Forget 5G

Same here, but I think it's more of a Marketing gimmick than 5g service.

According to this article "AT&T originally announced “5G Evolution” back in 2017. It’s not a technical standard,
and it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just branding for marketing AT&T’s existing 4G network."

https://www.howtogeek.com/399560/5g-e-isnt-real-5g.-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

Lots of advantage with the increased bandwidth of 5G the major down side is the range.
You can double the transmit power but gain very little signal distance there will need to be twice as many transmitting towers plus the phones will have to have better batteries due to transmitting power requirements.

If you don't live in a subdivision you will probably need an outside antenna the good news the antenna will be small compared to today's antennas.

I have followed a few tech sites and The 5g cell system as it is now ( or soon to be) being rolled out requires many transmitters as it’s range is blocks not miles. It was and is designed for cities and other high density areas but I guess the “towers “ are small and less noticeable according to one article I read.
5 g isn’t the solution for rural as some think and was never meant to be.
In my opinion until we subsidize rural access it won’t happen. It just isn’t profitable.
ATT is using 5g evolution as smoke and mirrors because 5 g evolution ( clever name to sound like 5g) to the mass public sounds like they are the latest and greatest. Pure deceptive marketing! But you know what .. it will probably do what they intended.

agesilaus wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
Well.... Not to try and predict the future but when Cell PHones first came out they worked best in "Population centers" and poorly if at all in rual districts. tehn the network expanded.. They they went Digital. and again the new phones worked best in population centers at first.. then expanded

Then 2 g
Then 3 G
Then 4 G
Now 5 G
With 2,3 and 4 IT started in the population centers and now....

Well.. Why should 5G be different????

Were 2G thru 4G stopped by a glass door? What about the side of an RV?

Far as I know glass won't stop RF no matter the frequency less it is very special glass (Faraday shielded) Metal will. Fiberglass does not as near as I can tell.

And I throw a LOT of RF around at assorted frequencies.

BUT that said. Been a long, long, long time sine I used 2G or 3 Been 4 for several years and 4LTE for the last few.

I see you didn't bother to read the article that started this thread. 5G is stopped by glass.

vermilye wrote:
My AT&T iPhone 10 showed 5G while visiting the Washington, DC area, but was no faster than normal.

That's because ATT is blatantly lying, and is being sued for it. The only difference on your phone is the 5GE symbol. The E stands for "evolution", which means they'll evolve to it someday, probably not in your area in your lifetime.

All I want to have is decent cell service that works.... who cares what G it is. Millions don't even have reliable service right now.

They did a study a while back to access the impact of 5G on most people. The results: Not much. Sure you can download a movie in a second or two, but that doesn't mean folks will watch more movies. Sure it will be nice to have that speed, but the real impact will be more in the commercial area. Military, self driving cars, robotic surgery from a continent away. That kind of stuff.

The biggest impact I see is cable tv/internet will be made obsolete where authentic 5G is available.