Why 5G Sucks ⚠️

Summary

The script discusses the unfulfilled promises of 5G technology, which was expected to revolutionize mobile internet with lightning-fast speeds and minimal latency. Despite the hype, actual 5G performance has been underwhelming, with users often experiencing speeds barely faster than 4G. The video explores the reasons behind this disappointment, including overpromising by tech companies, political interference affecting infrastructure development, and the practical limitations of high-frequency millimeter waves. It also touches on the confusion caused by the inclusion of sub-6 GHz technology in 5G, which offers only marginal improvements over 4G. The script concludes that while 5G may eventually deliver on its potential, current users are better off sticking with 4G.

Takeaways

• 📲 5G was envisioned to revolutionize mobile internet with capabilities like controlling robots remotely and downloading movies in seconds.
• 📱 The transition from 4G to 5G began in 2015, with tech companies like Samsung, Qualcomm, and Nokia defining the new standard.
• 🚀 5G promised significant improvements over 4G, including speeds up to 200 times faster, increased capacity, and near-zero latency.
• 🌐 The higher frequency millimeter waves used by 5G were expected to support the Internet of Things and smart cities.
• 💸 Despite the high promises, many users are experiencing slow speeds and limited benefits, questioning the value of 5G.
• 💵 The cost of 5G services is significantly higher than 4G, with some contracts escalating to exorbitant prices.
• 🌎 In 2021, the average US user spent less than 1% of their time connected to a true 5G millimeter wave network.
• 📉 The hype around 5G did not align with consumer needs, and the industry overpromised on capabilities without a clear delivery plan.
• 🛠️ Political issues, such as the US backing against Huawei, and anti-5G movements have hindered 5G's progress and deployment.
• 📶 A major issue with 5G is its limited range due to the high-frequency waves, which are easily blocked and require extensive infrastructure.
• 🔄 The industry has broadened the definition of 5G to include less impressive sub-6 waves, which are just a marginal improvement over 4G.

Q & A

What were the main promises of 5G technology when it was first announced?

5G promised much faster speeds (up to 20 Gbps, 200 times faster than 4G), more potential users with 100 times more data capacity, and near-zero latency for real-time internet-based activities like controlling robots or supporting smart cities.

Why is the 5G experience disappointing for many users?

5G's high expectations were not met because the technology relies on high-frequency millimeter waves, which have a very limited range and are easily blocked. As a result, users often experience medium-to-slow connections most of the time, with only occasional bursts of high speed.

Why is it challenging to implement 5G outside of major cities?

5G requires high-frequency millimeter waves that don’t travel far and are blocked by obstacles. To cover a city, many small beacons need to be installed at close intervals, which is time-consuming and expensive. Outside of cities, the cost to cover large areas with 5G is too high for the limited number of users.

What are millimeter waves, and how do they relate to 5G's speed and limitations?

Millimeter waves are high-frequency radio waves used in 5G to achieve much faster speeds than 4G. However, their downside is that they have a short range and can be easily obstructed by buildings and other physical objects, limiting 5G's coverage and reliability.

What political issues have slowed the rollout of 5G?

The US accused Huawei, one of the main suppliers of 5G infrastructure, of spying. This led to countries stripping Huawei components from their 5G networks, slowing progress significantly. Additionally, anti-5G movements, which falsely believed 5G towers were harmful, further hindered deployment by damaging existing infrastructure.

How did companies like Nokia, Qualcomm, and Samsung help establish 5G standards?

These tech companies came together to agree on the three main pillars of 5G: faster speeds, more capacity for users and devices, and near-zero latency. This collaboration set the stage for the development and implementation of 5G networks globally.

Why do most people not experience the full potential of 5G?

The majority of 5G users are connected to sub-6 GHz frequencies, which are only slightly faster than 4G, because true millimeter wave technology has very limited coverage. As a result, users often don't see the ultra-fast speeds that were promised.

What is the significance of 5G's promised low latency, and why hasn't it been fully realized?

