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Beware of the Drawbacks of 5G Technology – Facts to Consider

IT Biz Today Staff
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5G is all the hype lately. It offers impeccable speed, reliability, stable bandwidth, and much more. However, do you think there are certain limitations and setbacks when it comes to the application of 5G despite the benefits? Some people believe the introduction of 5G technology will be revolutionary. Meanwhile, others think that without proper management and addressing 5G limitations, the technology will not be as effective as experts claim. Read on to get an idea of the possible limitations/drawbacks of 5G.

Intermittent Coverage

The frequency of the 5G network isn’t the only element of the technology that makes it fast. Beamforming, throughput, and MIMO are some of the components that form a perfect frequency combination to deliver high speed. This new technology prevails in the latest masts. Therefore, these masts must be present extensively over multiple regions to offer greater coverage. However, the task itself is complicated and highly time-consuming (and expensive). This means that the initial or introductory phase will be subject to spotty and slightly flawed coverage.

5G Compatibility Issues

Compatibility issues are on the top of the drawback list. Recently, smartphone manufacturers are opting to design and produce 5G compatible phones and devices. However, these latest smartphone models are really expensive. Hence, accessibility will remain limited as many people cannot afford these expensive smartphones. This implies that only those who can afford to invest in 5G compatible devices can enjoy the lightning-fast internet speed.

Exorbitant Subscriptions

Variable price plans do not include 5G subscriptions. These subscriptions are expensive for a simple reason. The reason is that when you are surfing at lightning-fast speed, you will be consuming more data. This incurs increasing costs, which will contribute to higher subscriptions costs. In the end, for an individual with a variable price plan, these high subscription costs will be unaffordable.

Variable Access and Speed

Speed and bands vary in 5G. There will be high, mid, and low bands of 5G, which will offer variable speed, reliability, coverage, and connectivity. For instance, low-band 5G will reach further due to radio waves but compromise on the speed. On the other hand, high-band 5G will be incredible in terms of speed due to shorter wavelength frequency but will compromise on its reach. Hence, masts, towers, and an incredible amount of effort will ensure flawless coverage and consistent connectivity.

Speed for Battery Capacity

Since you are considering a high-band 5G for faster browsing, surfing, and other internet activities, you should acknowledge that the 5G network will be battery-hungry. So, it’s a question between creating bulky batteries to last longer and letting the users charge their phones more frequently.

Conclusion

It is worth mentioning that the high speed is significantly possible due to the shorter wavelength. This presents a bottleneck in usability and stops the users from leveraging the 5G technology. The high-band technology is ineffective in passing through solid materials such as metal and concrete primarily due to the short wavelengths. Therefore, 5G will be available to a limited group.

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