. PORTRAIT MODE 5G could also have a really big impact on the types of content we consume. For example, with ubiquitous connectivity, will we be producing more video content ourselves than ever? Will Hollywood films find themselves challenged How 5G will transform © Eva.Stories Movies by our friends’ live streams, or the hordes of ‘influencers’ creating YouTube videos? The lines between games and film could also continue to blur. Following the success of Bandersnatch, 2018’s interactive episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror, and the subsequent interactive Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend, there has been a lot of excitement around the possibilities of branching narratives. But as CNET argued in 2018, this may only be the start. In the 5G world, we won’t be watching video on dumb screens – our phones have other sensors built into them, like a camera and gyroscope. What if films could watch us watching them, and adapt the experience based on how we react? 5G’s increased bandwidth and connectivity could make this viable for big-budget films. And perhaps strangest of all, the actual shape of the pictures we watch could change too. If we’re consuming more video content on our phones, then it stands to reason more content will be produced with phones – and not just TVs – in mind. This could lead to more professional quality film designed for portrait mode. In fact, there are already some exciting examples of this, and one of the most striking is Eva Stories. This is a film that is premised on the question of what would it be like if a girl had Instagram during the Holocaust? This might sound like a silly idea, but the project takes its subject seriously, and presents an entire narrative experience, educating viewers about the horrors of World War II, telling the story entirely through Instagram Stories that rely heavily on video. We think of social media today as being trivial or disposable. But it stands to reason that as we consume more content using 5G, filmmakers will start to take phone viewing more seriously. 57 How 5G will transform Augmented reality © Getty Images Augmented reality 5G could be the key to unlocking AR’s potential We all know by now that 5G is going to be a big deal. In fact, it’s rather difficult to imagine a modern industry that won’t be positively affected by 5G’s arrival. When it comes to augmented reality, however, 5G looks set to be more transformational than most. Indeed, 5G could prove instrumental in augmented reality finally hitting the mainstream. Let’s first clarify what we mean when we talk about ‘augmented reality’. AR, as it’s more commonly known, overlays virtual information onto a live view of the real world. While virtual reality (VR) creates a completely enclosed, selfcontained 3D virtual world that a person can fully 58 immerse themselves in, AR seeks to enhance – or indeed augment – our perception of the physical environment around us. Augmented reality is already firmly embedded in our culture, from the heads-up displays (HUDs) in a fighter pilot’s cockpit to the live selfie effects of Snapchat and Facebook. But 5G’s arrival heralds a whole new wave of deeply integrated, highly social AR experiences. Statista estimates that the combined value of the AR market will rise from $5.91bn in 2018 to $198.17bn by 2025. And it’s not a coincidence that this rise will coincide with the continuing expansion of 5G networks. How 5G will transform Augmented reality Above: Facebook utilises AR in its Messenger app AUGMENTING REALITY As we’ve hinted at already, augmented reality isn’t a new or cutting edge technology. We already have the means to create convincing AR experiences, but it’s an extremely hardwareintensive process. Embedding virtual components in a real world view requires powerful processors, sharp cameras, a range of advanced sensors, and some serious software smarts. In short, the best AR apps crunch a lot of numbers. What’s more, that data needs to be rendered in real time in order to produce a convincingly smooth and responsive AR experience. Immersion is everything with AR, to the point where any performance shortfall can ruin the experience. The huge amount of data being processed in real time means modern mobile AR applications are very localised, essentially ‘offline’ affairs. Not only does this necessitate powerful mobile devices, it also limits the scope of the AR experiences. “Immersion is everything with AR, to the point where any performance shortfall can ruin the experience” Our existing 4G networks simply don’t have sufficient capacity to bear the weight of more connected or shared AR experiences, nor do they have the required low latency – that is, the time between an input and data being sent in response – to be truly responsive in real time. WHAT 5G BRINGS TO THE AR TABLE It’s here that 5G will be able to take AR to the next level because, as already pointed out, the next generation mobile network will massively increase capacity and lower latency. ABI 59 How 5G will transform © Google Augmented reality Research predicts that 5G will provide a “10x increase in throughput, 10x decrease in latency, and 100x increase in traffic capacity” over 4G, which will mean that “5G will not only improve, but will also be a requirement for some of the most exciting AR and VR applications”. In such an environment, existing AR applications would be able to offload much of the intensive processing to the cloud, opening AR applications out to new, smaller, more energy efficient and cheaper form factors. While the Google Glass project appeared to be halted several years ago (it wasn’t, but we’ll come to that), the prospect of a truly wearable, permanently accessible AR device hasn’t gone away. It was just hibernating until the technology could be refined, part of which involves a sufficiently capable mobile network. The nature of AR applications will also grow more sophisticated, with truly shared and social real-time augmented reality experiences. The 60 transmitting of AR-enhanced live events could be one example. This synergy between AR and 5G will also expand the potential for remote-control drone and robot operation through enhanced HUDs and improved haptic feedback. Indeed, this lofty concept of the so-called ‘tactile internet’ is expected to kickstart the much vaunted fourth industrial revolution. That might sound lofty, but cutting edge researchers such as South Korea’s Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute predict just such an eventuality. In January 2019, it was announced that ETRI had developed a 5G-based technology that would enable AR applications to send and receive packets of data at speeds that match human perception. “We will see robots, cars and all other machines connected to the internet all around us,” said ETRI team leader HwanSeok Chung. “[The] tactile internet will enable humans and How 5G will transform Augmented reality machines to interact with each other even from far away.” AR AND YOU Talk of the tactile internet is all well and good, but you might ask how 5G-enhanced AR is set to benefit the average user over the coming years. The first thing to note is that the framework is there for massive advances in everyday AR applications. Both Google and Apple, gatekeepers to the two biggest smartphone platforms, are investing heavily in AR. Apple announced its ARKit framework in June 2017, while Google announced its own ARCore in August 2017. AR computation has been a core component of multiple generations of iOS and Android devices now, and there are countless AR-enhanced applications on their respective platforms. But the two companies have huge plans beyond the current status quo. It has been widely expected that Apple will at some stage include macOS and iOS support for AR headsets, although this has been conspicuous in its absence the last few OS upgrades. It’s also long been rumoured that Apple is working on its own set of AR glasses, which could prove a huge boost to AR’s mainstream acceptance. You only need to see the company’s dramatic effect on the adoption of smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches for evidence of that. For its part, Google has been steadily ticking over in the background with its pioneering © Google “Google and Apple, gatekeepers to the two biggest smartphone platforms, are heavily investing in AR” 61 How 5G will transform © Microsoft Augmented reality “Facebook has also been steadily bringing AR features to its vast network of social platforms” Google Glass project after an initial failed public run. The latest update comes in the form of the business-focused Glass Enterprise Edition 2, which now runs on Android and is powered by Qualcomm’s AR-focused XR1 chipset. On the software front, the company announced at Google I/O in 2019 that it was adding 3D augmented reality models to its search results. On top of this, Facebook is known to be investing heavily in AR. Having played a major part in the related resurgence of VR through its Oculus Rift platform, the company is known to be working on its own advanced AR glasses. Facebook has also been steadily bringing AR features to its vast network of social platforms ever since 2017, from Messenger and Instagram 62 to Facebook ads. Through AR Studio, it’s also allowing third parties to get in on the act. Microsoft has its own long-standing AR hardware project in the form of HoloLens, which has yielded some of the most impressive (though alas not commercially available) AR applications of the current era – including an augmented reality version of Minecraft. Talking of Minecraft and AR, Microsoft is working on the Minecraft Earth mobile game, which could well prove to be the true breakout moment for AR gaming. AR is set to enter a whole new phase of mainstream acceptance in industry, on our phones, and through a whole new class of personal devices – and 5G is going to be at the very heart of the revolution. How 5G will transform Augmented reality 63 How 5G will transform Virtual reality © Oculus Virtual reality The next-gen of mobile connectivity is the boost VR needs There are lots of advantages to 5G: it promises to be faster than 4G, it’ll cover wider areas, connections will be more stable and latency will decrease. And this advanced connectivity will have a significant impact on technology and how we use it across a range of sectors. However, if we had to put our money on an industry that could benefit the most from 5G, and may even need it to truly take off, it would be virtual reality (VR). Although there have been reports over the past few years that VR headset sales aren’t hitting targets, VR is proving to be more and more popular – and this is just the beginning. According to recent stats, the VR industry as a whole is growing exponentially year upon year. In 64 2019 the market size was estimated to be around $6.2bn, which could rise to a predicted $16.3bn by 2022 worldwide. VR is big business and is expected to play a major role in a range of industries, such as entertainment, training, education and healthcare to name just a few. But, although the technology has huge potential, and is already being used in some of these settings, there are still technical issues that hold it back from reaching its full potential. The good news is that many believe VR’s most significant obstacles could eventually be overcome by 5G, as it will bring low latency, super fast speeds and stable connections to headsets that will make VR experiences more Virtual reality How 5G will transform © Oculus The Oculus Quest was the first all-in-one VR gaming system – no wires required “The good news is that many believe VR’s most significant obstacles could eventually be overcome by 5G” accessible, more reliable, and, most importantly, even more immersive. THE CURRENT REALITY OF VIRTUAL REALITY Virtual reality, often referred to as VR, is a kind of technology that allows you to fully inhabit virtual spaces. But we don’t mean getting lost in a book – the VR we’re talking about here requires you to put on a device, in this case a VR headset, and experience a virtual environment that’s been created by computers. Most VR headsets are fitted with a display, stereo sound, sensors and more, to believably place you inside a virtual environment. What that environment is will depend on what you’re using VR for. VR headsets are typically considered entertainment devices, and you can use them to play all kinds of games, as well as watch TV and movie content. But VR offers more than that. There are big plans to make social VR as commonplace as social networks, allowing you to connect with friends and family wherever they are. And, increasingly, documentary VR experiences are being made, as well as arts-based content. There are also a range of applications for VR that go well beyond what you’d likely be using a VR headset for at home, including training, education, logistics and healthcare, just to name a few. Given there are so many uses for VR, analysts have high hopes for the future of the industry. 65 How 5G will transform Virtual reality © Sony Interactive Entertainment Astro Bot: Rescue Mission is just one of many successful titles available for the PSVR But, although headset sales are now on the rise, VR still hasn’t reached its full potential of being a must-have device in every living room. There are many reasons why VR hasn’t gone ‘mainstream’ yet. One is that the technology has, “For VR to really work, devices need to run fast, have lots of storage and low latency. 