Low latency in 5G, theoretically less than one millisecond, would allow for real-time responses in activities like remote surgery, virtual reality, or autonomous vehicles. However, the necessary infrastructure to support such low latency is not yet widespread, preventing its full realization.

What are some of the hypothetical scenarios that 5G could enable, according to its proponents?

5G proponents suggested it could enable things like immersive virtual reality experiences, remote surgery, real-time sports data overlays, smart cities with connected devices, and coordinated drone fleets. However, these scenarios are still largely hypothetical and not yet practical for most users.

How have companies attempted to keep consumer interest in 5G despite its slow development?

Companies have broadened the definition of 5G to include sub-6 GHz frequencies, which rely on existing 4G infrastructure but offer marginally faster speeds. This has made 5G more accessible but has also confused consumers about what 'true' 5G really is.

Outlines

00:00

📶 The Promise and Disillusionment of 5G

The paragraph discusses the high expectations set for 5G technology, which was supposed to revolutionize mobile internet with capabilities like controlling robots remotely and ultra-fast downloads. However, the reality has been underwhelming with speeds that are barely sufficient for basic tasks like sending a WhatsApp message. The script takes us back to 2015, when 5G was being finalized by tech giants like Samsung, Qualcomm, and Nokia. They aimed to deliver faster speeds, increased capacity, and zero latency. The potential applications were vast, including the Internet of Things and smart cities. Despite these ambitions, the actual experience has been marred by high costs, limited availability, and a lack of compelling use cases. The marketing of 5G has been criticized for overpromising and underdelivering, leading to consumer disillusionment.

05:01

🌐 The Overhyped and Underwhelming Reality of 5G

This paragraph delves into the practical issues with 5G deployment, including the political challenges faced by major suppliers like Huawei, which were accused of spying and faced backlash from the US and its allies. This led to a slowdown in 5G development and in some cases, a rollback of existing infrastructure. The script also addresses the anti-5G movement and the misconceptions around the health risks of 5G technology. The fundamental problem with 5G is its limited range due to the high-frequency millimeter waves it uses, which are easily blocked and have short distances. This has made it costly and inefficient to deploy, especially outside urban areas. As a result, tech companies have broadened the definition of 5G to include less impressive sub-6 waves, which are only marginally faster than 4G. This has led to confusion and a lack of consumer interest, slowing down the development of potential 5G use cases like the metaverse. The paragraph concludes that while 5G may have great potential, its current state is underwhelming and not worth the extra cost for most consumers.

Keywords

💡5G

5G refers to the fifth generation of mobile networks, promising significantly faster data rates, lower latency, and more reliable connections compared to 4G. In the video, it is portrayed as a technology that was supposed to revolutionize mobile internet, enabling advanced applications like remote robotics and instant movie downloads. However, the reality has not met these lofty expectations, leading to disappointment and skepticism among users.

💡Millimeter waves

Millimeter waves are high-frequency radio waves used in 5G networks to achieve higher data rates and capacity. The video explains that these waves carry more energy than the radio waves used in 4G, allowing for speeds up to 200 times faster. However, it also points out that millimeter waves have a shorter range and can be easily blocked by obstacles, which has limited the widespread adoption and effectiveness of 5G networks.

💡Latency

Latency in the context of the video refers to the delay or response time between a user's request and the network's reaction, such as loading a webpage. The video highlights that 5G was expected to reduce latency to almost zero, which would enable real-time internet-based activities. However, the actual implementation has fallen short, with users still experiencing noticeable delays.

💡Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things refers to the network of interconnected devices that can communicate with each other and the internet. In the video, it is mentioned that 5G's increased capacity was intended to support IoT by allowing a vast number of devices, from cars to toothbrushes, to be connected simultaneously. However, the current state of 5G has not yet fully realized this potential.

💡Smart cities

Smart cities are urban areas that use data and technology to improve services and生活质量. The video discusses how 5G was expected to enable smart cities by providing the connectivity needed for various devices and systems to communicate efficiently. However, the current limitations of 5G have hindered the development of these futuristic urban environments.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence in machines. In the video, AI is mentioned as a technology that was gaining prominence around the time 5G was being developed. While not directly related to 5G, AI is part of the broader technological landscape that 5G was supposed to support, with the potential for AI-driven applications to benefit from 5G's high speeds and low latency.

