4G is the most widely used mobile network, but it will gradually be replaced by 5G. The second is its evolution, as it offers higher speed and latency, allowing it to run faster and more stable. In this article we will list 9 specific advantages of 5G on mobile phones compared to 4G, not on a technical level, but in tasks of the day.
Where 5G outperforms 4G
5G is much faster and more stable than 4G, although it is still far from the features we were promised years ago, when it landed commercially. We were supposed to enjoy speeds of up to 10 Gb and latencies of one millisecond, but today it doesn’t work out that way. In any case, although it has not fulfilled what it promised (at least for the time being), it represents a very significant improvement in aspects such as the following.
Faster downloads
As it could not be otherwise, we will start the article on the main advantages of 5G over 4G with the fastest downloads. The speed of the former is much faster than that of the latter, which means that downloading files to your device will take less time. In the age of streaming, we will be able to download music or content to watch offline more immediately, but also TikTok videos or PDFs.
Shorter loading times
On the other hand, browsing the Internet through browsers or through social networks will be more fluid. Loading times are reduced compared to 4G, which means that searching for a page on Google will be more instantaneous, but also entering a user’s profile in X, updating the Instagram timeline or refreshing the portal of a sports media.
Smoother gameplay
If you play online, you’ll get the most out of 5G because, by reducing latency, it speeds up games. The latency of 5G is much lower than that of 4G. Latency inversely determines the delay in a network communication: the lower the latency, the smoother the connection. The amount of latency is something we also need to consider when gaming over a fiber connection.
Fewer streaming outages
More and more people are viewing audiovisual content on their terminal. This is done via streaming, which will be cut off more or less depending on the speed and latency. Both parameters are much better in 5G, so outages are significantly reduced. At the same time, there is the possibility of viewing videos at a higher resolution, since the higher the resolution, the more power the Internet demands.
AI works better
Artificial intelligence has become a basic tool in our lives. It allows you to compose texts or generate custom songs with a couple of taps. The process will be faster and smoother with 5G, as this tool requires a powerful connection to work properly.
Battery Saver
5G is a smarter network than 4G. This allows you to use the minimum amount of energy in devices adapted to this technology; In other words, you’ll just use what you need. In addition, their infrastructures are considerably more efficient. Your phone will need to use less power, which will allow you to stop using so many tricks to save battery.
Publish content faster
Social media is a basic vehicle for expression on a day-to-day basis. Whether it’s for work or leisure, we publish content on it regularly. 5G allows you to upload content more instantaneously, whether it’s videos, photos, texts, or any type of content.
More stable calls and video calls
Calls and video calls on 5G networks are more stable. In calls, it no longer only depends on speed and stability, but also on the implementation of VoNR (Voice over New Radio) calls, which are those that use the 5G network, an improvement of VoLTE calls, which use the 4G network.
Your mobile phone can be your router
With greater speed and stability, you can use your phone to share data as if it were a router. In addition, 5G is capable of connecting more devices to the same network, which allows you to use several of its WiFi waves. This is even more powerful with 5G+, the advanced version of 5G that we’ll talk about later.
Why 5G is called that
5G is so called because it stands for 5th generation, in reference to the fact that it is the 5th mobile generation. We are facing the evolution of 4G (4th generation), which boosts the speed and stability of the Internet connection on mobile phones, but also on other devices, such as connected cars, industry 4.0, telemedicine or Smart City, the new concept of connected city that will enjoy increasing prominence in recent years.
It will change our lives. Not only because our connectivity is more immediate, but because it will create a connectivity ecosystem, in which, for example, ambulances are better connected to hospitals, which will save lives, or it will create smart cities, where recycling processes or public transport management are more efficient.
Going back to the previous networks. Here’s when each one was released:
- 1G (1979): it was analogue, so it didn’t use the Internet, just mobile calls, which weren’t exactly stable or fluid.
- 2G (1991): This was a huge step forward from 1G. It implemented text messaging and roaming, to have data outside the country of the tariff. It’s still used for calling.
- 3G (1998): The commercial Internet debuted on mobile phones with it. The era of video, music and wallpaper services began. It was in this generation that video calls, then very primitive, landed.
- 4G (2008): Started the era of streaming, online gaming, and social media apps. It is currently the most widely used network and with which we can do most things, although not as efficiently as with 5G.
- 5G (2019): the evolution of 5G. It reduces latency and increases speed, as well as allowing more devices to connect simultaneously.
Between each version, intermediate versions have been launched, such as 4G+, which is the intermediate step between 4G and 5G, as it increases speed and speed, as well as expanding bandwidth, but without reaching 5G. Same with the 2.5G or 3.5G Plus. We currently have 5G+, which is called the real 5G, and we’ll explain why.
5G+ is the real 5G
5G+ is the real 5G because it uses its own infrastructure. 5G, in its own right, uses that of 4G, so it is an evolution of it, but not something independent. This is reflected in the names of each one, since the official name of 5G+ is 5G Stand Alone and that of 5G is 5G Non Stand Alone, which basically indicates that the former is independent and the latter is not.
How to choose 5G on mobile
On certain mobile phones, the 5G network is not the one you prefer. That’s okay, because you can manually choose what type of network you’re connecting to, such as 5G, 4G, or 3G.
Choose 5G as your preferred network on Android
How you do this depends on each phone, as the menus vary from model to model. A Samsung doesn’t have the exact same menus as a Xiaomi, but the route is similar, because they’re Android. For this reason, we will give you some relatively common guidelines, with which you can choose 5G as your preferred network on mobiles with this operating system.
To choose 5G on Android, do the following:
- Tap on Settings
- Access SIM Card & Mobile Networks
- Tap on your carrier and number (the SIM you use)
- Go to Preferred Network Type
- Select ‘Prefer 5G’ (or whatever you’re interested in)
Choose 5G as your preferred network on iPhone
On iPhone, the method is more homogeneous because all models use the same operating system: iOS. Any iPhone after 12 can connect to 5G. To select that network manually, do the following:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Cellular Data
- Select Mobile Data Options
- Tap Voice & data
- Select 5G On (if you choose 5G Automatic, you’ll only connect to that network when it doesn’t significantly drain your battery. Don’t choose LTE because you won’t connect to 5G)
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