5G networks could be just what they need” historically, been expensive. And, although recent releases are entering the market at significantly cheaper price points, they’re not cheap cheap. It’s not just the price, either. It’s also a risky purchase for most people. Many need convincing 66 to splash their cash on this kind of tech, as well as to strap a device to their faces to have fun rather than pick up a games controller or switch on their favourite Netflix show. Another reason, however, is that connectivity has been lacking. The main premise of virtual reality is that you experience a virtual world or space. For that to really work, devices need to be running fast, they need high levels of storage and low latency. That’s why 5G networks could be just what VR needs for it be for everyone – and enjoyed everywhere. WHAT 5G CAN DO FOR VR “The impact of 5G on the immersive industry may seem small, but in fact, it could be one of the biggest,” says Sol Rogers, CEO of REWIND, the immersive content studio. One of the most obvious benefits of 5G to VR, as well as other industries, is that connectivity will be more stable. Right now, VR apps can How 5G will transform Virtual reality 67 How 5G will transform © Oculus Virtual reality “5G is expected to provide a ten times decrease in latency over 4G, which could significantly improve VR experiences” be interrupted by network performance. 5G, however, will be able to handle many more devices at the same time, meaning your connection doesn’t suffer. Although this is good news for better gaming and entertainment experiences, it could also be what VR needs to become a more valuable proposition. It would mean it could be used across more industries, like healthcare or engineering, which would require the most stable connections before they could begin to rely on VR technology. 5G will also lower latency, which essentially refers to the time taken between a request being made and a response being received. This ultimately means VR would have significantly better responsiveness. 68 The most important thing to remember here is that for VR to do what it says it can do, immersion is important. For a virtual world to feel like the real world, everything needs to match up, whether that’s the way images are presented, the speed of the world moving as your head does or visuals that fool your senses into thinking you’re really there. It has to be fast and it has to be realistic. Low latency is what’s necessary for VR experiences to run smoothly – if there’s significant lag it can lead to motion sickness, as well just unrealistic-looking VR experiences. As we’ve mentioned already, 5G is expected to provide a ten times decrease in latency over 4G, which could significantly improve the consistency of VR experiences. Additionally, existing VR apps would be able to offload intensive processing to the cloud, which would enable companies to create smaller, more energy efficient and even more affordable hardware. “The core technology (bandwidth and latency) will enable off-device computing,” explains Rogers. “So, your device could be low powered and thus low cost, but still be the front-end to a full size and scalable machine in the cloud or at the edge. This means that the graphical and computational power available to create amazing experiences for all of us will increase exponentially [as a result].” GOING MOBILE The advent of 5G comes at a great time for the VR industry for another reason: it’s already becoming more mobile. Headsets have, typically, been connected by a wire to a computer, which is how they’re powered and fed data. This meant that, for some, they were a confusing proposition, needed extra equipment to work and meant that experiences designed to make you feel free and place you in another environment were very physically restraining. However, that’s slowly changing. Newer headsets like the Oculus Quest and businessdriven HTC Focus bring high-quality VR to more mobile form factors. These can work well without wires and additional equipment to power them, as well as sense movement without external sensors. 5G’s potential to serve up fast, reliable connectivity wherever you are appears to be a match made in heaven for this new era of headsets. Imagine VR at the park or just not having to rely on a Wi-Fi connection – that really feels like the future. The great thing about 5G is it will increasingly be able to enhance the delivery of virtual experiences and this will, hopefully, allow VR to reach its full potential. 69 © HTC The game Batman: Arkham VR puts you, quite literally, in Batman’s shoes © Rocksteady Studios How 5G will transform Virtual reality How 5G will transform Mobile gaming © Getty Images Mobile gaming Console-grade graphics on the go thanks to 5G? Surely not! With download speeds that beat most home broadband transfer rates, and 4G speeds by around ten times, speed is definitely the name of the game when it comes to 5G connectivity. But as it was also built with more ‘lanes’ than 4G, it can handle peak hour data usage that little bit better, so users should be able to enjoy a more consistent service. Given what we know about 5G so far, there are some very obvious ways that it could benefit mobile gamers. For starters, game downloads will be quicker. With games like Injustice 2 and Valkyrie 70 Profile clocking in at over 1GB, most gamers today will likely wait until they’re connected to a Wi-Fi network before downloading them. This is primarily to save data, but another factor is that the download takes longer over 4G and would wreak havoc on your phone’s battery. 5G looks set to increase the size of data plans too. Take EE for example. It currently offers 5G on a range of data packages – from 10GB per month, to unlimited. The 4G packages meanwhile, range from 250MB through to 200GB per month. With 5G resulting in more data and faster downloads, dropping 1GB and a few seconds of How 5G will transform Mobile gaming LATENCY PART ONE: MULTIPLAYER MAYHEM Lower latency is a less obvious benefit of higher speed mobile internet, but its implications are game-changing. Latency is the time between an action, and that action being registered. So, when you write with ink, the latency would be the time between the ink leaving the pen and marking the paper. When it comes to online gaming, latency is the speed with which a command is registered and actioned on your screen. The lower the latency, the better. 5G will mean incredibly low latency gaming, which will be handy when multiplayer blasting, especially as mobile gaming tournaments and eSports continue to scale new heights of popularity, and a focus on high-performance connectivity becomes a differentiator between champions and runners up. LATENCY PART TWO: THE NETFLIX OF GAMING If you think back to the rise of 4G, it coincided with Netflix hitting stratospheric levels of © Razer time spent downloading shouldn’t leave a 5G gamer’s data plan or battery breaking a sweat. Additionally, many mobile games today also require an in-game internet connection. Tracking your score, fleecing you for gems and other in-app purchases, or logging you into a battle royale arena to compete against other mobile warriors Fortnite-style – all these require a connection and have historically resulted in long wait times. In a nutshell, the main, obvious benefit of 5G and more speed can be summed up in three words: no more waiting. “Dropping 1GB and a few seconds of time spent downloading shouldn’t leave a 5G gamer’s data plan or battery breaking much of a sweat” adoption – and that’s no coincidence. Wireless watching gained popularity when great quality content became ‘streamable’ over fast mobile internet speeds with 4G. How does that compare to gaming and 5G? Well although streaming takes up more bandwidth, 5G speeds are fast enough to support it. There are two methods of streaming games. The first involves streaming from one device, whether it’s a console or a PC, to another. The brunt of the processing is undertaken by the primary device, which plays the game. The secondary device just receives a video feed and registers controller input commands. 71 How 5G will transform Mobile gaming “You could have console-quality games, streamed directly to your phone’s 2K or 4K screen at full resolution” 72 How 5G will transform Mobile gaming Currently, PlayStation’s Remote Play and Steam Link are available for mobile and let you stream from your console or PC to your Android or iOS device with ease, provided your network connection can hack it. The second way to stream games is more exciting when it comes to 5G. Games are run on remote servers, and streamed to your screen just like Netflix. Subscription services like this are available today – Nvidia’s Geforce Now, Sony’s PS Now or Google Stadia for example – but all require fast, home broadband to play back smoothly. What 5G will do is take these services out of the home, and into… well, anywhere there’s a 5G signal. Just think – you could have console-quality games, streamed directly to your phone’s 2K or 4K screen at full resolution. Hook up a Bluetooth controller and a 5G connection will enable your commands to reach the server and relay back to your display in milliseconds. While this might not be good enough for some professional competitive eSport gamers, it should suffice for the vast majority. There are other benefits to streaming games too – your smartphone doesn’t need particularly powerful internals as it won’t be processing a bunch of 3D objects. This also means it won’t get as hot and might not run out of battery as quickly as if were you playing a game it was powering. In addition, streaming games would remove the need for powerful hardware altogether, democratising console-grade gaming. Providing it has 5G, your budget phone in 2022 could play the same quality games a flagship could. Above: The Google Stadia controller THAT’S NOT ALL Mobiles aren’t the only on-the-go gaming gadgets set to benefit from 5G. Laptop gamers should be reeling at the prospect of faster mobile internet. Online multiplayer games tethered to your phone’s 5G connection will deliver imperceptible levels of latency, so wherever you are, you can crack out your gaming laptop and blow things up with your friends. A subscription model, made possible by streaming gaming services, could also save gamers money when compared to buying a library of games – something services like Apple Arcade already do. 73 How 5G will transform © Sony Mobile gaming Meanwhile, 5G would also enable streaming virtual reality movies and games, which have higher bandwidth requirements. This is because two images need to be streamed for VR, one to the left eye and one to the right eye, and both of these need to be high-resolution to deliver highquality experiences. “In the future, awesome gaming features could come to phones that cost a fraction of the price” Mobile gaming hardware is also set to reflect 5G’s advancements. We’ve already seen the likes of the Asus ROG Phone 5, Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and Nubia RedMagic 5G refine hardware to suit 74 gamers’ needs, with features like front-firing stereo speakers, left and right triggers, pressure sensitive displays and lightning fast 120Hz refresh rates. These all pack flagship internals though, and cost a fair whack. In the future, these awesome features could come to phones that don’t need powerful internals so they’ll cost a fraction of the price and might not need to run Android or iOS. And these devices potentially might not even be a smartphone at all! 5G could create a new breed of handheld gaming consoles – essentially 5G shells that receive console grade games on a monthly subscription basis. Does this sound far-fetched? Well these are just a handful of predictions based on what we already know. But one thing is already abundantly clear: whatever happens, 5G will certainly play a key part in the next revolution of mobile gaming. How 5G will transform Mobile gaming 75 How 5G will transform © EE Sports Sports Better for fans, better for broadcasters The goal of every athlete is not just to win, but to continually grow faster and stronger, so that they may keep on winning in the future. But this isn’t just the case in sports. As we speak, every player in the mobile industry is gearing up for their biggest competition yet: becoming the champion of the 5G market. 