5G

5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks. It uses radio waves to link a device to a nearby tower, like 4G, but it can use wider slices of the radio spectrum and handle many more connections at once.

How it works

5G runs on different frequency bands. Low bands travel far and pass through walls, but give speeds only a little above good 4G. Mid bands balance speed and coverage. Very high bands, called millimetre wave, give the highest speeds but cover only short distances and are blocked easily by walls and trees. A device needs a modem and antennas that support the bands a network uses.

Standalone and non-standalone

Non-standalone 5G uses a 4G network for control signals and 5G only for data. Standalone 5G runs entirely on its own core network, which allows lower delay, called latency, and newer network features.

What the numbers mean

• Speed: the rate at which data moves, measured in megabits per second.
• Latency: the time a signal takes to travel, measured in milliseconds.
• Bands: labelled with the letter n and a number, for example n78.

What it does not promise

The 5G label says nothing about the speed you will actually see. Real speed depends on the band, the distance from the tower, how many people share it and the network operator. A device works only on the bands its hardware includes, and 5G does not work without coverage in the area.