In 2020, the average U.S. household downloaded over 400 gigabytes of data. With faster ways to talk to each other, we’re taking in more information than ever before. Internet service providers want to offer even better services and do everything they can to get ahead of the competition.
You might compare 5G and 5GE when looking for the best mobile internet. The two services have different internet speeds and aren’t compatible with all smartphones, but it’s unclear why. Learn everything you need to know about the two networks by reading on.
5G vs 5GE: Must-Know Facts
5G
- 5G stands for 5th Generation.
- A wide range of wavelengths gives it its speed and reliability.
- It is the most advanced mobile service on the market.
- It requires a new model smartphone to use.
- G5 can download at speeds of up to 20 Gbps at their fastest and 100 Mbps on average.
5GE
- 5GE stands for 5th Generation Evolution.
- It’s not a 5G network but actually an AT&T marketing tactic.
- It works with a wider range of phones than 5G networks.
- 5GE can download at speeds of up to 100Mbps at their fastest and 20Mbps on average.
- It’s just 4G LTE-A with a new name (more on what this is below).
5G vs. 5GE: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| 5G | 5GE | |
|---|---|---|
| First Used | 2018 | 2019 |
| Companies That Use It | All major internet providers | AT&T |
| Download Speed | 100 Mbps average20 Gbps peak | 20 Mbps average100Mbps |
| Significance | Extended broadband, ultra-reliable communications, IoT | Introduced mobile broadband |
| Smartphone Compatibility | iPhone 12 and up, Samsung Galaxy S10 and up, Xiaomi Mi 10 and up, OnePlus 7 and up, Google Pixel 5 and up | All smartphones released since 2009 |
5G vs. 5GE: What’s the Difference?
5G and 5GE may seem simple at first glance, but they actually include a fair amount of nuance. Clever advertising strategies are compared here with two very distinct generations of the internet.
5G is the next generation of mobile networks.
5G stands for “Fifth Generation.” The basic analog voice we started using in the 1980s was the basis for its development. We’ve come a long way since then. We switched from analog to digital, got data and broadband, and can now send and receive huge amounts of information in seconds.
When we started watching TV and movies on our phones, society pushed 5G forward. We could easily access social media and look at pictures of our families from anywhere, even in the bathroom. The market was doing very well, and we needed more. So, in 2018, T-Mobile released the next generation of mobile internet. With new wavelengths, we were able not only to watch videos but also to stream them in high quality and with very low latency.
5G Wavelengths
The speed of the newest kind of mobile internet depends on different wavelengths. 5G can use low-range bands (below 3 GHz) and high-range bands (above 25 GHz). 4G only uses low-range bands. It uses several of these higher wavelengths to speed up downloads and clear out each wavelength.
One bad thing about higher wavelengths is that the shorter the length is, the faster the frequency. This means that the coverage is smaller, but download speeds are faster. To fix this, some 5G networks are trying lengths in the middle of the band, like 12 GHz. These wavelengths seem to hit a sweet spot, with good internet speeds and much more extensive coverage.
5G Network Speeds
Internet providers use a wide range of wavelengths to offer some of the fastest mobile internets we have today. In places with less traffic, 5G users can get download speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second (Gbps). It would take less than two seconds to download the average HD movie at that speed.
Users can expect an average download speed of 100 megabits per second in busy areas (Mbps). This is crazy when you think about how many people use the wavelength at once. Because of how their system works, 5G internet providers can handle 100 times as much traffic as 4G providers.
5G Modern Applications
5G was made to do much more than just let people use social media and watch videos. It was made to change the world. As society moves forward, people use their devices more and more. And it’s not just with our phones.
The Internet of Things (IoT) links important tools in healthcare, supply chains, and homeland security to high-speed internet so people can react quickly and correctly. Some ways that 5G is making industries better are:
- Remote patient monitoring
- Connected contact lenses
- Robots with WiFi connections
- Transactions that are done automatically
- Machine failure monitoring
One problem with 5G networks is that they need new devices that can connect to all of these new wavelengths. If your old phone came out before late 2018, it’s probably not going to work with the service.