5G will, of course, be a lot faster and stronger than the 4G we’re used to – offering pretty mindboggling speeds that could conceivably be up to 100 times faster. But other improvement it offer is in terms of latency – the time it takes for your device to communicate with the network. To demonstrate the transformative effect this could have, the US network Verizon and infrastructure provider Ericsson put together 76 a rather clever demonstration: they gave two American football players VR headsets and mounted forward-facing cameras on top. “5G could be used to offer attendees access to action replays from multiple angles” They then sent the video from the cameras over 5G back to the 5G base station, and then from the base station back to the VR headsets – so they would still see what their eyes would have seen naturally, but it would be sent over 5G first. How 5G will transform © Verizon Sports The result? It turns out that 5G is so quick, it’s possible to throw and catch a football, even relying on images being transmitted to a base station and back – while still maintaining millisecond precision. FASTER CONNECTIVITY FOR FANS This clever demo, however, is not the only thing that 5G and sports have in common. In fact, 5G looks set to transform the entire sports viewing experience. First, let’s look at stadiums and arenas. The most annoying thing that can happen at large events is the mobile networks not working, because thousands of people are all in the same place and are trying to connect to the same mobile antenna. The good news is that with 5G, this should become a thing of the past as the next-gen mobile network won’t just support a denser number of connected devices, but has also been designed to support millimetre wave frequencies, which mean venues will be able to place more, highly directional 5G equipment to ensure everyone can maintain a decent connection. Having everyone connected in their seats is not just convenient for social media platforms like Facebook. This sort of connectivity could also be used to offer attendees access to © EE Above: 5G will provide a stable connection among a wider number of devices at once Above: VR can transport fans into the stadium to experience games virtually 77 Sports © Tukewood Media How 5G will transform Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium is the first to have a dedicated 5G network. action replays from multiple angles – making up for the one thing that TV can do better than being at the game in person. On a more practical level, 5G could also end the nightmare of having to queue for ages at the bar at half time, as ordering drinks and snacks from our seats using our phones could become the norm. Even more ambitiously, Verizon believes we may not be too far away from 5G-powered augmented reality experiences – we may soon be able to hold up our phones and have the players name and stats float above them as they run around the pitch. The line between FIFA on your PlayStation 5 and real life is going to get a little blurry. SLICE OF THE ACTION Viewing away from the stadium could also improve with 5G. Most obviously, the increased bandwidth and reduced latency should put an end to buffering, even when you’re trying to catch the game while on the bus. But its reliability could go far beyond this, thanks to a controversial new technology that’s baked into the 5G standard called network slicing. At the moment, when you use the internet, all traffic is treated equally – whether you’re sending 78 emails, doing some important work, or rotting your brain watching TikToks. Network slicing, however, could enable phone networks to pick and choose what gets priority, and syphon off slices of the available bandwidth for particular favoured services. Most obviously this will help the emergency services, but it is surely inevitable that as phone networks compete to win over customers, reliable, slice-off access to live sports will prove and attractive proposition. So we can hopefully expect no buffering whatsoever. The benefits of 5G and network slicing go beyond the immediate consumer proposition too. In fact, 5G could make it easier for TV networks to film and broadcast games – meaning there could be plenty more sporting content to watch, even if your team is in the lower leagues. How? As reported by SportsPro, BT Sport and EE carried out an intriguing trial, sending a team to film a football match between non-League UK football titans Braintree Town and Bromley FC. What made it unique wasn’t the diminutive stature of the teams playing, but the fact that the pictures weren’t edited and produced from the stadium as in traditional football broadcasts. Instead, they were sent back over 5G to BT Sports’ headquarters in London, where a How 5G will transform © EE Sports “The challenge [to traditional sports] from 5G is that it might make another type of sport more attractive: esports’” production team was able to turn the raw images into a TV show. If the production team can all stay in one place, it means they can produce multiple broadcasts on the same day – or even at the same time. In other words, 5G could massively reduce the number of people needed to make live sports broadcasts happen – which could, in turn, result in more sport to watch; perfect if you support a smaller sports team. But there is one last twist: in a world of 5G ubiquity, will people actually want to watch more football or other traditional sports? The challenge from 5G is that it might make another type of sport more attractive: esports. Esports have experienced huge growth over recent years thanks to social media and services like Twitch popularising the players and the clans. According to one estimate, last year 400m people watched esport content – a number that is expected only to continue rising, with stars like Ninja and the “FaZe” clan commanding millions of dollars in sponsorship and advertising revenue, just as easily as the biggest footballers do. With 5G, broadcasting and watching esports is going to be even easier. No longer will there be any constraints on where we can watch from – so don’t be surprised if we start to see players broadcast from their mobile devices, rather than from their bedrooms. 79 How 5G will transform Education Education Faster, smarter and more interactive – a new generation of learning 5G has tremendous potential to transform the way we communicate, with live high-definition video streaming and much faster download speeds, but it also has uses far beyond what we currently do with our phones and tablets. It could also reach into and transform the classroom and lecture theatres. Universities and training facilities are likely to be some of the first adopters, helping broaden their students’ horizons and improve public safety. After that, schools are likely to follow close behind, giving students a more immersive experience inside the classroom and preparing 80 them for the faster and more connected future that awaits them. © Versa / Fitbit Cutting-edge tech can be a fantastic learning tool, making subjects more engaging, helping children who struggle to learn new concepts from textbooks, and bringing education into the homes of children without easy access to a physical classroom. Thanks to 5G, universities will be able to open their doors to students worldwide, broadening their horizons, and training will be revolutionised in careers like medicine. Sharing knowledge and learning new skills has never been easier. How 5G will transform Education “With 5G, teachers will be able to share rich virtual experiences without classes leaving their seats” Children will be able to learn at their own pace within an environment that suits them. Meanwhile, teachers will have more time to spend engaging their students, thanks to improved connectivity allowing more Internet of Things (IoT) devices to be embedded in classrooms – for example sensors that register each child automatically as they arrive in class, eliminating the time-consuming process of taking a register by hand. All images © Shutterstock unless otherwise stated The classroom is always a real proving ground for developing technology, and understandably so – what’s cutting-edge now will be mainstream by the time today’s kids enter the workplace. Coding, for example, has quickly become as essential as reading, with children writing simple programs before their seventh birthdays and VR headsets becoming as commonly seen in classrooms as textbooks. VR can make lessons more immersive and keep students engaged, but it involves transmitting huge amounts of data – particularly if headsets are wireless – which results in lag that can be distracting or frustrating. With 5G, teachers will be able to share rich virtual experiences with their classes, exploring the solar system, the human body, the structure of a flower and the ocean floor without them leaving their seats. © Getty images 5G IN SCHOOLS Teachers will even be able to share the same experience with students who are outside the classroom itself – in isolated or rural communities, for example. Since the 1950s, children in the Australian outback have been able to receive lessons from a virtual classroom called the School of the Air. Lessons were initially taught via two-way radio, with assigned projects and written work completed under the supervision of the child’s parent or guardian. Today, students and teachers can interact via video link, but patchy connectivity means it’s not unusual for the feed to cut out part way through. With only an hour a day for interaction, any technical issues can result in a lot of lost learning time. 5G will bring more reliable and stable internet connections – even in areas that currently suffer from poor coverage – helping the School of the Air bring its lessons into the 21st century. 81 How 5G will transform Education Teachers will be able to interact with students for longer, safe in the knowledge that the line is stable, and share interactive experiences with their virtual classes rather than just video – all with practically no latency. It will also be easier for students to interact with one another, helping them socialise with children their own age. 5G IN UNIVERSITIES 5G will also be a game-changer for higher education. Early trials are already taking place at the University of Surrey, University of Bristol and King’s College London using a 5G test network. Once 5G is rolled out, students will no longer be restricted by outdated and limited wired campus networks, and will be free to take their learning with them – from the lecture hall to the library and beyond via reliable mobile connections. Universities will also be able to create virtual campuses for students studying part-time or via distance learning – a boon for mature students fitting their studies in around work and family. Students will be able to ‘visit’ colleges elsewhere in the world for special lectures and seminars using zero-latency, high-resolution two-way video. 5G and the Internet of Things could also make expensive degree courses more accessible “Once 5G is rolled out, students will no longer be restricted by outdated and limited wired campus networks” 82 How 5G will transform Education in areas without ready access to costly labs and training equipment. With fast mobile internet, a medical student could not only attend virtual lectures and seminars in real time with other students; they could also perform virtual dissections and procedures with guidance from a real tutor. 5G’s superior bandwidth will enable the transmission of haptic feedback, which could help them ‘feel’ while performing a virtual operation, and guide their hands as the work. Hyper-realistic simulations like these could help them prepare for work in a real hospital, and develop their skills throughout their careers so we can all benefit from better healthcare. 5G IN TRAINING 5G won’t just improve education for children and students, either. It also has the potential to transform training in all kinds of technical professions as well. Armed forces worldwide already use advanced virtual cockpits to train fighter pilots. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) has a state-of-theart training facility where pilots experience forces up to 9G while flying three different virtual jets. Commercial pilots use similar (albeit less extreme) simulators, spending hours in VR before taking to the skies With 5G, pilots wouldn’t be limited to preprogrammed scenarios and locations. Instead, training data could be captured and sent to the cloud for processing, then new scenarios and challenges could be sent back to the simulator as a direct response to their flying. The result would be a more realistic experience, better training, and safer flying for everyone in future. 83 How 5G will transform The workplace The workplace How the next generation of wireless technology will empower frontline workers The rollout of 5G, the fifth generation of wireless technology networks, promises major advancements not only to our personal lives with tech like wearables, but also to many business sectors, including autonomous shipping and transportation, smart cities and the entire workforce. The 5G conversation often leads us to think about new applications for the Internet of Things (IoT), whether it’s consumer gadgets, smart refrigerators, enterprise businesses, AI-powered analytics or personal digital assistants. However, there is another side to this ultra-fast and powerful network that can open up new economic opportunities for cities, organisations and the individual worker. 5G has the potential to transform our rapidly-changing workforce by enabling near-universal employee inclusivity, increased engagement and heightened business efficiencies. Above: With fast and reliable connections available anywhere then it could be possible to work from home or a cafe 84 Without cables, employees may no longer feel tied down to their cubicles “5G has the potential to transform our rapidly-changing workforce by enabling near-universal employee inclusivity” 5G is poised to leave a lasting impact on the workforce as a whole, but perhaps most notably, it will democratise hiring opportunities for companies based outside of major tech hubs, and empower frontline workers, who are often left out of the corporate culture. CITIES WITHOUT TOP-OF-THE-LINE TECH INFRASTRUCTURE Not all cities are created equal, at least from a communications infrastructure and connectivity standpoint. Major tech and innovation hubs such as Silicon Valley, New York and Boston are able to accommodate a wealth of workers and companies because they were built from the ground up with a modern IT and network infrastructure already in place. 