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In reply to the discussion: As they move to 5G, I am getting worse and worse reception. [View all]highplainsdem
(58,500 posts)38. No, she didn't need 5G for AT&T. Here's their page about that:
https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1324171/
At this point, honestly, 5G seems to be mostly about marketing more expensive phones and plans, and hopes for the future. From what I've heard, it's unlikely to ever be widely available in rural America. It requires a huge proliferation of towers in metro areas. It requires extra antennas built into phones because even your hand can block the fastest 5G waves.
The lightning-fast speeds carriers are bragging about in their marketing are needed by very few users. And at this point, 5G in actual use isn't providing those speeds anyway:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/08/5g-speed/
Considering how fast a phone's OS can become outdated, it makes much more sense now, if you need a new phone, to get 4G LTE rather than 5G, and to forget the 5G plans.
But of course carriers make a lot more money if they convince you that you have HAVE to have 5G RIGHT NOW.
At this point, honestly, 5G seems to be mostly about marketing more expensive phones and plans, and hopes for the future. From what I've heard, it's unlikely to ever be widely available in rural America. It requires a huge proliferation of towers in metro areas. It requires extra antennas built into phones because even your hand can block the fastest 5G waves.
The lightning-fast speeds carriers are bragging about in their marketing are needed by very few users. And at this point, 5G in actual use isn't providing those speeds anyway:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/08/5g-speed/
Considering how fast a phone's OS can become outdated, it makes much more sense now, if you need a new phone, to get 4G LTE rather than 5G, and to forget the 5G plans.
But of course carriers make a lot more money if they convince you that you have HAVE to have 5G RIGHT NOW.
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Possibly. I worked in the field for Verizon and Crown Castle for a while years ago.
Tommymac
Sep 2021
#10
We have it in Cleveland and it is wonderful. I went on vacation to South Carolina...my phone was
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#13
I really like it...and consider this. In the near future, we will be able to run our
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#32
It's 3G that's being phased out early next year, not 4G. And there are lots of problems with 5G:
highplainsdem
Sep 2021
#29
Is that so...ATT sent my sister-in-law a new phone that could handle 5G...maybe ATT is
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#31
It was very good of AT&T to replace her phone for free. And if she'd had a 3G phone, that would
highplainsdem
Sep 2021
#46
5G can be used in place of our current internet equipment...like fiber optics or phone lines...it
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#41
Eventually, I believe the internet will come from these towers...it will be so much faster and as
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#43
See my reply 29 above for a link to an article about the fastest 5G waves and the problems with them
highplainsdem
Sep 2021
#39
My sister claims it causes paralysis...she is a great Democrat but is off the wall about 5G
Demsrule86
Sep 2021
#44