💡4G

4G refers to the fourth generation of mobile networks, which provided significant improvements in data speed and connectivity over previous generations. The video contrasts 4G with 5G, noting that 4G already met most consumers' needs for mobile internet, leading to less demand for the drastic improvements promised by 5G.

💡Marketing hype

Marketing hype in the video refers to the exaggerated claims and unrealistic expectations set by tech companies about the capabilities of 5G. The script criticizes how companies marketed 5G as a revolutionary technology without having a clear plan to deliver on those promises, leading to consumer disillusionment.

💡Sub-6 waves

Sub-6 waves are a type of 5G signal that uses lower frequency bands than millimeter waves. The video explains that sub-6 waves are less ambitious and offer only marginal improvements over 4G. Tech companies have included sub-6 as part of the 5G umbrella to broaden the definition of 5G, which has led to confusion and lowered expectations among consumers.

💡Politics

Politics, as discussed in the video, refers to the geopolitical tensions and decisions that have impacted the development and deployment of 5G technology. The video mentions how the US's actions against Huawei, a major 5G supplier, have slowed down the progress of 5G infrastructure and contributed to the overall challenges faced by the technology.

💡Metaverse

The metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, often discussed in the context of virtual reality and online gaming. The video suggests that 5G could potentially enable new experiences in the metaverse due to its low latency and high speed. However, it also points out that current 5G technology has not yet reached the level needed to support widespread metaverse adoption.

Highlights

5G was envisioned to revolutionize mobile internet with capabilities like controlling robots remotely and rapid movie downloads.

In 2015, tech companies like Samsung, Qualcomm, and Nokia defined the key features of 5G, including faster speeds, more capacity, and zero latency.

5G promised speeds up to 200 times faster than 4G, reaching up to 20 gigabits per second.

5G aimed to support the Internet of Things and smart cities by handling 100 times more data traffic than 4G.

Tech companies promised latency rates 100 times less than 4G, potentially enabling real-time internet-based activities.

Despite the hype, many users are experiencing slow 5G speeds and questioning the value of their 5G contracts.

In 2021, the average US user spent less than 1% of their time on a 5G millimeter wave network.

5G's marketing was overly ambitious, promising a future that consumers were not immediately interested in.

The focus on extreme speeds and futuristic applications failed to address the average user's desire for a more reliable connection.

Politics, particularly the US's stance against Huawei, slowed 5G development and led to the removal of existing infrastructure.

The anti-5G movement and health concerns further hindered the adoption and development of 5G technology.

5G's high-frequency waves have a short range and are easily blocked, making city-wide coverage expensive and impractical.

To overcome these issues, tech companies redefined 5G to include less exciting sub-6 waves, similar to 4G.

The broadening of 5G's definition has led to confusion and a lack of excitement among consumers.

The current state of 5G is a mix of unmet expectations and potential for future advancements.

For most users, 4G provides sufficient service, making the extra cost of 5G devices and contracts questionable.

5G's future success depends on overcoming current limitations and aligning with consumer needs and interests.