5G has the potential to rapidly update the internet “infrastructure” of any city by delivering immediate access to faster data speeds, more bandwidth and consistently reliable connections. This empowers companies to expand their footprint across more markets, recruit talent effectively anywhere, while providing more flexible work options for employees. THE (EVOLVING) LABOUR MARKET In addition to driving economic development and opening up new cities as potential corporate hubs for leading organisations, 5G will further accelerate the workforce’s move away from the traditional 9-to-5 work day. The “employ me” generation, categorised as those who prefer to work where and when they 85 © Startup Stock Photos / Pexels How 5G will transform The workplace How 5G will transform The workplace 86 How 5G will transform The workplace “It won’t only provide technical improvements like greater reliability and lower latency; it has the potential to have a much larger impact” feel the most productive, is reaching critical mass in the workforce at a rapid rate. Our data shows that 89% of workers say flexible working should be how we work, not simply a benefit. With the technical ability to work from a location of their choice, companies empower their employees with the flexibility they seek, and in turn, can make tangible improvements to employee engagement and business efficiency, resulting in higher rates of productivity and employee retention. This is great news for executives looking to boost their bottom line, but it also expands the pool of potential new employees. Organisations can now look to hire the best worker - regardless of where they are based - instead of the worker that is based in their headquarter’s city or trying to drive top talent towards urban areas. WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINE Beyond democratising cities, 5G has the power to democratise opportunities for workers of all backgrounds and industries. When adopting new 5G-powered applications, company leaders should not only focus on the potential business impact, but also on how the tech will affect their culture. For companies with frontline workers, those who deal directly with customers or are directly involved in making a product, a major challenge is keeping those employees engaged and connected to the larger organisation. For example, the trucking industry deals with a high level of turnover due to challenges with communication as the drivers make cross-country trips. For these distributed workers, 5G combined with communications technology opens the door for a stronger connection to the company while also allowing for richer communication and collaboration amongst their peers and their base office. These new opportunities have historically not been possible with the legacy tools and processes used by most companies today. For other frontline workers dealing directly with customers, patients or vendors, 5G’s reliable connectivity ensures that workers can connect to their partner network while on-the-go. Instead of being chained to a desk, or only able to work in optimal locations, workers are enabled to better utilise smartphones and tablets to accomplish the same work that is traditionally done on a laptop or desktop computer, at the “speed of reaction.” Like most of the industries it will support, 5G is focused on working better, faster and smarter. It won’t only provide technical improvements like greater reliability and lower latency; it has the potential to have a much larger impact. As we think about the next wave of our economy and the future of work, 5G represents a technological milestone on par with AI and IoT in terms of its impact on the way we empower the next generation of digital workers. 87 Buyer’s guide Intro Buyer’s guide Are you a 5G convert? Then you’ll want to pick your ideal network and phone – and we’re here to help It should be clear by now that 5G will be totally transformative. So we’re not surprised if you’re champing at the bit to get 5G in your area and get your hands on your first compatible phone. Fortunately, 5G rollouts have come a long way in the last 18 months: many cities and indeed towns across the US and UK now have some degree of access. Meanwhile, 5G-ready phones have gone from a fringe curiosity to something even the most reticent brands – *cough* Apple *cough* – have embraced. In light of this, we’ve assembled a handy guide to help you pick the best network and phone for you. 88 Buyer’s guide Intro 89 Buyer’s guide All images © AT&T unless otherwise stated AT&T AT&T All the info you need on the AT&T rollout of 5G and 5G+ in the US AT&T’s senior vice president Chris Penrose describes the company’s 5G network as a chocolate chip cookie. The main cookie dough represents low-band 5G while the chocolate chips represent the 5G+ millimeter-wave cities “sprinkled in across the country.” Much of AT&T’s coverage is known as 5G Nationwide. Initially, the network said 5G Nationwide wouldn’t offer 5G speeds much © Versa / Fitbit beyond 4G - that’s because this broadest 5G network is based on low-band signals. The faster high-band mmWave (millimeter wave) technology is also rolling out as well, so speeds will be a lot higher. This faster network is called 5G+ by AT&T. So while the network is getting better all the time, it seems AT&T would rather market Nationwide 5G rather than 5G+ for now. But as we mentioned mid-band networks do form a large chunk of the cookie. Like Verizon, AT&T is counting on C-Band spectrum to catch up with T-Mobile and it plans to build out capacity for the first 40Mhz of that spectrum this year with more to follow over the next three years. It’s working with Nokia as part of a five year deal Above: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas has some 5G experiences that guests can try out 90 Buyer’s guide AT&T “5GE stands for 5G Evolution and it is available in over 500 US towns and cities. ” between the two companies to boost indoor and outdoor 5G coverage. “AT&T is committed to bringing the power of 5G to businesses and communities across the nation, and our C-Band deployments with Nokia will help add 5G capacity where it’s needed,” said Igal Elbaz, Senior Vice President of Wireless and Access Technology AT&T. In a shareholder note, AT&T Chief Executive Officer John Stankey said: “AT&T’s expected capital expenditures of around $24 billion per year from 2022 to 2024 builds on its existing position as one of the largest investors in digital infrastructure and connectivity in the United States. This investment will allow AT&T to meet substantial, long-term demand for connectivity and expectations for its 5G C-band network to cover 200 million people in the U.S. by year-end 2023.” WHAT IS 5GE? As we mentioned, AT&T originally prioritised 5GE for customers back in 2019. 5GE stands for 5G Evolution and it is available in over 500 US towns and cities. The approach here still makes sense. Many consumers still aren’t ready for full 5G networks yet, so why not give them a better service in the meantime before they’re eventually convinced to go for a full 5G or 5G+ service? The problem is that 5GE could be seen as misleading - it’s certainly pure marketing, any way you look at it. Other networks aren’t keen and Sprint even took out a full-page advertisement in the New 91 Buyer’s guide AT&T 92 AT&T York Times to say that “AT&T’s fake 5G claims are deceiving consumers”. Analyst OpenSignal has even suggested that AT&T LTE is often slower than other networks with LTE Advanced. The issue is that 5GE is not really 5G at all - it’s known as LTE Advanced from other vendors so, yes, it’s still 4G. Buyer’s guide AT&T is working with Nokia to roll out C-Band spectrum (mid-range spectrum) over the coming years and has signed a five-year deal. Nokia’s US C-Band portfolio includes support for both standalone 5G networks and nonstandalone networks., “Nokia is ready to support the launch of 5G AT&T 5G CITIES AT&T’s main 5G network - Nationwide 5G - is a low band network which is now available in more than 14,000 towns and cities across the US. AT&T is simply referring to this network as “5G” rather than 5GE or 5G+. AT&T’s faster millimeter wave 5G+ network is available today in limited parts of at least 35 cities. As with other networks using millimeter wave, speeds on this network will reach in excess of 1Gbps. These locations include Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Waco. AT&T Stadium - home of the Dallas Cowboys - has also been 5G-enabled. Courtesy of Joey Kyber / Unsplash Atlanta is one of the cities getting AT&T’s faster 5G+ “AT&T’s faster millimeter wave 5G+ network is available today in limited parts of at least 35 cities” services into this valuable new spectrum on our customers’ timelines by leveraging our powerful portfolio of C-Band solutions and by being the first to demonstrate a live C-Band network in the U.S. in 2020. Our flexible and comprehensive portfolio will enable AT&T to enhance its 5G services in areas across the nation,” said Ed Cholerton, President of Nokia North America. Like other networks, AT&T reported a massive upsurge in traffic around the coronavirus outbreak, largely driven by home working. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson told CNN’s Brian Stelter on the Reliable Sources programme that: “We’re seeing some signs of stress. We’re having to go out and do some of augmentation of network but right now the network is performing quite well.” Although he didn’t go into details, ‘augmentation’ probably means opening up additional capacity. Stephenson added that the network would “come out of this crisis” before saying it would also “continue to invest in 5G and new technology.” 93 T-Mobile Buyer’s guide T-Mobile Thanks to the Sprint merger, T-Mobile is growing fast T-Mobile 5G is rolling out now across the US and is taking advantage of different versions of 5G technology to help it improve coverage and capacity. Similar to AT&T, T-Mobile has also rolled out a lot of low-band 5G, which isn’t great for speeds. That so-called 5G Extended Range network was started in 2019 and is essentially 4G with a few enhancements to make it quicker. T-Mobile rightly calls it a “foundational layer of its 5G network” and while that’s true, it’s not really full 5G. It does have the benefit of huge coverage though, covering more than 200 million people and more than 1 million square miles across the US - over 8,000 cities. One thing’s for sure - T-Mobile is gaining customers at some speed. Figures from the fourth quarter of 2019 point towards a million ‘postpaid’ customers; people who pay a monthly bill. 77,000 pay-as-you-go or prepaid customers were also added over the period. T-Mobile remains the third biggest network in the US, despite it having absorbed the Sprint network in a protracted deal that closed during early 2020. After the acquisition, Above: Mike Sievert took over as CEO of T-Mobile in 2020 after the merger with Sprint was completed 94 Buyer’s guide All images © T-Mobile T-Mobile “It does have the benefit of huge coverage though, covering more than 200 million people” it has just over 100 million subscribers across the US. According to the network, it has added 53 million users since 2013. Not surprising when you have had 27 successive quarters with over a million new users added. Among the 5G test projects that T-Mobile has carried out, the network has been using 5G-embedded cameras to virtually put fans on the baseball field in order to catch the action from the players’ point of view and go behind the scenes. They’re mounted on players hats and catchers masks - T-Mobile says this is the first time that 5G embeddable cameras have been integrated into a professional sports league event. Each camera features a real-time HD stream. T-Mobile has also worked with Major League Baseball to create an augmented reality app for fans with bonus stat views for T-Mobile 5G customers. In a measure of how T-Mobile sees itself, CEO Mike Sievert delivered the keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2022. Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA: “The pace of innovation has accelerated over the last 18 months, and the rapid roll-out of 5G will only increase the momentum. There’s so much excitement in this space and for the first time, we welcome Mike Sievert to our keynote stage to share more about T-Mobile’s vision for fuelling 5G innovation.” T-MOBILE 5G CITIES AND COVERAGE The 5G Extended Range network covers 8,300 US towns and cities. It is still able to get to speeds of around 450Mbps if conditions are at their best, 95 Buyer’s guide T-Mobile although expect significantly slower speeds than that generally. Essentially, it is like a quicker form of 4G LTE. T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity network is different. It’s a millimeter wave (mmWave) network similar to that which we’ve seen from the other US providers - but not providers in Europe. It provides the fastest speeds, but has poor range. T-Mobile says it is upgrading 1,000 cell towers a month for this, covering 100 million Americans. However, it is really only in some areas of the very largest cities at present. For its 5G Ultra Capacity network, T-Mobile is using 28 Ghz mmWave (millimetre wave), just as Verizon is. That means excellent download speeds, but a more difficult blanket rollout. That’s because the shorter wavelength signals don’t travel so far and are easily blocked in urban areas or by external walls - so you need loads of 5G nodes. You only need to look at T-Mobile’s current coverage maps to show the issues around mmWave deployment - it’s extremely patchy. 