5G Home Internet: Pros and Cons You Need To Know
Having a fast, reliable internet connection at home is more important than ever before. Especially with work-from-home professionals connecting to colleagues all around the world, students doing online research and nearly half of all households using a vast range of smart home devices. Not to mention all of the daily activity we do online like streaming television, gaming, social media and more.
It’s no wonder why your choice of connectivity types runs the gamut from traditional cable to fiber optic internet and now, 5G home internet.
5G home internet is a relatively new type of internet service that gets you Wi-Fi access over a fixed wireless connection drawing from 5G wireless networks. Although 5G coverage is mostly limited to major cities and urban areas (for now at least), 5G internet is growing in popularity. But newer isn’t always better, as we will discuss in this article.
How 5G Home Internet Is Different From Fiber or Cable Internet
Most ISPs deliver internet service via phone lines or cables that connect your home to a more extensive network. That includes common internet connection types, like digital subscriber line, coaxial cable and fiber optic internet. These are all wired connections that link your provider to your home.
5G home internet, on the other hand, is a type of fixed wireless internet service, which means the connection between your provider and your home is not a wired one. With 5G, your provider will need to install an indoor or outdoor 5G receiver at your house to pick up the signal.
Pros of 5G Home Internet
Here are some of the advantages of 5G home internet:
- Faster speeds than previous wireless technologies.
- Lower latency than 4G, which means less delay in transmitting data.
- Improved connectivity between multiple devices simultaneously.
- Enhanced mobile internet experience, including faster speeds, smooth streaming and lag-free gaming.
Cons of 5G Home Internet
Here are some of the downsides of 5G home internet:
- Limited coverage since 5G networks aren’t available in all areas, and can be spotty in some locations.
- Expensive infrastructure in new cell towers and equipment.
- Signal interference from trees, buildings and other obstacles.
- Security concerns over the potential for cyberattacks and data breaches.
5G vs. Fiber Optics for Home Internet
5G internet and fiber optic internet are both high-speed internet options, but they use different technologies and have different strengths and weaknesses.
5G internet is a wireless technology that uses radio waves to transmit data between devices and cell towers. It offers faster speed and lower latency than previous generations of wireless technology, and it has the potential to revolutionize the way we use the internet. With 5G, you can download large files, stream high-definition video and play online games with minimal lag. It also has the advantage of being mobile, so you can access the internet on the go. However, 5G coverage is still limited in many areas, and the signal can be disrupted by obstacles like buildings and trees.
Fiber optic internet, on the other hand, uses fiber optic wires to transmit data. This wiring uses light to transmit data, which allows for much faster speeds than traditional copper cables. Fiber optic internet can offer speeds as high as 25 Gigs per second, which is much faster than most 5G networks. Fiber optic internet also tends to be more reliable than wireless internet because the wiring is not affected by weather or other environmental factors. However, fiber optic internet requires the physical infrastructure of a network, which means it may not be available in all areas, and it can be more expensive to install and maintain.
So, 5G internet is a wireless technology that offers fast speeds and mobile connectivity, while fiber optic internet offers faster speeds and greater reliability, but requires physical infrastructure.
Why Fiber Optic Internet Is a Better Option for Home Internet
While both provide the home internet connection we all need these days, there are certain advantages to a fiber optic connection that make it, well, better.
As far as speed and bandwidth go, you can’t do better than fiber optic internet. With the capacity to reach speeds of up to 25 Gigs per second, no other internet is faster than fiber optics. Plus, fiber optic connections enable symmetrical speeds. That means fiber optic internet has the capability of delivering equal upload and download speeds. So, unlike traditional connections whose providers may advertise a decent download speed, the upload speed is limited to a fraction of that speed.
Some fiber optics providers also offer unlimited bandwidth, with no data caps or fees for going over a certain amount of bandwidth use. And the technology doesn’t benefit from speed throttling, so you’ll get consistent speed and performance for all types of internet traffic, anytime, day or night. And, as mentioned earlier, buildings and other obstacles don’t affect fiber optics connections, adding to its dependability and exceptional performance.
With fast, symmetrical speed and unlimited bandwidth, fiber optic internet is the perfect choice for glitch-free video conferencing, lag-free gaming and smooth streaming in a household of connected devices all running at the same time.
Should You Get 5G Internet for Your Home Internet?
Overall, 5G internet has the potential to be a great option for home internet, but there are still some challenges that need to be addressed as the technology continues to develop and becomes more widely available.
Therefore, the best existing internet technology, fiber optic internet, will continue to be a more dependable option for most homes and businesses. It’s fast, reliable and widely available in not only densely populated areas, but many rural areas as well.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, provides the first-ever, community-wide 25 Gig network. EPB Fiber Optics, a local electric utility that also sells fiber optic internet and communications solutions, delivers the world’s fastest community-wide internet with speeds up to 25 Gigs available to every home and business.
EPB Fi-Speed Internet features equal upload and download speeds, when most providers skimp on upload speeds compared to their advertised download speeds. This symmetrical speed internet makes for faster data transfers, smooth video streaming and lag-free gaming. EPB also provides unlimited bandwidth with no data caps or added fees so you can use as much bandwidth as you need at no additional charge.
Learn more at EPB.com.
