STACK #189 Jul 2020

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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FULL 5G

SPEED AHEAD

The next generation of mobile communications technology sure isn’t phoning it in when it comes to delivering blistering speeds, incredibly low latency, and other 5G perks. Words Adam Colby

I n boring terms, 5G is shorthand for the fifth generation of mobile internet. Australia currently ranks in the top global ten of mobile internet speeds which, according to Ookla’s global index, is above 60Mbps download. That’s double the current global mobile download average. And 5G is set to more than double Australia’s already-impressive current-generation mobile speeds. Put simply, 5G is primed and ready to blow 4G mobile speeds out of the water. SPEED NEEDS As the internet continues to become more commonplace in everyday items like TVs, tablets, and even ‘smart’ fridges that can get their ’net on, faster and more reliable internet becomes critical to smooth-sailing connectivity. At home, NBN connections are quickly becoming ubiquitous. When you’re out and

about, 4G is the current norm, but the rollout of 5G mobile networks means greater efficiencies designed to match the ever-increasing speeds of mobile devices. In terms of speed, 5G has the potential to hit download and upload speeds that are even faster than home internet. Theoretically, that translates to speeds of up to 20Gbps! In practical terms, 5G speeds will vary. Telstra, for instance, hits average speeds of 157Mbps, which is still 1.5 times faster than NBN Premium speeds. Basically, your worst-case scenario should still be faster than NBN Premium’s best-case 100Mbps speeds. BYE, BYE LAG Without getting too buried in the jargon-filled nitty-gritty of how 5G works, the new mobile standard uses improved networking technology

5G at home If you’re in a suburb that falls within your telco’s 5G service area, you can still take advantage of 5G perks at home, so long as you don’t default to connecting to your wireless network. That said, Optus uses the 5G network to offer 5G Home internet to selected areas, which has worst-case speeds of 50Mbps, but an average download speed of 138Mbps. Outside of a self-connect modem, there’s no requirement for a fixed-line phone or any other form of wired in-home connection. This is particularly valuable for homes that currently can’t get NBN, or NBN-connected homes that are suffering from slower-than-expected speeds.

drops in quality), downloading apps and files faster, or uploading picture and video backups captured from your phone’s camera. Lower latency is important because it’s great for current uses like more reliable online gaming and video conferencing, and also stretches to future-proofed instances like self-driving cars and upcoming next-gen game- streaming technologies like Google’s Stadia and Microsoft’s xCloud.

to deliver faster download and upload speeds, which includes lower latency. Faster speeds mean a 5G-enabled phone connected to a 5G network can do things a whole lot faster, whether it’s streaming with less time waiting for a buffer (or

Mobile generations 1G mobile technology was the first standard introduced back in the ’80s for analogue telephone talk. 2G saw the introduction of text and picture messaging. 3G brought mobile internet to a practically useable speed. 4G upped the speeds for easier streaming and straightforward sharing. And 5G is set to be incredibly fast and responsive.

28 JULY 2020

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