96 So as we mentioned previously, T-Mobile has also opted to use low-band 600Mhz spectrum. The low-band spectrum can also carry 5G signals inside. Before the T-Mobile launch of low-band 5G, its competitor Sprint was leading the way and it’s one of the reasons that Sprint and T-Mobile felt they would be a good fit by merging, which they duly did. SPEED AND RELIABILITY In May 2021, RootMetrics released its first-ever 5G Scorecard, which shows the race between the US’s 5G networks. Although AT&T was best for Everyday 5G download speeds, T-Mobile offers the broadest Everyday 5G availability of any carrier according to the tests. RootMetrics tested the 125 most populated metropolitan markets in the United States. T-Mobile holds a significant lead in the race for Everyday 5G availability, according to RootMetrics, recording the highest Everyday 5G availability in 44 out of 65 total cities tested to date. Buyer’s guide T-Mobile T-Mobile’s coverage in mid-2020. Today is has over 100 million subscribers across the US “The 5G Extended Range network covers 8,300 US towns and cities” T-Mobile was also recently been hailed as the most reliable 5G network in the US according to consultancy Umlaut. The network had the best overall score of the US networks with an overall 707 points out of a maximum of 1000. The tests were carried out using the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. In a clear ranking of how the network rollout is panning out, Verizon scored second overall with 632 points with AT&T bringing up the rear with 599 points. In terms of reliability, T-Mobile also achieved the highest score with 664 out of a maximum of 800 points. In contrast, Verizon ranked second with 560 points and again AT&T was third with 520 points. “umlaut’s report is just the latest to prove customers and businesses alike can count on T-Mobile 5G to deliver a fast and reliable 5G connection in more places than anyone else,” said T-Mobile’s Neville Ray. “While the other networks play catch up, we’ll keep adding more 5G coverage and capacity to bring a transformative experience to customers across the country.” Ookla also recently rated the network as the fastest 5G network in the US. The testing - carried out during the first quarter of 2021 saw the network clock 82.35Mbps download speeds, followed by AT&T at 76.6Mbps and Verizon with 67.24Mbps. Ookla’s study also found that T-Mobile customers spent more time connected to a 5G network, than customers on rival 5G networks. 97 Buyer’s guide T-Mobile: Sprint merger T-Mobile: Sprint merger What exactly did T-Mobile add to its 5G network when it merged with Sprint? Sprint 5G was live in 8,900 US cities, but then things changed drastically, including the disappearance of the Sprint name itself. That’s because Sprint’s merger with T-Mobile was approved by regulators in 2020 and has seen off a legal challenge from state attorneys general citing reduced competition and potentially higher prices for consumers. Sprint adopted the T-Mobile brand after the merger was completed on 2 April 2020. It’s been a long time in the process – the merger was first announced nearly two years prior to it being approved and had been talked about for a lot longer than that, even as long ago as 2014. 98 Buyer’s guide T-Mobile: Sprint merger “Some analysts suggested that Sprint needed the merger [with T-Mobile] to happen in order to survive” One thing is for sure – Sprint has been seen as a weak prospect through the process. Some analysts suggested that Sprint needed the merger to happen in order to survive; it reported losses for the three quarters straight and has significant debt, which T-Mobile doesn’t. Sprint was also losing subscribers and lagged behind as the fourth biggest player. Judge Victor Marrero said in his judgement that “the overwhelming view both within Sprint and in the wider industry is that Sprint is falling farther and farther short of the targets it must hit to remain relevant as a significant competitor”. German firm Deutsche Telekom owns nearly 42% of the new T-Mobile and ARM-owner SoftBank around 27%. However, it seems Softbank is happy for Deutsche Telekom to be in control and has granted it proxy voting rights meaning it effectively controls the firm. We’ve outlined more about the merger and its background in the following pages. SPRINT’S 5G NETWORK Sprint called its 5G service True Mobile 5G. That’s quite a mouthful and although it doesn’t have another 5G service to differentiate from, it’s likely that Sprint was trying to say something about other networks with its message – notably AT&T’s 5GE (which is, essentially, 4G LTE Advanced) and others using low-band 5G. Sprint, as part of T-Mobile’s network, has expanded coverage in many of its key locations meaning that approximately 305 million people are now covered across around 8,900 cities in the US. For business, Sprint always maintained that 5G technology will change the way that businesses do business. It had said that we’re about to see a revolution because this is the first generation of cellular networks that can be “configured for specific needs and use cases”. It was particularly talking about the possibilities for IoT (Internet of Things) devices, but 99 Buyer’s guide T-Mobile: Sprint merger also said it opens up possibilities for businesses to use cellular they previously haven’t thought of. Note that if you’re a Google Fi subscriber, Sprint announced at a year ago that it would provide that service with 5G wireless services in the future, but we don’t yet have any more details than that. Google Fi uses cellular services from various networks and hops between them seamlessly, but it’s interesting to know that 5G will be coming to the service. MERGER WITH T-MOBILE Sprint’s $26bn merger with T-Mobile was in the works for two years and was narrowly approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Justice – which went so far as to mandate that the new combined company will need to divest some spectrum to Dish to enable it to launch a new, fourth competitor in the market. Sprint needs to divest its Boost Mobile subsidiary to Dish to make this happen. But then the merger came up against a problem; a multi-state lawsuit in an effort to block it, essentially suggesting that the efforts to reinstate a fourth player in the market through Dish don’t go far enough and that the merger would mean higher prices for consumers. On 12 February 2020, the federal judge in the New York Court gave the merger the go-ahead. According to Fortune, the key testimony was from Dish CEO Charlie Ergen, who was convincing in his ambition to create a new, fourth player in the mobile market to effectively replace Sprint. As well as selling spectrum to Dish, Sprint-TMobile will also have to host Dish as an MVNO for a time to enable it to get a mobile business off the ground while it builds its own network. 100 Now the merger has gone ahead, the company will be called T-Mobile – the company has been dubbed “New T-Mobile” in publicity. The combined company is still the third biggest network behind Verizon and AT&T. Prior to the merger, T-Mobile had around 46 million users, with Sprint around 33 million (according to Statista). However, the Boost Mobile loss has seen Sprint lose around 7-8 million users. The combined company has had to promise to stick to some stringent targets. The company will have to roll out a 5G service to 97% of the US within three years including rural areas and pledging that, within six years, 90% of the US population will have data speeds in excess of 100Mbps, with another 9% having 50Mbps. SPRINT 5G COVERAGE Sprint’s 5G network has now been combined with T-Mobile’s 5G offering, meaning that T-Mobile will control additional mid-band spectrum. Sprint originally began its 5G rollout with Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Kansas City in early 2019, but the network expanded this to nine cities as of late August 2019, with Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington D.C. having Sprint 5G services in certain areas. This covered more than 16 million people across those nine cities. Prior to the merger, it had been expanding its coverage within the nine target cities. For example, in New York City, Sprint expanded its Buyer’s guide T-Mobile: Sprint merger coverage further from the initial 30 square miles across Midtown and lower Manhattan. As well as New York, Sprint had achieved enhanced coverage in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. , Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. The specific areas covered by Sprint and folded into T-Mobile’s network included: • Atlanta, from College Park to Alpharetta, and from Marietta to Lawrenceville, including Peachtree Corners. • Chicago, from the historic IL-64 in the north to Stevenson Expressway in the south, and as far as California Avenue in the west to the periphery of Lake Michigan in the east. • Dallas-Fort Worth, including downtown and north Fort Worth and Euless, stretching across to north and northwest Dallas, including Plano, Richardson and Garland, and South Dallas. • Houston, from downtown Houston to Memorial City Mall and City Centre Plaza, uptown Houston and northwest and south. • Kansas City, from downtown to Overland Park, Kansas, and other places in the KC Metro area. • • • • Los Angeles, from Marina del Rey to Downtown L.A., and West Hollywood to Culver City. It also eventually included parts of Torrance, Southgate, Lancaster and Buena Park. New York City, in parts of Manhattan from Central Park to the southern tip, the Upper West Side and Harlem, the South Bronx; parts of Queens and Brooklyn; Hempstead, Long Island as well as Union City, Paterson, Lodi and East Orange in NJ. Phoenix, across the greater Phoenix metro area with service in parts of Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, parts of ASU, Chase Field and Mesa. Washington, D.C., around the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the National Mall, Foggy Bottom, Downtown, Penn Quarter/Metro Center, Dupont Circle, West End and Logan Circle. New additions include Fort Dupont and Deanwood in D.C., parts of Blandensburg and Fairmont Heights in Maryland, and parts of Bailey’s Crossroads. and George Mason University in Virginia. 101 Buyer’s guide Verizon Verizon The Verizon 5G network is offering improved coverage in several larger cities The Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband network was the first 5G technology service to launch globally. The network started rolling out 5G with Verizon 5G Home Internet at first, subsequently launching the first commercial 5G mobile network globally in April 2019. It’s now live in more than 2,700 US cities, which isn’t as many as you might expect given it was first to launch. Verizon’s CEO Hans Vestberg stated that the corporation was targeting at least 50% coverage of the US in 2020. The network is committed to focus on 5G in the high-band mmWave spectrum. Then, Verizon followed rivals T-Mobile and AT&T to launch nationwide low-band 5G (which doesn’t provide much better speeds than 4G and uses dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS). This enables Verizon’s 5G service to run simultaneously with 4G LTE on multiple spectrum bands. “All of our spectrum is capable of deploying 5G, so it’s not like we can’t do what others have been doing,” said Verizon’s executive vice president Ronan Dunne. Above: Verizon hopes to roll out its 5G Home Internet in more locations sometime in 2021 102 Buyer’s guide All images © Verizon Verizon “On the basis of what we’ve seen so far, that doesn’t provide any differentiation in either speed or coverage relative to Verizon.” The network provider also enabled its 5G service in 13 NFL stadiums in time for NFL Kickoff Weekend 2020 including Bank of America Stadium, Empower Field at Mile High, CenturyLink Field, Ford Field, Gillette Stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, MetLife Stadium, M&T Bank Stadium, NRG Stadium, Soldier Field and U.S. Bank Stadium. The Verizon 5G service is available in selected areas of each stadium – the network says it is concentrated in parts of the seating area but service may be available in other areas. Verizon has also partnered with Wi-Fi provider Boingo to bring its 5G Ultra Wideband service indoors to places like airports, office buildings, stadiums and other public spaces. It also partnered with Disney for the premiere of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker where it demonstrated streaming footage (over 5G of course) with actors from another location acting “The potential of Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband combined with mobile edge computing to transform healthcare is limitless” as two Sith troopers. Those wanting to take part in the demo at the premiere afterparty could interact with the actors in real-time, even though they were several miles away. Another demo took place in New York to show people in Times Square what it was like to be on the red carpet for the Oscars 2020 ceremony 2,500 miles away in Los Angeles. And Verizon has also joined up with Emory Healthcare to test 5G applications in the healthcare industry. “The potential of Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband combined with mobile edge computing to transform healthcare is limitless,” 103 Buyer’s guide Verizon said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon. “With 5G, doctors should be able to do things like create holographic 3D anatomical renderings that can be studied from every angle and even projected onto the body in the OR to help guide surgery.” VERIZON 5G COVERAGE After criticism from users, media outlets and rivals, Verizon has now released coverage maps of all the cities it is currently offering 5G services in. T-Mobile has been gleefully making fun of Verizon’s 5G rollout with a campaign targeting Verizon’s limited rollout that’s been concentrating on mmWave locations rather than a wider low-band rollout. “In the 5G era, they’re losing their network crown,” said T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray, in a 2020 blog post. “More than 60 locations have received Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband” 104 “They’ve painted themselves into a technology corner with a 5G strategy focused on millimetre wave. They bet on the wrong horse, and now they’re trying to advertise their way out of it.” But Verizon is also now using lower band technology to bring a lower spec service to a wider audience. Verizon’s mmWave network – known as 5G Ultra Wideband – is only available in selected areas of each city – so while speeds are great, coverage isn’t as yet. More than 60 US locations have received Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband since the network launched. Mind you, it’s difficult to get away from the thought that 5G Ultra Wideband coverage is still in its infancy because of the sparse coverage and you can see why Verizon might have been reluctant to release the maps previously. Verizon’s lower band offering is called 5G Nationwide. It uses dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) meaning it can run alongside 4G LTE. Verizon says the service is currently available for more than 230 million people across 2,700 cities in the US. Buyer’s guide Verizon Even though Verizon has rolled out mmWave 5G services in 60 cities so far, the coverage is hit-and-miss to say the least and it’s concentrated in very specific areas for now. Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network – as it is calling it – uses the high-frequency mmWave (millimeter wave) technology also favoured by AT&T and T-Mobile. Of course, one of the big benefits of 5G is vastly reduced latency and increased speed, and it’s here that you see the difference with mmWave. In a comparison of 5G network speeds last year by Opensignal, Verizon took the top spot, beating the competition by some margin. Indeed, the Verizon 5G network has a peak speed of 390Mbps faster than the closest US network. Verizon’s videos show speeds in excess of 1Gbps at times, although you should expect speeds in the low hundreds of Mbps as normal, faster in specific areas. Availability was another story. mmWave has a problem – while it’s great for close-together cell sites in large cities, it’s not so good for a rollout involving more rural areas where Verizon’s 5G Nationwide service has to take a front seat. And mmWave services work mainly outdoors at the moment. We’ve even heard about being able to get 5G on one side of the street and not the other. “Since we began building 5G, we have had a first-mover advantage,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. “We are more than a year ahead in building and selling mmWave with our 5G Ultra Wideband service and still the only company with commercial Mobile Edge Compute.“ Above: Verizon teamed up with Wi-Fi provider Boingo to bring its 5G Ultra Wideband service to public spaces Below: Verizon’s 5G coverage in Manhattan 105 Buyer’s guide EE EE The network has brought 5G to the most UK towns EE 5G was the first to launch in the UK, with the UK’s second-biggest network clearly intent on being in the box seat for customers wondering what network to choose. BT now owns EE, of course, and BT Mobile is actually an MVNO working on EE’s network. As part of this, BT has also launched a combined 5G mobile and home broadband plan called BT Halo which offers unlimited data and calls on mobile and at home, something also offered by Vodafone Together. BT has also launched Hybrid Broadband, normal fibre which is backed up by cellular, but this is 4G not 5G at present. EE has now stated that it aims to have 5G across at least 90 percent of the UK by 2028 (measured by landmass) and it will do this by combining low band spectrum into the mix. Indeed, it has already begun to roll this out. The network is set to launch its new 5G core network in 2023 at which point EE says that its 5G network will cover around half of the UK’s population. EE has form for using big-name music stars to promote 5G - it held a gig with Stormzy on the River Thames to promote the launch of its 5G network and, of course, EE also sponsors the Glastonbury Above: EE’s 5G is available in more towns and cities than any other network provider in the UK 106 Buyer’s guide © EE EE “EE demonstrated the robustness of its 5G network by streaming a 360-degree augmented reality Bastille concert” Festival each year. EE also streamed a 360-degree augmented reality (AR) Bastille concert from Birmingham New Street station to Edinburgh and Liverpool. Members of the public in the latter two cities could watch the gig on devices provided by EE reps including the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G and some AR glasses. AR visuals surrounded the band, adding to the experience. And recently, EE used the Galaxy S21 and its 5G installation at Wembley Stadium to stage the world’s first 5G AR Foosball tournament between Gareth Southgate and other well-known football figures. EE also launched an ad showing a slightly over-the-top depiction of what’s capable with 5G, shaving Lucifer actor Tom Ellis being shaved by a robotic arm on top of Mount Snowdon. The catch is the arm is being controlled by a barber 250 miles away in London, who just happens to be joined by EE advert regular Kevin Bacon. The ad is designed to showcase a situation where you’d be in a bad way if your network let you down. EE has been named as the UK’s top network in independent tests by RootMetrics. The UK-wide aggregate median download speed was over twice as fast as that of any other UK network at 58.8Mbps. However, what’s more interesting for us here is 5G performance. Here EE took top spot in RootMetrics Everyday 5G rating. This is basically a rating based on availability plus speed and reliability. The network’s highest availability is in Birmingham, where it covers just shy of 65 percent of the city. 107 Buyer’s guide © EE EE “When EE announces it has switched on a new place with 5G, there must be meaningful levels of coverage there” EE 5G COVERAGE EE has 5G service in 160 UK towns and cities currently. That’s not as many as some other networks, though BT/EE consumer chief Marc Allera says that other networks don’t have the same level of coverage when they ‘claim’ a new location has 5G. “When EE announces it has switched on a new place with 5G, there must be meaningful levels of coverage there, which we assess with clear benchmarks and strict criteria which need to be met. “We could loosen our criteria like some competitors; to be honest, it’s tempting, by doing so we would reveal 5G is actually in around 200 unique locations across the UK. However, we believe our claims should be as credible as our 108 5G is usable. We do not take our customers’ experience for granted.” In June 2021, EE turned on 5G in a few more coastal locations as part of its beefing up of connectivity across coastal locations generally (mostly using 4G in places like Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton). Coverage remains fairly centred on built-up zones and it’s always worth checking out the EE coverage checker. 5G is also available at the following public transport hotspots in London: Euson, Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Charing Cross, Highbury, Islington, New Cross Gate Overground and Shoreditch High Street Overground. You can also get 5G access in London’s Piccadilly Circus, Clapham Common, and Hampton Court Palace gardens among other places. Buyer’s guide © EE EE 109 Virgin Media O2 Buyer’s guide Virgin Media O2 Despite launching later with a smaller slice of the 5G spectrum, the network is rapidly gaining ground While O2 was the third of the big four UK networks to go live, it has a large customer base to preach the benefit of 5G – it remained the UK’s biggest phone network serving over 25 million connections. It’s aim was to have 50 5G locations live by the summer of 2020. O2 hit the 150 milestone in mid-January 2021 and today has nearly 200 locations live with 5G. The near future is set to be interesting for O2 since its merger with Virgin Media was approved by UK regulators in May 2021 and the two organisations are now working to integrate themselves in a joint venture. Virgin Media O2 - as the combined organisation will be known - will look after around 47 million mobile, home and business connections, including 41 million mobile connections. Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, and José Maria Alvarez-Pallete, CEO of Telefonica, commented: “This is a watershed moment in the history of telecommunications in the UK as we are now cleared to bring real choice where it hasn’t existed before, while investing in fibre and 5G that the UK needs to thrive.” Above: The O2 in Greenwich was an clear choice to be one of the first places to be included in the 5G rollout Right: O2 initially rolled out 5G across the UK’s capital cities as well as cities where they had offices 110 Buyer’s guide Virgin Media O2 now has nearly 200 locations live with 5G. O2 spent much of its pre-5G work focusing on making its 4G network (which is, of course, the backbone for 5G) as good as it could be and said it was investing around £2 million a day into its infrastructure. If you take into account O2’s MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) customer base including Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile and Lycamobile, O2 manages a total of 34.1 million connections. O2 owns Giffgaff outright while Tesco Mobile is a joint venture with Tesco). Tesco Mobile has also now launched its 5G service in the same locations as O2. VIRGIN MEDIA O2 5G COVERAGE O2 and Virgin may have merged, but O2 is close to another mobile network - it has a longstanding network-sharing deal with Vodafone. The pair’s agreement for the rollout sees 2,700 sites in 23 larger UK towns and cities keep separate provision for each network. So while the mast will remain shared, all the other equipment will be separate. That’s presumably a matter if control and also, possibly, ensuring each retains a competitive edge. As 5G becomes the norm, it will also help each to bring 5G services to areas where it may not have been financially viable otherwise. “We’re moving at pace with our 5G © Getty Images Virgin Media O2 rollout,” said Mark Evans, O2’s CEO. “5G offers critical support to the UK’s digital economy, supporting jobs and growth.” The two networks again worked together after the second UK 5G auction in early 2021 - the two reached a deal to trade spectrum bands to create more efficient blocks of spectrum for each operator. “Large contiguous blocks support faster speeds, lower latency and greener 5G services,” said Vodafone and O2 in a statement. “The move will, subject to approval from Ofcom, create a contiguous block of 80Mhz for O2, and ensure good proximity of Vodafone’s blocks totalling 90MHz of spectrum.” Mark Evans, CEO of O2, added: “This year O2 is investing more than ever in its network to improve coverage and experience. Securing contiguous blocks of spectrum is crucial to harnessing the true power of 5G - we will have the strongest indoor and outdoor connectivity and an ultra-reliable frequency. “O2 is a champion for coverage and reliability, and remains committed to responsibly and securely improving the network experience for all our customers across the UK. This deal with Vodafone is further evidence of our commitment to customers and we’re hugely excited about the possibilities of our 5G network.” 111 Three © Three UK Buyer’s guide Three After something of a delay, Three’s UK 5G phone network is now live Three 5G was later than other networks to roll out in the UK, but it is now neck-and-neck with other key networks in terms of the number of locations covered, even if Three’s footprint in each location is currently fairly modest. The network claims it now has over a million 5G customers. Three also has a very limited home 5G broadband service in operation. Three has just undergone a refresh of its brand as it prepares to do battle with other vendors in the competitive 5G market. There’s a new tagline, too; ‘Life needs a big network’ and a new, warmer colour scheme to go with it. Three has the UK’s fastest 5G network because it currently has more spectrum than the other UK operators. The bottom line, however, is that the network believes it can “provide peak mobile speeds of up to 2x faster than other telco operators due to its substantial 5G spectrum holding.” However, the spectrum allocations have been somewhat balanced out as a result of the Above: Three UK is claiming it’ll have the UK’s fastest speeds thanks to its spectrum allocation. Right: Three’s 5G is available in 154 locations across the country with more expected to roll out soon. 112 Buyer’s guide Three latest UK 5G spectrum auction in early 2021. Three still added to its holding, by spending an additional £280 million on low band allocation (two 10MHz blocks). Three says “this triples the amount of low frequency spectrum [we] own and will have a transformative effect on its customers’ experience indoors and in rural areas. Three UK is in a fantastic position to deliver a great network experience for its customers now and in the future.” The signs are that Three’s speed claims for its network are true to their promise, with speeds in the 600-700Mbps range in the fastest areas indeed, we’ve previously seen over 700Mbps from one of Three’s top-end sites. You’ll be getting an average of around 400Mbps in these areas. However, keep in mind that you won’t get this type of speed everywhere. As we mentioned, Three was late to launch its 5G network in early 2020. This wouldn’t necessarily have been noteworthy, except that the company had taken out multiple-page newspaper ads to boast about its service during summer 2019. In November 2019, Three admitted the obvious - its 5G launch wasn’t going to happen on time. “There are a number of parts we need to put in place to deliver our 5G experience: 5G equipment on masts, the right backhaul transmission, as well as the need to acquire the right planning permissions from landlords,” said Three in a statement. “Added to this we also need to move all of our customer traffic onto the world’s first 5G cloud core network.” Three’s new cloud-based core network is powered by Nokia. THREE LOCATIONS Three has now rolled out to a total of 154 locations. However, coverage remains very limited in each of these areas - you can see exactly where is covered on the Three coverage checker. In some large towns and small cities only one small area is covered (presumably from a single mast) and this has caused BT/EE to say that rivals will lose customer support because of their claims. However, Three UK says its 5G investment is part of a £2 billion, 5 year programme to deliver “the UK’s fastest 5G network”. Three says it currently has 1300 5G sites. Part of this investment is in connecting mast sites to highspeed, high-capacity fibre. 