The 5G network: when will it launch and

what will it mean for consumers?

As mobile users call for faster connectivity and speedier downloads, networks are evolving to
meet the demand

Members of the media at a news conference for Samsung, pioneers in 5G tech. Photograph: Isaac
Brekken/AP

JT Ripton

Tuesday 26 August 2014 08.34 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 26 August 2014 08.50 EDT

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What is 5G?
At this stage, it is just a concept. Networks are focused on increasing coverage and data speeds
but no standards have been agreed upon yet. What we do know is the International
Telecommunication Union allows carriers to call anything 4G so long as it offers a “substantial
level of improvement in performance and capabilities” over 3G. So we can speculate that 5G will
simply be anything significantly better than 4G.

What does that mean for us?

Samsung has already delivered impressive data speeds of 1GB per second using the technology
and it has been suggested mobile users connected to a 5G network could download an entire film
in just one second. If researchers at Cornell University are right, 5G will offer consumers a
“seamless user experience”. The impressive speeds of the technology will put an end to
impatient waits and laggy apps. We have all suffered the frustration of an out of sync video call
or an online video buffer, but experts predict that these niggles will be a thing of the past when
5G launches.

How will it work?

Multiple input multiple output (MiMo) technology is set to be a key part of these efficiency
measures, according to researchers. MiMo uses several small antennae to service individual data
streams. Samsung’s impressive download speeds were delivered using the technology.

5G is also likely to use many more base stations, including macro sites and smaller stations
employing a range of radio technologies, to ensure better coverage. The Australian minister for
communications, Malcolm Turnbull, even suggested that there could soon be a 5G base station
on every home and lamppost. If it works well down under, the measure could be adopted
throughout the world.

How much will the service set us back?

Data prices have been steadily falling, from around 46 cents per megabyte in 2008 to just
between one and three cents today. However, it is unclear whether data rates will stay low once
5G takes hold. In fact, South Korea’s minister of engineering, science, and technology believes
that companies there will spend more than $300bn (£181bn) on 5G technology and
infrastructure. If this estimate is true, then early 5G mobile adopters should not be surprised if
they see a small bump in their bills.

Will we need to shell out for a bank-breaking new phone too?

Yup. Existing smartphones and mobile devices are not equipped to take advantage of 5G
technology. Samsung, LG Uplus and Huwaei are already playing with new 5G technologies.
While these developments are in their infancy, the devices are likely to have much greater
battery lives. 5G will allow mobile users to work faster and perform much more powerful tasks.
If they can download a movie every second, they will need a battery that can keep up. New 5G
phones might also have multiple antennae for fewer dropouts. Current devices can house no
more than two antennae, but there is no telling how many future devices could have. It is unclear
at this point what other features 5G devices may have, but experts suggest that there will be
plenty of connected gadgets in our homes.

How long do we have to wait?

Given the natural life cycle of network development, we would have expected to see 5G arrive
around 2021. However, the mobile-loving South Korea government has invested $1.5bn in
upgrades that should see a trial 5G network rolled out in 2017. The rest of South Korea should be
connected to 5G by 2020. Karl Bode, a tech writer, suggests that 5G will not hit the United
States until 2018 at the earliest, or perhaps not until the 2020 Olympic Games. It is not likely to
be a mainstream service until 2025. It might be a few years away, but the implications of 5G are
enough to get tech-savvy consumers excited.