What Is 5G? How 5G Network Technology Works | T-Mobile (2023)

FAQs

What Is 5G? How 5G Network Technology Works | T-Mobile? ›

5G stands for “fifth generation” of wireless network technology. It works at higher frequencies than its predecessors, resulting in greater bandwidth and faster data transfer.

Ultra Capacity (UC) 5G

Band n41 (2.5 GHz)

T-Mobile previously kept things simple with one name: 5G. That has since changed, and it now has two names for the new wireless technology: Ultra Capacity 5G for its faster midband and millimeter-wave networks, and Extended Range 5G for its low-band network.

5G is a unified, more capable air interface. It has been designed with an extended capacity to enable next-generation user experiences, empower new deployment models and deliver new services. With high speeds, superior reliability and negligible latency, 5G will expand the mobile ecosystem into new realms.

5G is the fifth generation of wireless cellular technology, offering higher upload and download speeds, more consistent connections, and improved capacity than previous networks.

Though 5G is typically the fastest mobile Internet connection, reliability can be a challenge. WiFi offers a faster, more reliable Internet connection when combined with a reliable router and a reliable Internet plan.

In comparison to LTE, 5G provides much faster data transfer speeds, reduced latency, and other network enhancements.

With superior speeds of up to 20 Gbps, you can download a full 8k movie in six seconds, experience tech such as VR, AR, and automated driving, and connect even more devices than ever before. Some uses may require certain plan or feature; see plan for details.

With faster speeds and low latency, a 5G cellular connection also provides broader signal coverage at all times.

Is 5G really necessary? ›

If you need faster speeds, live in an area with 5G coverage and use a phone service provider that runs on T-Mobile or Verizon towers, upgrading to a 5G phone could be worth it for you. Plus, as 5G continues to expand, coverage and download speeds will only improve.

T-Mobile's 5G network is built on a series of cell sites that use radio waves to send and receive data. Your gateway converts the nearest 5G signal into Wi-Fi, allowing you to access the internet wirelessly.

Although 5G mmWave is super fast its wavelengths have short and weak penetration through physical objects such as walls, doors, trees, etc. which means a larger deployment of towers need to provide accurate positioning. Blockages and latency determines the number of towers needed.

For providing a wide range of services, 5G networks can operate in three frequency bands — low, medium, and high. 5G can be implemented in low-band, mid-band or high-band millimeter-wave.

5G doesn't inherently use more data than 4G. It's simply a faster, more advanced network delivering the same content. But because 5G is so much quicker, you might find you're using it more and for data-intensive activities like streaming, video calling, and online gaming.

Mid-band spectrum provides the balance of coverage and capacity that enables a seamless and meaningful 5G experience. T-Mobile will continue building out 5G in millimeter wave (mmWave), where it makes sense, like dense urban areas. Millimeter wave delivers massive capacity, but only over a very small footprint.

When it comes to download speeds, T-Mobile beats out AT&T on both 4G LTE and 5G networks. If you've got a 4G phone and you're using T-Mobile, you'll be hitting much faster average speeds than with AT&T. Even more impressively, T-Mobile also delivers 5G speeds that are over twice as fast on average compared to AT&T.

T-Mobile is the leader in 5G, delivering the country's largest, fastest 5G network. The Un-carrier's Extended Range 5G covers 323 million people across 1.9 million square miles – more than AT&T and Verizon combined.

n78 is another NR band, covering the frequency range 3.3GHz – 3.8GHz, a subset of the n77 frequency range. The part of the n77 band that is not coincident with n78 (ie 3.8 - 4.2 GHz) is typically known as n77 upper band or just upper n77.