3500 sites have now been upgraded to 10Gbps capable transmission giving faster and more reliable 4G and 5G. David Hennessy, Chief Technology Officer at Three UK, said: “The investment we’re making in our network and IT infrastructure is vital to delivering on our promise of providing better connectivity, every day for every customer. Despite unprecedented challenges presented by a global pandemic, our 5G and 4G rollout is going strong and we’re making sure our customer remains at the centre of every decision we make.” 113 Vodafone © Vodafone Buyer’s guide Vodafone With unlimited tariffs and roaming on 5G, the network is looking to topple some of its rivals Whereas once Vodafone could have been accused of resting on its laurels, it certainly can’t be criticised for that now. It wants to be the main 5G challenger to EE (instead of O2) and sees 5G (and unlimited data) as a key part of that. Vodafone 5G wasn’t the first 5G network to launch in the UK, but it forced the pace with the introduction of unlimited tariffs. As Three had them already, it laid down the competitive gauntlet for others such as EE and O2. The company was the first network to offer roaming on 5G. Although it’s restricted to Ireland, Spain, Germany and Italy for now (and only in 5G areas in those countries, of course), it’s clearly an area where Vodafone thinks it can lead. Coincidentally, Vodafone says 5G roaming doesn’t yet work with the iPhone 12. Vodafone was also the first to offer a 5G mobile and home broadband option for both business and home users, called Vodafone Together. Above: Lewis Hamilton joins Vodafone for its 5G launch at London’s Sky Garden 114 Vodafone Buyer’s guide Vodafone offers a range of plans that are meant to appeal to both consumers and businesses “Vodafone is also the first network to offer a 5G mobile and home broadband option for both business and home users” VODAFONE 5G CITIES AND TOWNS Vodafone 5G coverage has grown significantly since launch and the service is now available in 100 UK towns and cities, with more locations to follow in the near future. The full list is as follows: Aberdeen, Alexandria, Ambleside, Aughton (Sth Yorks), Basingstoke, Bebington, Belfast, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopbriggs, Blaydon, Bolton, Bootle, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bristol, Bristol Airport, Cardiff, Cheadle and Gatley, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Clydebank, Crawley (West Sussex), Crosby, Dewsbury, Dinas Powys, Droylsden, Dudley (West Midlands), Dundee, Eccles, Edinburgh, Eston and South Bank, Felling, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gloucester, Gosforth (Tyne & Wear), Guildford, Hebburn, Helensburgh, Horwich, Huddersfield, Huyton-with-Roby, Inner London, Isles of Scilly, Jarrow, Kingston upon Hull, Kingswood (Bristol), Lancaster, Leeds, Lisburn, Liverpool, Llandudno, Long Benton/Killingworth, Manchester, Mangotsfield, Middlesbrough, Morley, Mosborough/Highlane, Newbury, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newtownabbey, North Shields, Oldbury/Smethwick, Outer London, Paisley, Penarth, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Prescot, Prestwich, Pudsey, Rawmarsh, Reading, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sheffield, Shipley, Solihull, South Shields, Southampton, Stockport, Stocktonon-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stranraer, Stretford, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Swansea, Swinton and Pendlebury, Tynemouth, Urmston, Wallasey, Wallsend, Warrington, Washington, Whitley Bay, Wolverhampton and York. 115 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones The best 5G phones The best 5G phones deliver much faster downloads, lower latency and a lot more The best 5G phones are hoping to deliver on the hype we’ve been hearing about 5G long before the new networking standard even launched. With every major carrier having launched 5G in some form, the focus is now on 5G-capable handsets and whether it’s worth making sure your next smartphone can connect to the new networking standard. The answer so far? You can get blazing speeds, provided that you’re in an area with 5G coverage. But 5G phones have more to offer than just speedier downloads. Initially, the best 5G phones offered outstanding cameras, big displays and super-sized batteries. That’s no surprise really, since many of these phones are really just the best phones overall, only with 5G modems included. 116 Price is becoming more of a consideration, though, as phone makers start to offer 5G phones that cost less than £600/$600. These don’t have the premium features found in flagship phones, but they also won’t put a £1,000/$1,000 dent in your wallet. If you’re in the market for a smartphone this year, the time is right to start looking at a 5G phone, especially as lower-cost 5G phones are starting to appear and more 5G flagship phones arrive. Moreover, given by the time you read this 5G iPhones should have finally arrived on the scene, there’s no longer any reason fans of particular ecosystems can’t get involved. 5G networks are only going to get faster and more extensive, so it’s worth making sure your next phone can make the most of them. Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones The best 5G phone right now How we test 5G phones To test phones with 5G connectivity, we take them out into the field to measure download speeds with the Speedtest.net app. When possible, we compare that speed to a comparable phone on the same wireless network to try and gauge the improvement that 5G has to offer. We also take note of how the phone performs when 5G coverage isn't available. Because so much of that 5G performance hinges on the wireless network and not the phone itself, though, we give greater weight to the criteria by which we judge all phones. We run an array of benchmarks on every phone – both synthetic benchmarks as well as real-world tests like transcoding a 4K video to 1080p and timing how long it takes. Our lab also measures the brightness and colour accuracy of each phone's display. Our proprietary battery test determines longevity on a charge by endlessly streaming web pages over an LTE network; we then recharge the tested phones to see how quickly they charge in 15-minute intervals. To measure camera performance, we shoot images under a variety of conditions, comparing the results to photos produced by cameras in the same price range. For 5G phones, we also consider the price of the device compared to comparable 4G handsets on the market. 01. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Screen Size: 6.6 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Size / weight: 157.5 x 76.2 x 7.6mm / 195g | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:46 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Vodafone, O2, EE, Three Samsung's Galaxy S22 Plus is the best 5G phone you can buy right now because it works on every type of 5G network. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that makes 5G connectivity possible also delivers performance that can match any Android phone. The biggest mark against the Galaxy S22 Plus is its price. At £949/$1,049, this is not a device for those on a budget. But you get a lot of phone for that hefty price. The Dynamic AMOLED screen lets you opt for a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and more immersive gaming – just be aware that the faster refresh rate can drain the phone's battery at a faster clip. Samsung has also made improvements to the rear cameras, with the 50MP dual pixel lens standing out with its super-crisp zoom shots. You'll be able to find cheaper 5G phones, especially the more recent releases, but only the Galaxy S22 Plus offers a great balance between features and price. 117 Introducing 5G The best 5G phones 02. iPhone 13 Screen size : 6.1 inches Processor: A15 Bionic Size/weight: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm / 174g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 8:25 | 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, O2, Vodafone While keeping the notch and multi-camera system of the iPhone 11, the 13 takes design cues from the more angular iPhone 4 As it does with many things, Apple took its time to get into 5G phones but it struck a fine note right away with the iPhone 12. While the iPhone 13 Pro doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from the standard iPhone 13, the Pro Max certainly does with its huge display and sheer desirability. It’s a super performer too while the cameras are among the best we’ve seen, especially in low light. It’s eye-wateringly expensive, though. The standard iPhone 13 is in many ways the pick of the new iPhone range with plenty of reasons not to go for the same-sized iPhone 13 Pro – though we love the Pro. The whole iPhone 13 range comes with the latest A15 Bionic platform so there’s no performance limitation either (Pro has more RAM though). Available in Midnight, Starlight, Red, Green, Blue and Pink, there’s also the iPhone 13 mini to consider, too. The new (to iPhones) MagSafe connector on the rear of the iPhone 13 is a really interesting proposition – this magnetic connection tech not only enables you to attach things to your phone, such as a charger or a case, but can also tell what’s been connected through a special chip. “The standard iPhone 13 is in many ways the pick of the new iPhone range with plenty of reasons not to go for the samesized iPhone 13 Pro – though we love the Pro” 118 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 03. Samsung Galaxy S22 Screen Size: 6.1 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Size / weight: 144.7 x 71.1 x 7.6mm / 167.2g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 7:52 | 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, O2, EE, Vodafone, Three Up until now, the best 5G phones have been pretty bulky to accommodate the larger batteries and 5G modems required for the faster networks. But the Samsung Galaxy S22 is relatively compact. You're not going to mistake this device for an iPhone SE, but the Galaxy S22 is just over 6 inches tall and weighs just 167 grams. You still get a 6.1-inch AMOLED screen capable of a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling. At £769/$799, this had been the most affordable 5G phone you could get from Samsung. The phone maker has since released the Galaxy A53 5G, which costs £399/$449. A 5G version of the Galaxy A52 is also available. While the Galaxy S22 may be less expensive than the Plus and Ultra versions, you're not getting short-changed with this model, as the phone features camera improvements to its three rear lenses, including a telephoto lens with a 3x lossless zoom. Meanwhile the fact that the phone comes running Android 12 out of the box with Samsung’s superb One UI 4 skin on top means interacting with it is a sheer joy. Throw in some genuine gaming chops thanks to its impressive GPU and plenty of internal storage space, and it is easy to see how this phone delivers the complete package. Unlike many bulkier 5G flagships, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is relatively compact 119 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 04. OnePlus 9 Screen Size: 6.55 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 888 | Size / weight: 7160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm / 192g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:51| 5G networks supported: T-Mobile, Verizon, Three, EE, Vodafone The era of affordable 5G phones is coming, with future devices promising price tags of around £500/$500. For now, though, the OnePlus 9 is an affordable ways to get a premium 5G device. The OnePlus 9 runs on a Snapdragon 888 processor, just like the other top Android phones with 5G connectivity. You get a 6.55-inch fluid AMOLED screen with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, and you can charge the phone quickly with OnePlus' Warp Charge 65T technology. It takes just over half an hour to fully charge the device. You can also get a day’s worth of power from only a 15 minute charge and the OnePlus 9 is compatible with most wireless Qi chargers. OnePlus’ cameras was always where their devices fell short. But OnePlus has partnered with Hasselblad to produce camera technology for 120 “The OnePlus 9 is an affordable way to get a premium 5G device” smartphones. There's no Hassleblad lens in the OnePlus 9, that is probably going to come in the next generation of phones, but they did provide colour calibration for three rear cameras. The 50MP ultra-wide, 48MP main camera and monochrome lens offer a lot of shooting options and produce great results. If what you're looking for is a powerful phone with great specs and can connect to 5G without breaking the bank, though, the OnePlus 9 is a great option. Buyer’s Guide The best 5G phones in 2020 The S20 Ultra’s battery will last all day on a single charge 05. