How Gigabit LTE is Different from 5G

Gigabit LTE: 4G Solutions for High-Speed Cellular Broadband

5G is getting a lot of attention because it has become a bargaining chip for consumers. Gigabit LTE, the 4G technology that introduced uninterrupted streaming video on smartphones, has remained largely unknown. It is an evolution of 4G LTE that provides reliable mobile broadband access at speeds that exceed wired broadband.

Coverage is expanding rapidly as carriers roll out 5G at breakneck speed. However, Gigabit LTE is still available worldwide. 5G is the latest technology with a new radio waveform and new modems. Therefore, for a period of time, the price of 5G will be higher than that of 4G products.

Due to all the new features in the device, the cost of the new 5G chipset will include a price premium. On the other hand, prices will drop as 4G equipment achieves economies of scale through mass deployment.

  

Gigabit LTE and 4G LTE

With the emergence of the fourth generation mobile communication standard (4G), people pay more attention to data transmission. Previous generations of cellular standards (2G and 3G) centered on voice and text capabilities, catering to pre-smartphone consumers.

For smartphones and mobile broadband communications, the LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard was approved in 2011 (3GPP Release 10). It offers a peak download data rate of 1 Gbps.

LTE-Advanced Pro (LTE-A Pro) enhances the Gigabit LTE function. 3GPP approved this standard around 2015 with Release (Rel) 13. LTE-A Pro takes 4G a step further. It offers peak download speeds in the 3 Gbps range, depending on the network's high carrier aggregation availability (LTE-A Pro allows up to 32 20-MHz carriers).

 

Gigabit LTE and 5G

While Gigabit LTE and 5G are similar, there are key details that set them apart. 5G adds new frequency bands to available frequencies in the sub-6 GHz range and ultra-high millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum (up to 40 GHz). 4G is mostly deployed on lower frequencies (up to 2.5 GHz), with the exception of a few 3.5 GHz bands (also known as mid-band).

Furthermore, the maximum bandwidth of the 4G spectrum is limited to 20 MHz. This means that each 4G carrier is limited to a capacity of 20 MHz. 5G, on the other hand, defines new frequency bands that are 100 MHz wide. We can imagine how several operators can achieve high speed in the 5G network.

Since the broadband-rich mmWave cells cover a small area, they must be densely concentrated to achieve the target user experience level. The 5G experience is very different from gigabit LTE and requires building new infrastructure, which will take time.

Another difference is that 5G networks can work in two modes: standalone (SA) or non-standalone (NSA). SA said the system works with all 5G radios and core networks. NSA uses LTE and 5G resources combined in different patterns.

With the release of 3GPP Rel 16 in 2020, 5G becomes a reliable alternative to wired networks used in critical industrial processes. These processes are dominated by various time-sensitive networks (TSNs) based on wireline and fiber optics. Rel 16's Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) feature specifies link reliability better than 99.9999%, with latencies in the millisecond range.