5G is the fifth generation of cellular network technology, the successor to 4G LTE. It is defined by international standards developed through the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and deployed by mobile carriers on their own spectrum. Compared with LTE, 5G is designed to carry more data, reduce delay and connect many more devices per area, though the gains a business sees depend heavily on which radio bands the carrier uses where you are. For buyers, 5G shows up in phones and tablets, in cellular routers for sites and vehicles, in fixed wireless internet services, in IoT modules and in private cellular networks.
At a glance
- 5G is a set of cellular standards, not one speed: performance depends on spectrum band, network load, distance from the tower and device.
- Low-band 5G covers wide areas but performs closer to LTE; mid-band balances coverage and speed; high-band (millimeter wave) is very fast over short distances where carriers have deployed it.
- Many networks still run 5G radios on a 4G core (non-standalone); standalone 5G adds features such as network slicing.
- Business uses include faster mobile data, cellular WAN links for sites, fixed wireless access, IoT and private networks.
- Which bands, features and coverage are available varies by country, carrier and location.
What problem it solves
Cellular data used to be a convenience for phones. Businesses now depend on it for much more: routers at sites without wired connections, backup links, vehicles, point-of-sale terminals, cameras and sensors. As usage grew, LTE networks in busy areas became congested, and some applications needed lower and more consistent delay than LTE could deliver.
5G adds capacity by using new spectrum, including wider channels in mid-band and high-band frequencies, and more efficient radio technology. That gives carriers room to sell faster plans, offer home and business internet over cellular, and support large numbers of connected devices. Newer releases of the standard also add options for very low latency and for devices that send small amounts of data on low power.
How it works
Radio bands. Carriers deploy 5G on different frequency ranges. Low-band signals travel far and penetrate buildings but carry less data. Mid-band is the main capacity layer in many countries. High-band, or millimeter wave, delivers very high throughput but travels short distances and is easily blocked by walls, so where carriers use it at all it is usually limited to dense areas and venues. Which bands are licensed for 5G, and to whom, is set by each country’s regulator and varies widely.
Core network. In non-standalone mode, 5G radios work alongside the carrier’s 4G core and LTE signaling. In standalone mode, a 5G core runs the network, which enables features such as network slicing (logically separate network segments with their own performance targets) and new service types. Availability of standalone service and slicing products depends on the carrier.
Devices. A 5G phone, router or module must support the carrier’s bands. Most 5G devices fall back to LTE where 5G is unavailable, so coverage maps showing 5G may still mean an LTE connection indoors.
Business services. Carriers sell 5G through mobile plans, data-only plans for routers (wireless WAN and backup), 5G fixed wireless internet, IoT connectivity, and in some markets dedicated or private cellular networks for campuses, factories and warehouses.
To compare carriers, plans and devices for your locations, see our cellular plans solution page.
When it matters for buyers
- Choosing a connection for a site. 5G routers and 5G fixed wireless can bring a site online quickly where fiber is slow to arrive. Test signal at the actual location first.
- Refreshing phones and routers. New devices will be 5G-capable; whether paying more for 5G plans is worthwhile depends on coverage where your people and sites are.
- Backup links. A 5G router can act as a cellular failover link with more capacity than older LTE units.
- IoT and operations. Large sensor deployments, cameras and connected machines may benefit from 5G capacity or from a private network. Some IoT devices only need low-power LTE variants, which are often cheaper.
- Retiring older networks. Carriers have shut down 2G and 3G in many markets; check the network generation and expected support life of every connected device you buy.
Questions to ask vendors
- Which 5G bands do you operate at our sites, and is it standalone or non-standalone there?
- Can you provide a site survey or test device so we can measure real performance indoors?
- Is the plan best-effort, and can our traffic be deprioritized during congestion?
- Do you offer business features such as static IPs, private network connectivity or network slicing, and in which areas?
- Which router and IoT module models are certified on your network?
- What is the expected support life of LTE on your network for our existing devices?
- Is 5G fixed wireless available at our addresses, and what service terms come with it?
How it differs from LTE
LTE is the 4G standard that most cellular devices still use and that 5G networks fall back to. 5G adds new spectrum, a new radio interface and, in standalone form, a new core network, giving it more capacity and lower potential latency. In practice, a strong LTE signal can outperform weak low-band 5G, so the generation on the label matters less than the bands, signal quality and congestion at your sites. LTE will remain in use alongside 5G for years, so most business devices support both.