Frequency Bands: 5G operates in various frequency bands, including sub-6 GHz and mmWave (millimeter wave). The sub-6 GHz offers a balance between coverage and capacity, while mmWave provides ultra-high speeds but has limited coverage due to shorter wavelengths.
Speed: Theoretically, 5G can offer peak data rates up to 20 Gbps. In practical scenarios, the expected speeds are around 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps.
Latency: One of 5G's significant improvements is its low latency, aiming for less than 1 ms, which is crucial for applications like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and autonomous vehicles.
Technology Components:
Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output): Enables multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver to improve spectrum efficiency and increase data rates.
Beamforming: Directs the signal to specific users instead of broadcasting it in all directions, enhancing efficiency and coverage.
Network Slicing: Allows the creation of multiple virtual networks on top of a single physical infrastructure, catering to various services' needs.
Use Cases: Apart from enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), 5G supports massive IoT (Internet of Things) deployments and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC).
4G (Fourth Generation)
Frequency Bands: 4G primarily operates in the frequency bands of 700 MHz to 2600 MHz, depending on the region.
Speed: 4G offers peak data rates up to 1 Gbps in its advanced configurations like LTE Advanced. In real-world scenarios, the speeds range from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
Latency: 4G has a latency range of 30 to 50 milliseconds, which is relatively higher than 5G.
Technology Components:
OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing): Enables high-speed data transmission by dividing the radio signal into multiple smaller sub-signals.
MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output): Uses multiple antennas for transmitting and receiving to enhance signal quality and capacity.
Carrier Aggregation: Combines multiple carriers to increase bandwidth and achieve higher data rates.
Use Cases: 4G primarily focuses on providing faster data speeds for mobile broadband applications, including video streaming, online gaming, and web browsing.
3G (Third Generation)
Frequency Bands: 3G operates in the frequency bands around 2100 MHz.
Speed: 3G offers data rates up to 2 Mbps for stationary or walking users and 384 kbps for users in moving vehicles.
Latency: The typical latency for 3G networks is around 100 to 500 milliseconds.
Technology Components:
WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access): A CDMA-based technology that offers higher data rates and capacity than its predecessors.
HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access): An upgrade to 3G that includes HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) for faster downlink speeds and HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) for faster uplink speeds.
Use Cases: 3G was a significant step forward from 2G in terms of data speed and introduced capabilities like video calling, mobile internet access, and multimedia services.