Transcripts

5G was meant to be the future of mobile

internet we're going to be able to

control robots from the other side of

the world and download entire movies in

seconds but I'm on 5G right now and with

this speed I can barely send a WhatsApp

message what happened here well picture

this it's 2015. we've just had the

release of the iPhone 6s people are

starting to enjoy the luxuries of 4G

connectivity and tech companies have

just started to use the word AI every

two sentences and AI is simply

artificial intelligence this is the year

where 5G was finalized a whole bunch of

tech Brands like Samsung Qualcomm and

Nokia basically came together to figure

out the three key things that we're

going to define the next standard to

make sure that they were all on the same

page and that they could all start

separately planning their part in it and

what they came up with seemed incredible

like just for starters much faster

speeds these companies figured out that

by using smaller higher frequency radio

waves than 4G called millimeter waves

they could send signals that carried

much more energy so much more energy in

fact that while the max speed of 4G was

around 100 megabits per second 5G can go

not five times faster or 10 times faster

but 200 times faster at 20 gigabits per

second but as well as speeds these

companies also promised us more

potential users because these higher

frequency bandwidths also have more

capacity it would apparently take 100

times more data traffic for a 5G signal

to get overloaded whereas with 4G it was

already getting to a stage where in

packed cities people having to share

their speed with each other and this

wasn't just about more smartphone users

being able to watch cat videos any one

time the idea of a hundred times more

capacity was to support the internet of

things and even smart cities where every

single electronic device your cars your

washing machines your toothbrushes can

be always connected with their own

separate 5G connection and then the

final key pillar was 0 latency because

internet speed is not just download

speed and upload speed it's also the

response time taken between a user

request like you clicking a web page

link and then that action being taken

like that web page starting to load up

these tech companies were so confident

in this new 5G Tech they promised

latency rates of 100 times less than 4G

down from about 90 milliseconds to

literally less than one which if

actually achieved would have been a game

changer because For the First Time Ever

it would allow internet-based activities

to effectively happen in real time like

if you were at a sports event and you

open up your camera you could have the

stats of each player hover above their

heads as they move around instantly

updating every time they made a pass or

had a shot at goal or you know the

metaverse if we're actually moving

towards completely virtual interactions

then for that to feel real there needs

to be no delay at all not to mention

anything that requires High Precision

movements like being able to control a

medical robot from the other side of the

world coordinate hundreds of drones to

fly in formation or self-drive in cars

that need to be able to respond to their

environments or break in a split second

it's the idea that you can do things

over the Internet with no more lag than

if you were to do those same things

physically in person this is the world

that these companies promise that 5G

would bring so why does it suck so much

why is it that I'm currently paying 50

more than I used to 30 UK pounds a month

versus 20 for my 5G contract why is it

that some 5G contracts are now going all

the way up to 120 pounds a month which

is just extraordinate Why is it that

even in the US which is one of the best

places for 5G in the world an average

user was spending less than one percent

of their time actually connected to a 5G

millimeter wave Network in 2021 and then

why is it that when I call up my

provider to ask more about it if they

just tell me that I'm doing a great

thing by being 5G ready not seeming to

understand how dumb that is given that

5G isn't ready am I doing a great thing

by being 5G ready

um yeah sure well 5G had a problem right

from the very moment it was announced

the marketing the way that it was so to

us see unlike every generation before it

4G 3G 2G where the kinds of apps we were

using and the way that we wanted to

communicate with each other had almost

required another step in networking to

achieve we didn't really need 5G

obviously tech companies wanted

something new to be able to Brand their

devices with a killer new exciting

feature to be able to Market but for the

first time with 4G the consumer didn't

really have any pain points that needed

fixing we could already consume the

content we wanted to in a quality that

looks crisp on our small phone displays

so what these companies effectively had

to do if they wanted people to be

interested in 5G was to shoot for the

moon to be so ambitious to make claims

so bold to promise people a new world

without really having any clue on how

they were going to deliver on it but

even with these great promises they

still failed to get people excited

because I think they also picked the

wrong things to focus on if you'd asked

an average 4G user what they wanted from

5G most of it probably just said that

the key thing I want is a more reliable

connection just literally maximum 4G

speeds that never drop but instead what

we're actually getting is a medium to

slow connection 99.5 percent of the time

and then some ludicrously fast speed 0.5

of the time the speeds so fast that the

