Can Anything Slow the Rollout of 5G Network to Customers?

Can Anything Slow the Rollout of 5G Network to Customers?

Is the upcoming 5G rollout a big benefit for businesses, or a danger to consumers? Thousands of new cell towers — and faster internet access for all — are on the line.  

The future is all about lightning-fast internet where you can download movies and other media in seconds instead of waiting a few precious minutes, right? Mobile carriers want us to believe that this next generation of cellular technology will be the best ever, touting applications such as self-driving cars and remote surgery as the reasons for needing this much bandwidth throughout the country. There are some broader implications with the introduction of faster mobile technology. While not all consumers are sold on the idea of “faster is better”, businesses will rely on this functionality to speed innovation at a time when it could provide crucial differentiation in the global market.

Do We Really Need 5G Speeds?

When 3G networking rolled out in June 2003, the speed was considered unparalleled and a massive leap forward in allowing consumers and businesses to invest in video calls and mobile TV technology. This third generation of networking was approximately 4x faster than 2G networking, only a single generation before. When 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) was introduced in 2009 as reaching speeds up to 100 Mpbs for individuals, we entered an era of mobile web access, mobile gaming and 3D television. This relatively rapid rollout of new technology and plenty of new cellular towers to transmit these ever-increasing speeds has led many consumers to ask: Do we really need this type of speed? While coverage is still quite limited, mobile carriers are turning on their 5G networks. While it does it give mobile carriers something new to talk about, 5G has been tested to be a bit iffy when it comes to actual usage. While some phones tested at speeds up to 1 gigabit per second, there was a fair amount of inconsistent coverage, too. For now, Verizon and AT&T both claim to have some limited 5G coverage in large cities but it’s currently only for businesses — not consumers.

Barriers to 5G Adoption

While carriers are pushing forward with getting towers upgraded or built to handle the faster web of networks, consumers aren’t so sure this is a good thing. There are ongoing concerns about the health impact of the 5G rollout on humans, especially children. The waves that are used to transmit information are increasingly seen as less-than-beneficial, causing several states to begin litigation against the cell phone carriers that are attempting to build in their communities. One of the requirements to provide this super-fast access to information is a denser network of cell sites, which is where the consumer concerns began. Along with the

Why the FCC Is Getting Involved

While both the Federal Communications Commission and the Food and Drug Administration have weighed in to note that the dangers are being overstated, but that doesn’t stop the FCC from pushing forward some legislation that is highly beneficial for the telecommunications companies. With the FCC’s latest edict, they’re overriding the deals that telcos made with municipalities and reducing the cost per site to a flat fee of $270 each — a price that is often much lower than individuals cities negotiated. This is ostensibly to reduce the friction in local governments and speed rollout but could have the exact opposite effect as cities are banding together to legislate.

While there are several issues under consideration, ready access to local internet in the speeds promised by 5G providers could be a game-changer for certain businesses such as healthcare, financial and manufacturing. Helping businesses take full advantage of their technology solutions available now and coming in the future. The next generation will be charged with innovation at a much higher level, and our team at Alvarez Technology Group is here to support your business infrastructure as you prepare. Contact us today at (831) 753-7677 or visit us online to request a free initial consultation.