Well, everything you see in the headlines is not always the reality, and 5G, as a supposedly revolutionary new technology, is one example of that.
5G was sold as the next big thing, and like the new AR/VR technology, it never lived up to the hype.
On the other hand, home 5G internet service made significant strides because it didn’t require devices like mobile phones, tablets, and laptops to be equipped with 5G modems, yet still delivered similar speeds.
However, a mobile 5G technology that was deemed to unlock new realities like autonomous cars, virtual reality, and more, never did that.
What exactly went wrong with the technology? Let us walk you through exactly that.
First Things First, Let’s Understand 5G Technology
If I go by the book, 5G is the 5th generation of mobile internet technology. If I dive a little deeper into the technology, it uses radio waves to transmit the internet across wider areas through cellular towers. To make the most of its powers, it uses mmWaves to transmit signals over a smaller area but really powerful ones.
By powerful, I mean users can receive speeds in gigabits, whereas a radio signal-based 5G network will have speeds in 100s of Mbps, which was already possible with a 4G network. So, that makes the 5G essentially with the mmWaves and that alone.
This is the exact point where it went all wrong because people never understood the technology, and that is exactly why I have tried explaining the technology first.
Problems with mmWaves
Now, mmWaves were a blessing curse in disguise for 5G internet – let me explain.
5G internet was fast because of the mmWaves, and when those mmWaves were practically used, they were not great. The first problem was their range. Since the wavelength of these waves is small, they can’t be distributed across wider regions. And on top of that, if they literally hit the wall, they hit the wall – they cannot be transmitted into different rooms in your home, even if the 5G cellular tower is right next to your property.
In simple words, you have to stand right below the tower to experience the full throttle of the 5G network. That’s when it started to get south.
Things That Should Not Have Happened with 5G Technology
Overhyping
The first thing that killed 5G internet was its hype. The media never understood the technology, and big news websites hyped it to the extent that it could never live up to.
People claimed it to be a revolution in the space of internet technology, and though it could have been, it never did. And what happened at the end consumer level was they boarded the hype train and came back disappointed.
The first thing that made the hype die was the hype itself.
Excessive Marketing
Now, this is where things were spiced up. With the hype came new technology like the Metaverse that would technically utilize the new 5G technology to unlock a virtual universe (or Metaverse).
But the problem is that it never turned out to be sustainable enough to hit the masses. Only a handful of people with high-speed internet were able to see that universe.
I saw headlines that were purely clickbait because I write and I know what clickbait is. They were just fooling people, and in reality, nothing was achieved.
Getting Greedy with Early Mover Advantage
Now, when the 5G network was invented, the first-world nations were in a hurry to get things up and running. Well, they got it up and running, but what should have been a success never was.
Billions of dollars were poured into it just to be the first one in this space. I felt Déjà Vu because of all the stories I heard about the Cold War. It was a mini–Cold War that resulted in nothing.
The problem was with the underlying technology, which wasn’t sustainable.
Shortcomings of 5G
Last but not least, 5G itself was the reason it failed. This might be confusing, but let me elaborate.
I live in Delaware, and whenever I hit the highway, my 4G signals drop at some points across the highway, making 5G signals seem unrealistic. The 4G network is weak, and instead of enhancing the already-existing infrastructure, companies poured billions into new technology, which was 5G. And they are doing the same with 6G.
My point is that the already-existing infrastructure should be improved first before investing money into something that would help just a couple of people, not the masses.
So, these are the things that should have never happened with 5G. I might have missed some points, but you are always welcome to drop them in the comments.