average person would have no possible

use case for them which is why 5G

companies have had to kind of invent

them they've come up with just swathes

of these wild hypothetical scenarios

that we will be able to achieve with

this millimeter wave 5G which don't get

me wrong are really impressive and cool

and one day maybe even practical too but

just disconnected from the reality of

what people want right now companies

will talk about how 5G opens the door to

immersive virtual reality anywhere but

if you want to use VR you're probably

not going to be doing it in the street

for safety reasons if not social reasons

and if you're enjoying this video then a

sub to the channel would be

they talked about smart cities with

drones for surveillance which again is

fascinating from a tech perspective

that's probably not the way into the

hearts of the masses or how doctors

could operate on patients while sitting

on the other side of the world I mean I

don't know about you but I would quite

like my doctor to be sitting in the room

while operating on me my point is there

very well may be a day where these are

legitimate things that we want to be

able to do but the mistake was to

drastically overestimate how quickly

they would arrive so right from the very

beginning 5G was already in a bad way

the tech companies are not just over

promised what they could do but even

while doing that failed to get people

excited

and then politics made things a whole

lot worse there were three main

end-to-end 5G suppliers in the world

Nokia Ericsson and Huawei these were the

companies building the actual

infrastructure of 5G things like the

massive antenna that would actually be

blasting out the signal but then Huawei

got backed by the US after being accused

of spying now whether that's actually

true or not no one seems to have a

concrete tanter one thing's for sure

that this was bad news for 5G because it

wasn't just that progress slowed or even

stopped at this point but also that

everything Huawei had already built was

getting actively stripped out by not

just the United States but also the

countries allied with them like no joke

Engineers were piece by piece removing

all of huawei's 5G components from their

systems which when paired with the

growing anti-5g movement who added fuel

to the fire by

well literally burning down some of the

few remaining 5G towers for Fears that

they were about to give them cancer it

meant that for a period of time 5G was

actually going backwards but the single

most fundamental problem with 5G is none

of these things it's the major oversight

that occurred with regards to range in

the race to become as fast as possible

to achieve these potential future

scenarios that no one was really asking

for 5G uses radio waves that are so high

frequency and therefore so small they

barely travel and they get blocked by

everything you could have full

millimeter wave connection you could be

getting two gigabits per second download

speeds but step in front of a building

you could have two megabits and the

consequence of this is twofold it means

that it's not just incredibly time

consuming and expensive to set 5G up in

a city you basically need some sort of

beacon on every street corner wired up

with brand new fiber optic cabling but

also that it just won't ever make sense

to bring this Tech outside the cities it

won't be worth the price to set up an

contain these 5G stations if each of

them is only going to reach like 30

people and so realizing this what these

tech companies have done is just

broadened what it means to be 5G so that

right now 5G includes not just that true

millimeter wave Tech that makes all of

those sci-fi possibilities a reality but

also the much less exciting sub 6 waves

which are basically created by just

tweaking the already existing 4G

infrastructure and sending out a signal

that is only just marginally faster

don't get me wrong the intention makes

sense like there is not a chance we're

going to cover the globe in a true

millimeter wave network but for most of

the people that I've talked to about it

the fact that sub 6 is being bundled in

as part of 5G has made it a more

confusing to understand but also B kind

of spoiled what it means to actually

have a 5G connection literally I went to

a 5G area earlier today I saw the 5G

logo pop up on my phone did a speed test

I got less than five megabits per second

for some perspective 7 megabits per

second is the limit a 3G and so it's got

to a point where all that excitement

that I initially had about seeing that

5G logo in the corner of my phone is

gone it has practically no bearing on

how fast or reliable the internet I get

actually is and the most unfortunate

part of this is that all this confusion

and uncertainty and lack of Interest

makes this a bit of a downward spiral

given that the vast majority of the

appeal of 5G relies on these

hypothetical future use cases like the

metaverse the fact that there's so much

hesitation is making the investment in

the development of those use cases

happened really slowly you might have

seen how badly meta is struggling and

cutting back right now and spending this

is why so 5G kind of sucks right now and

unless you specifically live in the 0.2

percent of the planet that actually gets

a proper millimeter wave connection you

could save your money and buy a 4G

device and stay on a 4G contract more

than likely 5G will one day be something

great but that doesn't change the fact

that by the time it does most of the

devices that you've paid extra for

because they have five DNA name will be

redundant to see me unbox every Nintendo

Home console ever that video is here