Mobile network technology is moving at a relentless pace, and it’s being built around not one, but two industry juggernauts: Fourth-generation wireless and fifth-generation wireless. The assimilation of the Internet of Things (IoT) world into both 4G and 5G technologies makes this wireless labyrinth even harder to get around.
Below we will list a few differences between 5G vs 4G mobile networks.
Interoperability
Multiple standards of 4G restrict the user’s mobility and interoperation across different networks. 5G targets providing a unified global standard which will facilitate global mobility and service portability. In other words, end user can subscribe to different services from different service providers using the same mobile device.
Intelligent Networking
4G is based primarily on cell or base station WAN design. 5G aims at building hybrid networks utilizing both the Wireless LAN concept and WAN design. Thus, the world would have base stations everywhere providing ubiquitous network coverage to users at high speed.
For example, a user walking on the road is browsing the Internet using 5G connectivity. The moment he/she enters a mall with Wi-Fi, seamless hand-over from 5G to Wi-Fi would take place without the user’s knowledge.
Network Convergence
Network convergence is the efficient coexistence of multimedia, voice and data communication within a single network. Currently the telecommunication environment is divided into wireless and fixed line communication.
To avail these different kinds of services, the end user require different devices such as cellular phones, fixed line phones, laptops and tablets. Once the fixed mobile convergence is in place in 5G, the distinction between these services will disappear.
The current 4G technology is not able to capture the market share as done by the fixed line services partly because of its low bit rates and high costs associated with these services. But with the emergence of 5G aiming at global integrated IP based network, the wireless sector will be able to match the fixed line sectors in terms of both costs and speed.
5G will lead to convergence in terms of both devices and services.
Lower Power Consumption
Battery technology has not been able to keep pace with the growing telecommunication industry. 3G devices required one battery while 4G required two. Battery drain is a persistent problem of wireless devices. 5G aims at breaking this directly proportional rule. Shorter communication links is one of the few solutions proposed to cater to this requirement.
The Final Word
Along with the high data rates 5G also offers low power consumption in mobile devices and also supports ubiquitous computing wherein the user is connected to many access technologies simultaneously like WiFi or 5G and can therefore move from the range of one access technology to another without loss of Internet access.
The advantages of 5G over 4G mobile network makes 5G the clear choice for future mobile network architecture.
