What is 5G WiFi Broadband? Everything You Need to Know
5G WiFi – AKA 5G WiFi broadband – is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and it has the potential to replace your wired home broadband. Here’s what you need to know…
TL;DR: 5G WiFi Broadband Key Takeaways
- 5G WiFi Broadband: This is the latest generation of wireless technology, offering faster speeds for all online activities. It operates similarly to 5G on smartphones and can be used for home broadband connections. It can potentially replace wired home broadband due to its speed and efficiency.
- Speeds: 5G can offer speeds of 130-240Mbps, significantly faster than the 20-30Mbps provided by 4G. This makes activities like streaming and downloading much quicker.
- 5G WiFi Routers: These routers can provide both wired and wireless broadband to devices in the home. They work in areas with 5G network coverage and require a 5G-enabled SIM card. The router should be placed in a location with a strong 5G signal for optimal performance.
- Installation: Setting up a 5G router requires a 5G SIM card and a broadband plan. The router should be placed near a power source and away from other electronic devices and large furniture for the best signal distribution.
- Differences from Normal Broadband: 5G broadband is generally faster than traditional broadband and doesn’t require a wired connection. It’s also more mobile and can work with existing, non-5G devices.
Since 2021, we’ve tested multiple 5G Broadband services from all of the UK’s main networks. As of right now, so, mid-way through 2023, Three’s 5G Broadband was the best for overall performance, speed, and value for money — packages start from as little as £20 per month.
If you are shopping for a home internet solution, you might have heard about 5G broadband WiFi, which is faster and efficient.
5G broadband operates similar to how 5G works in smartphones; it means fifth-generation technology for mobile networks, which follow its predecessors such as 4G, 3G, and 2G.
Although 4G is attributed to the faster browsing and richer media, 5G can and already is speeding things up massively – it has speeds that make current WiFi look like dial-up internet.
So what is 5G WiFi? Read on to learn more about 5G WiFi broadband and how it can make your browsing easier.
You can also read about the best 5G broadband routers currently available if you’re already ready to make the switch…
What is 5G WiFi / Broadband?
5G is the latest generation of wireless technology, which steps up from the 4G and offers faster speeds for every activity conducted online.
Previously the 4G could provide about 20-30Mbps (Megabits per second), but 5G shoots about 130-240Mbps, and there might be potential for faster speeds in the future.
However, 5G technology applies to mobile phones without necessarily being connected to optical fiber cables; they can be used for broadband connections at home.
Most of the previous home broadband was connected using a fiber cable or copper wireline using a router that connected the phone and other electronic devices to the broadband line.
However, mobile broadband such as 5G works differently as they require a mobile connection using a SIM card mounted on a mobile phone. Therefore the 5G broadband WiFi is a combination of mobile broadband and the latest 5G technology.
How Do 5G WiFi Routers Work?
The 5G broadband can still work using a router that supplies both the wireless and wired broadband to other devices in the home.
The devices do not need to be 5G enabled to connect to this fast internet, and the existing home devices will still work even when you choose to upgrade to 5G broadband WiFi.
You will have to get a 5G-enabled SIM card fitted into a mobile device and plugged into a source of power.
Moreover, the router works only in areas with the 5G network coverage, and while 5G is now rolling out in the UK and the US, as well as other parts of the world, it is not yet available everywhere.
You can check if you can get 5G in your area using this tool.
Installation and Setting up Your 5G Router
Before installing the 5G broadband home WiFi, you will need a 5G router, a 5G SIM that could be pre-installed with the router, a broadband plan for your mobile network, etc. should live in an area with 5G coverage.
Setting up the broadband requires placing it near a source of power where you can easily plug in an electric outlet and main internet socket.
You will want to place the 5G router away from other home electronic devices, large furniture, and thick walls as you will want to have the WiFi signal well distributed in the home.
Moreover, it is wise to test different positions for the strength of the 5G network, and it would be better to position it so that it receives the strongest 5G signal.
5G does not easily penetrate obstacles like the 4G, and it will be prudent to find an optimum position. Some people place it in the upstairs rooms where there is little interference, better elevation, and a better chance of receiving the 5G signals.
If you acquire the router from a company such as Verizon, it has its own service called FIOS, its technicians can help install the router effectively.
FIOS is not 5G, however, instead, it uses ultra-fast fibreoptic cables to deliver up to 1GB internet speeds.
In this UK, you have options from EE, Vodafone, and Three 5G Home Broadband, which offers broadband packages of 100Mbps and has rights to more of the 5G spectrum.
How Is 5G Broadband Different From Normal Broadband?
Home WiFi broadband speeds differ based on the internet providers, package, and location; however, 5G WiFi speeds will be faster than the other, traditional forms of broadband. Essentially your 5G connection will be faster than existing home internet connections
Apart from the speeds, the devices are smaller and take little space in your home, unlike their predecessors.
5G uses a higher frequency, leading to a faster connection, and the device uses a wireless connection, which means you might not need copper wires and optic fibres connected to the home.
Moreover, it functions on a hand-held device that is highly mobile within an area covered by the 5G network. Smaller boxes that generate different frequencies and real-time speeds are adequate for effective home WiFi speeds.
However, companies such as Virgin Media provide the highest fixed cable internet speeds, which might be faster than the current 5G internet connection.
PROS of using 5G WiFi
- Installation is easy, and you will not need an engineer to visit as you won’t need installation of fiber cables and copper wires
- You will not need a landline
- The providers do not need to dig roads to connect cables between houses
- It uses a wireless connection and can work with pre-existing devices that are not 5G enabled.
- You will not stop the broadband deals when you move from one house to another as it is completely portable
- Eventually, it might become cheaper than fixed-line broadband
CONS of using 5G WiFi
- It is not yet widely distributed, but it will soon be distributed to different parts of the world with innovative initiatives.
- It relies only on strong 5G signals, unlike its predecessors, which worked fine without strong signals
- In some cases, the fixed fiber broadcast might be faster, as some companies offer the best 4G speeds
- There is little competition which means consumers might have to pay higher prices to access the 5G home WiFi.
The Bottom Line
5G broadband home WiFi is an internet connection that works through a wireless connection to the 5G networks. It has faster speeds than its predecessors and is easily portable as it does not require fiber and copper wire connections.
They make work more accessible, as it makes performing tasks over the internet quicker – everything from loading files to streaming 4K content is faster.
Although most of the places in the world still have not accessed the 5G network, there might be improved home WiFi speeds in the future due to the 5G broadband.
In the UK? Check out the best 5G broadband routers you can currently get here, including details of how much they cost per month to run per month.
Right now, Three has the best data deals for 5G broadband in the UK – it does truly unlimited 5G data plans for the same price as its peers’ capped services.
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