Julian Chokkattu/Digital TrendsMobile infrastructure experts Ericsson predicts that in 2023 20-percent of the global population will have access to a super-fast, next generation 5G phone connection. Although that doesn’t sound like much, it’s around a billion people, and the United States is primed to be at the forefront, due to 5G tests already taking place. However, despite this, 4G LTE will remain the most likely connection you’ll see on your phone, even in six years time.
What will push 5G development during this time? Ericsson says mobile video will be one of the primary uses for faster 5G connections, but interestingly adds that virtual reality and augmented reality technology will push networks and infrastructure firms like Ericsson and Nokia to get 5G connections up and running quickly. It expects VR and AR to shift away from gaming and entertainment use, to become helpful and widely used by more people. Fast, reliable, low latency data connections will be imperative.
Ericsson echoes predictions about 5G we’ve heard already. It expects the very first 5G signals to go live in 2019, with a larger, more extensive launch in 2020. Along with the United States, South Korea, Japan, and China will also be among the first to provide commercial 5G networks. In September, Qualcomm said it expected the first 5G-ready smartphones to be available in 2019, a year earlier than the company had previously expected.
Where will you need to live to get a strong 5G connection after 2020? Ericsson says, “dense urban areas,” will be the first to enjoy 5G speeds, which means major cities to you and me. Among the networks working on 5G tests now is Verizon, and it has even more ambitious plans. It intends to test the first 5G connections in 11 different U.S. cities in 2018. T-Mobile, hot from its win to use the 600MHz spectrum, said it intends to have a nationwide, working 5G network by 2020.
How will the 20-percent 5G coverage compare to 4G LTE’s coverage in 2023? According to Ericsson, 4G LTE will be available to 85-percent of the global population at that time, reaching about 5.5 billion people. That’s a big difference, and likely gives us an indication of just how often we’ll see 5G speeds on our phones at that time, even in large cities.
This tiny dongle will change 5G connectivity forever
TCL is having a busy start to 2024. First, it announced a staggering number of new smartphones and two new tablets at CES, and now it’s unveiling something else at MWC 2024 — one of the world’s first 5G dongles that takes advantage of the latest power-efficient 5G standards.
TCL Mobile’s Linkkey IK511 is a pocketable new 5G adapter that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF system, which debuted last year as the first 5G modem to support the new NR-Light “RedCap” standard.
5G for everyone, everything, everywhere
TCL Linkkey IK511 TCL
T-Mobile’s rivals may be nipping at its heels in the 5G race, but the Uncarrier is determined to stay ahead of the game. It not only boasts the fastest and most expansive 5G network in the U.S., but it’s actively working on technologies that will help it reach even greater peak speeds.
Two years ago, T-Mobile used a relatively new technique known as 5G Carrier Aggregation (5G CA) to achieve the kind of 3Gbps download speeds on midband frequencies that had previously been the exclusive domain of extremely high (and extremely short-range) mmWave technologies. Now, it’s chalked up another 5G first by taking advantage of the latest developments to shatter the traditional cap on upload speeds over sub-6GHz frequencies.
T-Mobile's newest 5G record
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.
Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.
