Cell phone companies such as T-Mobile and Verizon have upgraded some of their 4G networks to 5G to offer users faster and better device performance. Also, an increasing amount of electronics companies are releasing new smartphones that support 5G. With many people depending on their smartphones to complete multiple daily tasks, 5G could play a significant role.

5G stands for fifth-generation mobile network. It is intended to be faster, more reliable, higher performing and more efficient than mobile networks in the past. Due to its greater bandwidth, 5G can handle more devices than older networks. 5G is overall more capable than 4G because it offers advanced and improved services.

Despite the hype about 5G, especially since Apple’s release of the new 5G-capable iPhone 12, there are some setbacks. Since 5G runs on a different wavelength than 4G, the coverage isn’t widespread.

 “4G wavelengths have a range of about 10 miles. 5G wavelengths have a range of about 1,000 feet, not even 2% of 4G’s range,” according to Business Insider.

This means that, in theory, there would have to be towers every thousand feet in order for 5G to be accessible for everyone, but even things as simple as trees could interrupt the coverage.

Another setback is that users who wish to use 5G must purchase a device with supportive features for the 5G network. However, it is not guaranteed that users will always receive 5G. When the device is near the 5G towers, users can expect less latency, or lag for a device to respond to a user’s action, but if users are further than 1,000 feet, the device will continue use on 4G LTE.

If 5G didn’t have said setbacks, its capabilities could improve things like virtual learning, and it would most likely be easier for students to complete daily assignments.

If further developments continue to improve 5G in the future, both simple and large tasks in our lives could see some serious improvements.