Is it worth paying extra to get a 5G cellular network?
- Thread starter Artinus
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
LarsMac
Well-known member
If you have a good 4G system, it will suffice for a few years.
If you're in the market for a new cellular system, you want a 4G/5G capable one.
I replaced my 3G/LTE phone with a Google Fi Pixel 6 which is 5G capable.
The cost was irrelevant, since 3G was being phased out, and LTE is kind of a kluge. But, it was a decent price.
Where 5G is unavailable, the 4G and LTE work well.
If you're in the market for a new cell system, I don't think it makes sense to buy one that does not support 5G.
And here is some good info on the subject:
Tom's Hardware Guide 4G vs 5G
If you're in the market for a new cellular system, you want a 4G/5G capable one.
I replaced my 3G/LTE phone with a Google Fi Pixel 6 which is 5G capable.
The cost was irrelevant, since 3G was being phased out, and LTE is kind of a kluge. But, it was a decent price.
Where 5G is unavailable, the 4G and LTE work well.
If you're in the market for a new cell system, I don't think it makes sense to buy one that does not support 5G.
And here is some good info on the subject:
Tom's Hardware Guide 4G vs 5G
DutchmenSport
Well-known member
I don't understand differences between 4G and 5G or Kenny G. (Well, I do know the difference with Kenny G) 
All I know is, we did the upgrade for our Visible phone and we've never noticed anything different. But, the fact we don't have any issues with it now, maybe that's what it's really all about. It works well, so you never have issues.
I've learned (and I'm almost 68 years old now) over my lifetime, that if you want to stay connected, you have to constantly go with the advancements of technology. Otherwise, we'd all still be marking on cave walls to communicate.
All I know is, we did the upgrade for our Visible phone and we've never noticed anything different. But, the fact we don't have any issues with it now, maybe that's what it's really all about. It works well, so you never have issues.
I've learned (and I'm almost 68 years old now) over my lifetime, that if you want to stay connected, you have to constantly go with the advancements of technology. Otherwise, we'd all still be marking on cave walls to communicate.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The short answer is "depends on where you go".
5G cellular has a variety of benefits but most of them apply to metro areas where there are many, many devices and buildings in the way. There are some benefits to rural users in the design, but they mostly haven't been implemented yet. And many rural areas don't even have 5G service yet, or only implement a few of the 5g features. For example, there is little value in supporting 10,000 devices per cell when the entire cell region has maybe 500-1000 users at any given moment. 5G does enable usage of some lower frequencies that would improve signal range, but those radio frequencies aren't available everywhere.
If you are getting a new phone anyway, I would certainly want 5G capability for the future, but I might not change phones solely to get 5G. Or pay a carrier extra to use 5G. I live in a metro area and all the carriers offer 5G (some at no extra charge), so it was a no-brainer for me.
5G cellular has a variety of benefits but most of them apply to metro areas where there are many, many devices and buildings in the way. There are some benefits to rural users in the design, but they mostly haven't been implemented yet. And many rural areas don't even have 5G service yet, or only implement a few of the 5g features. For example, there is little value in supporting 10,000 devices per cell when the entire cell region has maybe 500-1000 users at any given moment. 5G does enable usage of some lower frequencies that would improve signal range, but those radio frequencies aren't available everywhere.
If you are getting a new phone anyway, I would certainly want 5G capability for the future, but I might not change phones solely to get 5G. Or pay a carrier extra to use 5G. I live in a metro area and all the carriers offer 5G (some at no extra charge), so it was a no-brainer for me.
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Ray-IN
Well-known member
Virtually all new phone today are 5G capable. To actually use 5G, as Gary said you must be in a metro-area as true 5G signal only has a maximum range of 500 meters/1/3 mile. Which is why LTE will not be phased out in the forseeable future.
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Steven L
Well-known member
What he said. One example of this would be in my "Twin Cities" 5G works swimmingly in and near DT Minneapolis & pretty good in DT St. Paul.
But you can move to some of the surrounding suburb cities, or even as little as 5 miles outside of the downtown areas of each, and find negligible to zero 5G service.
