Are you 5G ready?
When asked the question “are you 5G ready?” many will think of their WiFi networks which operate in either 2.4GHz or 5GHz (both in many cases), but this question refers to mobile phone and mobile broadband signals. For a long time 4G has been the backbone of smartphone and mobile broadband connectivity, allowing for super-fast speeds and access to data and apps on the move. 5G is the latest data transmission method utilised by mobile phone and mobile broadband networks, born out of the necessity to keep up with a global demand of their customers for performance improvements.
Operating at a higher frequency to the previous iterative generations, 5G can provide ultra-fast connectivity and ultra-low latency. With reliability and availability at its core, 5G is designed to pave the way for the innovation to accommodate the changes expected in how our devices connect to the internet. The enhanced capabilities offered by 5G is seen as a crucial element of the growing eco system of the Internet of Things (IoT) offering robust connectivity at scale and so support for the massive networks associated.
5G has suffered some bad press over the last few years with concerns raised about security (several nations refusing to incorporate 5G technology from the technology company Huawei) and 5G masts being blamed for COVID as well as other health issues. This has not stopped mobile operators continuing to upgrade their networks with this latest technology to ensure that the raft of benefits and enhancements enabled by 5G can be offered.
Many customers will be wondering if they are able to take advantage of 5G when it arrives in their area and (like previous upgrades to mobile signals) it will depend on their SIM card and the compatibility of their devices. All SIM cards issued for the Freedomsat 4G service are 5G ready but due (at the time of writing) to the high cost of 5G enabled devices, the 4G routers we supply are not capable of receiving a 5G service. Should a 5G service be available in their area, our subscribers are of course free to purchase a 5G ready router safe in the knowledge that their SIM card will work.
We currently see 5G services becoming increasingly available in metropolitan areas with greater coverage gradually moving outwards from there. Once 5G is more established, customers can expect the cost of 5G ready routers to drop in price (due to the increase in manufacturer competition plus the knock-on efficiencies of producing equipment in larger volumes) and as more of the country is covered by 5G, we look forward to offering 5G enabled equipment to our customers.