5G cell phones, need to purchase?

agesilaus wrote:
5G range is so short, a mile or two in perfect conditions that it will be kept inside large cities.

This is only partly true. 5G uses both low and high bands. You are referring to the latter. Low frequency 5G is long distance capable. Downfall is that low averages about 20% faster than 4G. High band 5G is much faster but as you've stated short distance and easily blocked by your hand or thin wall.

mr. ed wrote:
I'm curious to know if our 4G cell phones are going to become obsolete, making it necessary for all of us to ditch our current phones and purchase a new one. I rarely use my phone on WiFi, I only make and receive calls. Will I still be able to do that, or is my phone permanently bricked?

Don't worry, you'll be fine. I needed a new phone so I bought a Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5g. I'm on AT&T and a plan with 5g costs more so I'm not switching to a 5g plan for the foreseeable future.

It is simple.
5 G means 5th Generation.
They slow-roll out technology. They had 5G bandwidths from the start, but decided to take 5 steps to get us to here.
5G uses much much more frequencies than 4G.

5G is also deadly.
have you seen all the dead birds? 5G is a big concern for radiation illness. No, not nuclear radiation, that is a different form of radiation, 5g, and all the phones, radiate microwaves. That means literally, the wave length is small (micro), as compared to radio waves which are long (big) and do less harm to human tissue.

5G will not kill you per se, it does damage to tissue, and as far as i can tell it excites the oxygen molecules in your cells and lungs because O2 is excited at the same frequency that some of these 5G waves put out.

We do not want 5g.

With 5G it will be possible to connect every camera, every phone camera in motion, every street camera, every security camera, dash cams, every conceivable camera connected to the internet and someone will be able to create a real-time 3D virtual video of the world (where cameras are at least). These videos will be able to recognize every person, either by their phone gps locator, or by their face. It will know your every movement, and have a video data base of everything you do, everyone you see, everywhere you go, everything you buy, if you wear a mask, if you social distance.... and who know what will come next after this "two weeks to flatten the curve" nonsense.
Be very afraid!

For those that scoff, please get a 5G phone as soon as possible.

You'll be fine for some time. 5G is still in its deployment stage. In my opinion, it's more a marketing tool for now? I would think, most want the advertised 20x 4G speeds, though there are considerable challenges to 5G "high" coverage? Namely, that it requires direct line of sight, and signal interference can be caused by common obstacles such as trees and buildings. Plus, 5G high may not be able penetrate through walls? Bottom-line, 5G requires installation of significantly more closer spaced, directional antennas?

I've inquired at my office about pursuing 5G antenna leasing to mobile providers on top of our building, as we are located in an exclusive area often in the national spotlight. Considering, our city is not permitting install of 5G antennas on light poles. We currently lease 4G access space, though requires a costly portable trailer for service providers.

agesilaus wrote:
4G will not become obsolete in any short period of time. 3G is still used some places right now.

Many parts of the US with low population density still have NO 4G !

352 wrote:
Do any of you know what 5G means? Pretty simple

Actually, it is NOT simple !

5G can use of of two (very) different radio frequency bands. It all depends on what your carrier is licensed to use. 5G NR Frequency Bands

The "lower" frequency is in a similar range as current 4G. Consequently, the speed is similar to current speed and the coverage is about the same. T-Mobile/Sprint uses this band (because they can re-use much of their equipment).

The "higher" frequency band has very poor coverage (very "line of sight", blocked by buildings, hills and trees) BUT has very high speed !

mr. ed wrote:
I'm curious to know if our 4G cell phones are going to become obsolete, making it necessary for all of us to ditch our current phones and purchase a new one.

Not for many, many years !

mr. ed wrote:
I'm curious to know if our 4G cell phones are going to become obsolete, making it necessary for all of us to ditch our current phones and purchase a new one. I rarely use my phone on WiFi, I only make and receive calls. Will I still be able to do that, or is my phone permanently bricked?

Yes. Eventually but by then 6G phones will be out. They normally keep at least one or 2 levels of service from the fastest.

Great replies. Thanks. :)