4G vs 5G: Understanding the Differences Between the Networks

4G, the fourth generation of broadband cellular network tech, had been the best network option for quite some period of time, reigning supreme for much of the 2010s. It served its purpose well by improving on the perceived weaknesses of its forerunner before the world gradually moved to the better option.

Now, with the onset of 5G, things have become much better in the broadband cellular realm, with users enjoying faster speeds and lower latency for performing different tasks. Whether you are just casually browsing the web, playing online casino games on sites like Online Casino, working and collaborating remotely, or streaming content, there’s no denying 5G is the real deal if you’ve experienced it.

Well, of course, some jurisdictions have broader coverage of this modern technology than others, with Finland, for instance, enjoying 89% 5G coverage as of mid-2023, thanks to the DNA network. As the world continues to quickly adopt the 5th iteration of broadband cellular networks, here’s a deeper dive into what sets it apart from its predecessor.

Speed

As one would expect, 5G is significantly faster than its ancestor. Within the right conditions, 5G download speeds could crack the 10GB per second mark and higher, which is quite impressive, to say the least. Thus, comparatively, it is estimated that within similar conditions, the 4G speed network is nearly 100 times slower than its descendant.

To put things into greater context, it would take you less than 20 seconds to download a 2-hour film using the networking of the fifth generation. On the other hand, it would take approximately 50 minutes to download the same movie while operating on a 4G network. Of course, the speed levels are subject to connectivity variances with different providers.

Latency

Latency relates to the time taken for different devices to communicate with each other or, rather, the server sending information between the two devices. For 4G, latency registered on average at 200 milliseconds which isn’t too bad. Then again, tech of the 5th generation trumps this stat by far with an impressive latency of up to just 1 millisecond.

Low latency is significant as communication flow becomes more seamless with minimal delays experienced. Certainly, other factors come into consideration when factoring in low latency, like physical barriers, your Internet service provider, or specific IP.

Frequency

Currently, communication and navigation systems rely on radio waves, whose frequencies have a bandwidth ranging from tens of kilohertz to as much as 300 gigahertz. Moreover, the bandwidth of the radio waves dictates the network’s speed and how much distance it will manage to cover.

For example, low-frequency networks can cover long distances, but their speed is extremely slow, whereas high-frequency networks have super-fast speeds but at drastically shorter distances. Thus, with every new generation of mobile networks, there is a change in operation modes and frequency bands which then determine the speed and other usability factors.

While 4G is split between FDD LTE and TDD LTE for primary and secondary users, its descendant features four frequency bands, the low, mid-range, C-band, and millimeter-wave. That said, the highest speed for the top frequency band of 4G networks stands at 35Mps, whereas 5G’s topmost millimeter-wave band could go as high as 20Gbps.

Fair Comparison

Especially for those who perceive information visually, we have gathered all the essential points in one table to be able to thoroughly compare both techs.

Network Generation	Maximum Speed	Real Life Speed	Real Life Latency	Potential Latency	Frequency
4G	100Mbps	34Mbps	100 – 200 ms	30  – 70 ms	600 MHz – 2.5 GHz
5G	20Gbps	50Mbps – 3Gbps	5 – 20 ms	1 ms	600 MHz – 39GHz

Network Slicing

A fundamental differing aspect of these two networks is that 5G has the capabilities required for network slicing while its ancestor doesn’t. With network slicing, overlays of multiple virtual networks are created on top of a shared network domain. Because of this feature, the various telcos can create customized slices that essentially represent minute and autonomous private networks that they can offer to networks.

Winner Detected!

There you have it; those are the most notable differences between the 4G and 5G, which undoubtedly point to the superiority of the newer generation technology. But then, as is typically the case with any innovation, 5G comes with a fair share of downsides like limited coverage to big cities, weaker upload speeds, and inflicting damage on mobile device batteries.

The good news, however, is that industry experts are working to mitigate some of the disadvantages to give users a much better experience as they enjoy the fantastic perks. Here’s to enjoying a more connected world thanks to the network of a new generation that makes modern-day life easier as it helps execute different everyday tasks faster and more efficiently.