In the world of telecommunication, new advancements and technologies are developed on a regular basis. While we’re all well acquainted with 3G and 4G LTE, there has been a lot of buzz recently about something called 5G. While telecom giants Jio and Airtel have both announced their plans to launch 5G services in the near future, what exactly is 5G? And why is it so important? If you’ve been left scratching your head after reading about Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G or similar articles, you’ll find everything you need to know about the next generation of mobile networks below. Let’s dive into the details…
What is 5G?
We’ll start by understanding what 5G actually is. 5G stands for ‘fifth-generation cellular network’, and it represents the next generation of mobile networks. 5G will come after the current 4G LTE mobile networks, and it promises many improvements in terms of speed, connectivity and more. Given the amount of buzz around 5G, it’s important to understand what it means for you, and how it will change your experience of using the internet.
What does 5G mean for you?
Let’s start with the basics: what will change when you’re on a 5G network? Simply put, you’ll experience a different kind of internet. 5G is expected to offer significantly increased data speeds, improved network capacity, and lower latency. You’ll be able to perform downloads and uploads much faster, and you’ll also be able to stream uninterrupted video content. More importantly, 5G will offer superior coverage in areas where 4G LTE isn’t available. Due to better network efficiency, 5G networks will also be able to provide more capacity for more users.
A brief history of cellular technology
Let’s take a look at the history of cellular technology, and how we reached the current 4G LTE stage. Digital cellular networks have been around since the early 1980s. Since then, they’ve been constantly evolving, with the biggest change coming in the form of the jump from 2G to 3G networks. Back in the day, 2G was the standard, while 3G networks offered improved data speeds. The jump to 4G LTE networks was the next jump in cellular technology, and LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution. LTE networks offered higher data speeds, lower latency rates, and more efficient data transfer capacity. However, as internet and mobile device usage has increased, these networks have become unable to cope with the rising demand for data – and that’s where 5G comes in.
Jio 5G vs Airtel 5G: When will it launch?
Airtel and Jio have both announced their plans to launch 5G services in the near future. While the former has declared that it will launch its 5G network by 2020, Jio has given itself a much tighter deadline. According to reports, Jio plans to launch its 5G network in the second half of 2019. Both telecom giants have made significant investments in setting up the required infrastructure to support 5G networks, and both have also acquired 5G spectrum in recent auctions held by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. However, while these announcements may have led you to believe that Jio and Airtel’s 5G services will be available to the public in a few months, you can’t really expect 5G to launch immediately. Given how new the technology is, there will be a significant amount of testing and refining required, so it’s unlikely that 5G will be available before 2020.
How does Jio’s 5G differ from Airtel’s?
While Jio and Airtel have both announced that they plan to launch 5G services soon, each network will have its own particularities. Jio will use spectrum in the 2300-3000 MHz range for its 5G network, while Airtel will use the 2500-2690 MHz spectrum. It’s worth noting that spectrum bands are different for each network, so you can’t just expect to be able to use a SIM card from one network on another network. In fact, you won’t even be able to make use of the same network on both networks. While Airtel’s 5G network will be targeted at the corporate sector, Jio’s 5G network will be available to all consumers. Airtel’s 5G network will be expected to offer faster data speeds and lower latency rates than Jio’s 5G network, given the lower frequency of Jio’s 5G network.
More key differences between Jio and Airtel’s upcoming services
In addition to the differences mentioned above, there are also a few other key differences between Jio and Airtel’s upcoming 5G services. First off, while Airtel has yet to confirm its pricing, Jio has announced that it will charge Rs 4,000 as an initial one-time fee for its 5G service. While this is a significant amount, it is still lesser than what telecom experts had predicted. More importantly, while Airtel’s 5G service will only be available in the country’s top seven cities, Jio’s 5G service will be accessible in the top 500 cities in the country. Airtel’s 5G network will be expected to offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), while Jio’s 5G network is expected to offer speeds of up to 8 Gbps.
Final Thoughts
The telecom industry has changed a lot over the past few years, and it continues to evolve as new technologies are developed. 5G is the latest technology being used to develop new networks and improve existing ones, and it promises significantly faster data speeds and lower latency. Airtel and Jio and also VI has already launched 5G services in main city’s of India.