5G vs. 6G – What’s the Difference? A Simple Guide to Know More about Various Aspects of 5G and 6G Networks

The rollout of the 5G network has begun in 2019, but only a few countries took part in it. As the years go by, more and more countries are getting their 5G infrastructure ready. The widespread use of the 5G network is still in progress, and it might take a few years for most countries to enable the 5G network in their areas.

Also, the release of 5G smartphones is getting more massive in 2021, making it possible for the end users to enjoy the benefits of 5G in their daily use soon.

But, what about 6G? The successor of the next-generation 5G network is being developed right now, soon after the launch of the 5G network. It promises much more features than the 5G network, and it will enable the users to do much more things.

Of course, the release of 6G is still far in the future, but this guide will give you a general picture of how 5G and 6G will differ in various aspects. 

1. Infrastructure

In terms of infrastructure, the previous 4G mobile network infrastructure will become the basis for both 5G and 6G network. However, there are various technical aspects that make the infrastructure of both 5G and 6G differ from the previous iterations.

There will be the need to build new towers and equipment throughout the country to accommodate for the new spectrum and connection technology.

Here are some important points you should know about the 5G and 6G infrastructure:

The 4G infrastructure will become the basis for 5G and 6G, and they will use a more unified platform to handle more requests from the users. It means more speed and lower latency than the 4G network, but the 6G will be much better optimized than the 5G.

Billions of devices will use both 5G and 6G network, which include the devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) category. 6G will serve even more device types and become integrated to the smart city systems.

Both 5G and 6G can handle the different spectrum types to accommodate different device types, but 6G will be faster than 5G in delivering the wireless mobile connection needed by the users.

Note: Both the infrastructure of 5G and 6G will use the previous infrastructure as the technological basis of their network. So, 4G will become the basis for 5G and 5G will become the basis for 6G. Each new iteration will enhance the previous one.

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2. Speed

One obvious difference between the 5G and 6G networks is the speed. The 5G network is already way faster than the 4G network in terms of speed. The speed range for the 4G network is around 100-300 Mbps, whereas the speed range of the 5G network is around 10-30 Gbps. In case if you are wondering what your current internet speed is, you can check using Speedcheck.

Now, how about 6G? The speed range for 6G will be around 100 times faster than the 5G network. The 6G network will be way superior to the 5G network in the data transfer speed to accommodate the need for various types of devices without having to slow down the data traffic.

3. Usage

In terms of usage, the 5G network will provide the enhanced features for the current 4G network, enabling the users to get access to information and data faster than before. For instance, 5G will enable you to stream 4K movie without lagging or buffering because of its Gigabit speed. 4G might only be suitable to stream 1080p movie without buffering, and 5G will enhance your entertainment experience further. 5G is also useful for providing much more reliable data transfer for various communication devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), and more.

In contrast, 6G will provide an even better connection and data transfer speed for the users. It will have better aspects when compared to the 5G, and in terms of daily use, you can rely more on the 6G connection to fulfill every data request you pull from multiple devices you have at home.

For businesses, it will give ways to more technological innovations that enable different devices, tools, and equipment to communicate with each other without delay.

4. Latency

Latency is an important aspect to look for because it shows how fast the network responds to your request. It becomes even more important during online gaming.

Lower latency means better response during your online gameplay, meaning no delay between your button instructions and the in-game actions. Not only for gaming, but latency is also an important aspect for various devices, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), making these devices work as fast as possible after you send the instructions to them.

The average latency for 4G is 30-50 milliseconds, while the average latency for 5G is 21 milliseconds. So, 5G brings quite an upgrade from the 4G network. How about the latency for 6G? The latency for 6G will be lower than 1 millisecond, which is a massive improvement from both 4G and 5G networks.

5. Mainstream Commercial Use

4G has been around since the 2010s, and now in 2021, the era of 5G begins. Since 2019, many countries have built the infrastructure for the 5G network.

In 2021, there are several countries in the world that offer 5G network for commercial use nationwide, such as the United States, South Korea, and China. Most other countries are just starting out to deploy this technology or made it only available in select cities.

However, with the release of 5G-capable devices, more and more countries are building the 5G infrastructures to accommodate the ever-increasing needs of the users. So, in just the next few years, 5G network might become mainstream in most countries around the world.

As for the 6G network, it is still being in the development state. The expected availability for the early 6G network will be around 2030, which will begin after the 5G network becomes mainstream. You can expect the mainstream use of the 6G network to start a few years after that, perhaps around 2035.

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Conclusion

We can expect the 6G network to be better in all aspects than 5G, just like the 5G network being better than 4G. It will offer plenty of new enhancements that enable the users and integrated devices around the world to communicate with each other at the fastest speed with the lowest latency. 

Also, with the wider spectrum, you can enjoy the fastest data transfer without interference or interruption, meaning more stable network connection wherever you are, even when you move your device a lot.