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Screen Size: 6.9 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 865 | Size / weight: 166.9 x 76.0 x 8.8mm / 220g | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:58 | 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Vodafone, EE, Three, O2 When money's no object, turn to the Galaxy S20 Ultra for your 5G phone needs. It may have a price tag as expansive as its 6.9-inch OLED display, but the S20 Ultra also boasts plenty of features for its £1,199/$1,399 asking price. That display has a 120Hz refresh rate for a much smoother, immersive experience when you're scrolling or gaming. The quad-lens rear cameras take excellent pictures, and the powerful Space Zoom works really well up to 10x. A huge 5,000 mAh battery means you'll get through the day on a single-charge. The Galaxy S20 Ultra works with every kind of 5G network so you needn't have to worry about which model to get for which carrier. The phone's price means it won't be for everyone, but people who do splurge on the Galaxy S20 Ultra will be satisfied with the result. 121 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 06. Realme 9 Pro Plus Screen Size: 6.4 inches | Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Size / weight: 160.2 x 73.3 x 8mm / 182g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:58 | 5G networks supported: Verizon, EE, O2 This is the first ‘Pro Plus’ handset in the range, and it boasts a few features that we don’t see in the average smartphone. This is a seriously impressive device that shows us that ‘Pro Plus’ isn’t just an oxymoron, it’s a promise. If you know Realme phones, you’ll know that the brand excels in the budget to mid-range market. The Realme 9 Pro Plus is just more evidence of that. There are two unique features that, it seems, are meant to be the Realme 9 Pro Plus’ selling points. The first is a heart rate monitor built into the device’s fingerprint scanner. The second selling 122 point truly is something bold and bizarre: the rear of the phone changes colour in sunlight, going from a sparkly blue to bright red. We love how weird this is - even if it brings no tangible benefits. But while you might check out the phone for this eye-catching novelty, you’ll stay for its solid range of features and specs. The phone’s cameras, charging speed and processing power are all above-average for a phone in this price range. Even the weaker elements, like the display or battery, are still on par with rival phones at this price. Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 07. Sony Xperia 1 III Screen Size: 6.8 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 888 | Size / weight: 165 x 71 x 8.2mm / 186g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:46 | 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon The Sony Xperia 1 III is the best smartphone the company has made for years, offering a top-tier display, great battery life and a versatile camera that’s easy to use. Inside the phone are a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset and 12GB of RAM, which we found delivered impressive performance, and you’ve got the option of 256GB or 512GB of storage. That’s plenty of power, and more than enough storage space for the average user. Sony is making a song and dance about how this is the world’s first 4K 120Hz smartphone – although that claim isn’t quite as impressive as it sounds, as Sony is currently the only brand making 4K phones. That 120Hz upgrade makes this screen better than ever though, with super-smooth scrolling the icing on the ultra-high resolution cake. There’s no denying that the price of the Xperia 1 III is high, and the 21:9 aspect ratio design will put some off, too. But if you want a highly capable smartphone with a superb screen, this may be the phone for you. © TechRadar “That’s plenty of power, and more than enough storage space for the average user” 123 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 08. OnePlus 9 Pro Screen Size: 6.7 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 888 | Size / weight: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm / 197g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:40 | 5G networks supported: Verizon, T-Mobile, Three, O2, EE, Vodaphone The OnePlus 9 Pro is a culmination of the company’s efforts over the past couple of years, and it’s the first time a smartphone from the company has felt like the complete package. It offers top-end power, a great camera experience and all the bells and whistles you’d “The OnePlus 9 Pro has a premium design, with a 6.7-inch QHD display that delivers strong brightness levels and top-notch detail” 124 expect from a flagship smartphone right now. This is a handset that can genuinely compete with the very best phones from the biggest brands. However, it also comes with a high-end price tag, and there’s no denying that the OnePlus 9 Pro is an expensive choice for your next phone. The OnePlus 9 Pro has a premium design, with a 6.7-inch QHD display that delivers strong brightness levels and top-notch detail, while a smooth 120Hz refresh rate adds to the top-tier feel. The handset itself may be too big for some, but the design feels worth the money, with a glass rear and the choice of three colors to ensure that your new OnePlus matches your style – we think the Morning Mist shade pictured throughout this review is particularly good-looking. Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones 09. OnePlus Nord 2 © OnePlus Screen Size: 6.43 inches | Processor: Media Tek Dimensity 1200-AI | Size / weight: 159.1 x 73.3 x 8.2mm / 189g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:18 | 5G networks supported: Three, EE, 02, Vodaphone, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T “This is an amazing package that OnePlus has put together for the price” OnePlus first made its name offering very good phone specs at very good prices, and it’s back in that groove with the OnePlus Nord 2. While its phones have slowly become more expensive over the years, the Nord is a fantastic mid-ranger. Starting at just £399 in the UK (the US has its own version, the Nord N200 5G, which retails for $239), you get a powerful Media Tek Dimensity 1200-AI processor, at least 6GB of RAM, at least 128GB of storage, and 5G thrown in. That’s not to mention the sharp, bright 6.43-inch display, which zips along thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate. Compromises have been made to get the OnePlus Nord 2 to this price, however: there’s no wireless charging or waterproofing, and the camera and battery life are good rather than great. All in all though, this is an amazing package that OnePlus has put together for the price. 125 Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones Note 20’s stylus offers precise writing and drawing on the screen 10. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Screen Size: 6.7 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 865 Plus | Size / weight: 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3mm / 194g Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:38 | 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, EE, Vodafone, Three The Galaxy Note 20 offers a nice compromise for people who want a full-featured 5G phone without the four-figure price tag. At £949/$999, the Note 20 isn’t inexpensive by any means, but you do get a lot for your money, including a device that works with all flavours of 5G. The Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset inside the Galaxy Note 20 delivers some of the best performance you’ll see from an Android phone, 126 and the cameras stack up well against other top flagships. Like the Note 20 Ultra, the Note 20 includes an S Pen, and while the stylus is more responsive on Samsung’s pricier phablet, you still get all the note-taking features on this model. If there’s one thing to be wary of with the Note 20, it’s the battery life, which is perhaps below average. Still, that’s one of the few marks against an otherwise outstanding phone. Buyer’s guide The best 5G phones Verdict Ultimately, the Galaxy S22 Plus may well be the 5G phone to get if you want a handset that works with every kind of 5G network. In addition to its 5G connectivity, Samsung’s plus-sized flagship phone also sports a big Dynamic AMOLED panel, vastly improved cameras and above-average battery life. It just edges the more expensive Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, though gamers should consider that phablet for its compatibility with Microsoft’s streaming game service. The standard Samsung Galaxy S22 offers a lot of the same features, only without the hefty price. If you want something even more affordable and don’t mind missing out on some of the premium features then the Galaxy S21 FE would be worth looking into. If you’re UK-based and looking for a bargain phone that acts premium, you could do a lot worse than the OnePlus Nord. While Samsung and OnePlus are dominating the selection of 5G phones thus far, don’t overlook Realme’s 9 Pro Plus. If you’re not a fan of Android devices then you’ll need to decide between the choice of iPhones currently available. The iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are all 5G capable, your decision will ultimately come down to how much you’re willing to spend on a device. 11. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Screen Size: 6.9 inches | Processor: Snapdragon 865 Plus Size / weight: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm / 208g | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:15 5G networks supported: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, EE, Vodafone, Three “It’s the gaming aspect of the Note 20 Ultra that makes it one of the best” The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung’s most versatile big-screen phone, and that includes its approach to 5G. This 6.9-inch phablet works with every available 5G network, and its dynamic 120Hz display adjust the refresh rate to squeeze more battery life while also delivering smoother scrolling and more immersive gaming. It’s the gaming aspect of the Note 20 Ultra that makes it one of the best 5G phones, and not just because it runs on a powerful Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra works with Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming to let you play more than 100 Xbox games on your phone. With 5G connectivity, gameplay should be a delight. You’ll pay a bit more for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra than you would for some of Samsung’s other 5G phones, like the Galaxy S20 Plus. But you’ll find it’s well worth the premium price. 127 Find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about outer space Explore our incredible planet and the secrets beneath the surface Understand the world we live in, from science and tech to the environment FEED YOUR MIND WITH OUR BOOKAZINES Explore the secrets of the universe, from the days of the dinosaurs to the miracles of modern science! Discover answers to the most fascinating questions Follow us on Instagram @futurebookazines www.magazinesdirect.com SUBSCRIBE & SAVE UP TO 61% Delivered direct to your door or straight to your device Choose from over 80 magazines and make great savings off the store price! Binders, books and back issues also available Simply visit www.magazinesdirect.com No hidden costs Shipping included in all prices We deliver to over 100 countries Secure online payment How will 5G change your life? 5G The Complete Manual Discover how 5G works Get to grips with what makes 5G such a gamechanging technology Find out how 5G outstrips 4G Understand how increased speeds and lower latencies will transform existing mobile networks Beyond speed 9021 Read about how 5G is about more than download speeds, offering low latency and many connections Hit on little-known 5G facts Amaze yourself with facts about 5G you never would have expected Brush up on security Explore how 5G’s increased bandwidth and usage stand to impact the safety of your devices How will 5G change your life? Get a taste of everything 5G will transform, from films and games to classrooms and the workplace When will 5G reach your city? Learn how far 5G coverage has spread and when it will be rolled out in your area Choose the best 5G network Find out which networks offer the best coverage and connection in the UK and US 9000 Fab 5G phones Get your hands on the best 5G phones available, from the Samsung Galaxy S22 to the iPhone 13