5G home broadband: What is it and how does it work?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile technology. It was first rolled out in the UK in 2019. That’s 16 years after 3G, which first transformed regular mobile phones into smartphones – and eight years after the fourth-generation technology, 4G, which brought even faster browsing speeds.

Now that 5G is here, it’s changing the mobile technology landscape in three distinct ways:

• Improving speed: it’s typically 10 times faster than its predecessor

• Reducing latency: it’s reduced the lag when communicating with networks

• Boosting capacity: it’s supporting millions upon millions of internet-connected device

  It’s the third change, capacity, that’s the big one here. Not only does 5G need to support the ever-growing number of devices currently in use, but it will also have to support future devices that don’t even exist yet. When mobile-enabled self-driving cars, delivery drones, and a whole network of interconnected devices become commonplace, it’s 5G that’s going to get them online and keep them there.

  It’s estimated that there could be demand for 3.4 billion 5G mobile connections by 2026, so 5G technology will have a major responsibility to bear.

This growing need for capacity is exactly the reason why 5G was introduced. 4G is already showing signs of struggling. You might notice this in crowded places, such as busy train platforms at rush hour or large-scale events like concerts or football matches. Mobile speeds can drop considerably because the network simply can’t serve everyone all at once. That’s the challenge 5G has been designed to resolve.

Ofcom estimates that 5G could support one million devices per square kilometre. To put this in perspective, 4G technology can support less than half that amount: around 400,000 devices. 5G means that more people will be able to enjoy ultrafast internet speeds on mobile devices. That’s critical at a time when the number of connected devices is growing at such a substantial rate.

5G works in much the same way as 4G. It even works on the same airwaves. The difference is in the radio frequencies that are utilised. While 4G works on frequencies of 700-2500 MHz, 5G works on a much higher 28 GHz frequency. This means it can transmit more data in less time, resulting in a much faster and more reliable internet connection than 4G can provide.

The only ‘downside’ to this higher frequency is that the 5G mobile signal cannot travel as far as the 4G signal currently does. That’s why new 5G masts have been popping up around the country. The more antennas, the greater the reach of 5G, and the more people can benefit from this 5th-generation technology.

If your connection is delivered through the existing copper cable network, fibre-optic cables, or Virgin Media’s coaxial cables, these are all wired connections that aren’t powered by mobile technologies.

However, some people do use wireless internet services delivered through mobile networks. They may use a wireless modem, or use their smartphone as a hotspot and connect their computers and tablets to their phone’s signal.

This is usually done when a wired broadband connection is unavailable. But with the widespread rollout of 5G, which is both faster and more reliable than the 4G network, there’s increased interest in using wireless connections as an alternative to wired home broadband rather than as a last resort.

Satellite broadband works much like satellite TV – the signal is sent from satellites in space to a satellite dish connected to your router. This enables the router to wirelessly connect your devices.

5G works on a similar principle, but it’s not quite the same thing. The 5G signal comes from the UK’s ever-growing 5G infrastructure, rather than from space. However, these two non-traditional forms of broadband have the same goal: to connect more people, and more devices, to the internet.

There are many benefits to 5G broadband at home, including:

While 4G can deliver speeds of up to 50Mbps, making it 20 times faster than 3G, the 5th generation technology is even speedier. Currently, 5G speeds vary between 130Mbps and 240Mbps . And these speeds may be even faster in the future as technology continues to evolve.

However, it’s important to remember that there are never any guarantees. 5G speeds are generally fast, but they can vary considerably due to several different factors. Speed can be affected by:

• Your location

• Your proximity to a 5G mast

• The number of devices accessing data from the same mast

• The type of online activities each connected device is carrying out

Many people are wondering whether 5G home broadband will deliver faster speeds than their existing wired broadband. And that’s a difficult question to answer. It will largely depend on the speeds that you’re already seeing at home, and how close you are to a 5G mast.

In most cases, a coaxial or fibre connection is likely to bring more reliably fast speeds, while 5G may bring bursts of faster speeds. For reliability reasons, you may prefer to keep your coaxial or fibre connection, or upgrade to this type of broadband if it’s available in your area and suits your household usage. However, 5G home broadband could prove to be a powerful solution for those who do not have access to a fibre-to-the-cabinet or fibre-to-the-premises connection.

It is unlikely that 5G will replace WiFi, as that’s not what it’s intended to achieve. WiFi has a number of benefits. It’s inexpensive to deploy, easy to maintain, and simple to scale. It already supports a huge number of connected devices, from computers and tablets to smartphones, TVs and more. And many homes and businesses will likely continue to use WiFi well into the future.

While 5G technology can be used for home broadband, that’s just a small part of what it does overall. This 5th generation technology will primarily be used for mobile connections, since it has a longer range than WiFi, and for large-scale operations such as smart cities.

Getting 5G broadband into your home is easy. There are just three things you’ll need:

• A 5G-enabled router which will work with a 5G SIM card

• A 5G SIM from a mobile provider, if a SIM is not pre-installed in the router

• A 5G broadband plan from your chosen mobile provider

However, there is one more critical thing you’ll need: to live in an area served by 5G

Ofcom estimates that 5G is available to 42-57% of UK premises. In comparison, 4G is available to 99%. You can use our 5G coverage checker tool to find out if you live in a 5G area.

If your household is one of the many that don’t currently have access to 5G, there are some alternatives that are worth considering.

Getting 5G broadband into your home is easy. There are just three things you’ll need:

• A 5G-enabled router which will work with a 5G SIM card

• A 5G SIM from a mobile provider, if a SIM is not pre-installed in the router

• A 5G broadband plan from your chosen mobile provider

However, there is one more critical thing you’ll need: to live in an area served by 5G

If you don’t live in a 5G area and are keen to try out the benefits of 5G broadband, don’t worry. While you may not be able to access a 5G signal, you can still enjoy a similar experience using other technologies.

If it’s the mobile aspect of 5G home broadband you’re interested in, consider trying 3G or 4G instead. All you’ll need is a wireless router or a dongle that plugs directly into your computer, along with a SIM card and a mobile broadband plan from your chosen provider. While speeds may not be quite as nippy as they are with 5G, this is a great way to experience mobile broadband and decide whether or not 5G home broadband could be right for you in the future.

If you’re eligible for fibre broadband in your area, you may find that Gigabit fibre broadband is a more suitable alternative to 5G, as it’s an ultrafast broadband which delivers download speeds of up to 1,130Mbps and is a good option for those in busier households, as 5G broadband may not be the best choice for smart homes or multiple devices.

Use our postcode checker to find out if you’re eligible for fibre broadband in your area.