History 5GE: A Messy Story
If 5G can do all these things, you might think 5GE could do even more. But that’s not really what’s going on. This network is a little complicated; we must go back in time to understand the 5G vs. 5GE debate.
In 2018, everyone was excited about 5G LTE in the months before T-Mobile launched its first network. They could download faster than ever before, and internet service providers were working hard to get their networks up and running.
AT&T was a little behind Verizon, but they devised a great marketing plan. The company put out 5th Generation Evolution while they worked on their 5G network (5GE).
The news got everyone’s attention, and people started switching service providers so they could use this new, exclusive internet. What they found, though, was that 5GE wasn’t as good as they had hoped. Read More; Low-Code Can Help Businesses Automate IoT Networks
What is 5GE
AT&T never said it was 5G; instead, it was the next step in the evolution of mobile internet. It was a different name for 4G LTE-A, which isn’t much faster than 4G. It did change, but it wasn’t the change people thought they would see.
Now, these services involve a lot of letters, so let’s break them down:
Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a version of the next generation that is still being worked on. For example, 4G LTE is a network where 4G technology is tried. It works faster than 3G but not as quickly as 4G.
LTE-A is the latest version of LTE. It is basically the same as 4G technology and keeps getting better. This network is about as fast as 4G or a little faster.
5GE is a way of getting people to buy faster internet. It was AT&T’s version of 4G LTE-A, so it was not 5G LTE.
How is 5GE Used Today?
AT&T stopped advertising 5GE in 2020, long after launching its real 5G network online. But they still use the short form because it gives the impression that their service is faster. AT&T customers will still see it on their phones, probably in places where they can’t connect to 5G.
It’s a little tricky, but it also makes people think that their old phones work with 5G when they don’t. They’ll still get about 20 Mbps for downloading, but they won’t have to update their devices.
See Also; What is a neural network and how does it work?
5G vs. 5GE: Which One Is Better? How Should You Use It?
There is no real competition between 5G and 5GE.
5G is the most advanced mobile network on the market, allowing download speeds of up to 20 Gbps. The only catch is that you need a phone that can pick up the wavelengths in order to use the network. Look for smartphones that came out after late 2018 to find the right one.
If you are set on keeping your old phone, though, 5GE will work just fine. But more than anything else, where you are will determine which network you use. In the end, you’ll use whatever network your internet service provider offers.
Want to know about the internet service that actually competes with 5G? Check out Starlink vs Dish Internet: Which is Better?
5G vs 5GE: What Is the Difference? FAQs
Is 5Ge really 4G?
On the other hand, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile call it 4G. AT&T calls its 4G service “5GE,” which stands for “5G Evolution,” according to the company. In terms of speed or connection, 5GE is not better than 4G in terms of technology. Different names for the same thing.
5G or 5GE? Which is better?
There is no real competition between 5G and 5GE. 5G is the most advanced mobile network on the market, allowing download speeds of up to 20 Gbps.
Is LTE or 5GE better?
Theoretically, 4G LTE can go as fast as 100 Mbps, but in practice, it only goes as fast as about 15 Mbps. AT&T called the change from 4G to 5G 5GE or 5G Evolution. But 5GE is nothing more than a copy of 4G LTE-A or 4G LTE+. 5GE, also called 4G LTE-A, is just the latest version of 4 faster G LTE.
What does 5GE mean on my AT&T phone?
In 2019, the carrier changed an indicator on some Android phones and iPhones to make it look like those phones might have connected to 5G networks. It used the label “5G E,” which made those phones look like they were connected to a 5G cell tower.
Why do I have 5GE instead of 5G?
5G Evolution is what 5GE stands for. AT&T puts this label on some phones to show they are connected to their 5G Evolution network.
