Technology has continued to progress at such a rapid rate that most people have a hard time keeping up with it. With this advancement, the terminology hasn’t seemed to change to allow it to be better understood by its consumers. If you can answer the question below, then you definitely excel at technology terminology!

  • What is the difference between 5G phone, 5G Wi-Fi and 5G Internet?
  • What is the difference between a Gigabit and a Gigabyte?
  • What is the difference between 5G Internet speed versus 5GB data packages?

In this article, we will be tackling the terminology of technology while also explaining what the differences are for your household.

A Deep Dive into 5G Phones

We will start with the biggest misconception in technology terminology, which is 5G when working with your phone service. In this situation, 5G stands for “5th Generation” of the cellular standard. As phones have advanced in their technology they have gone through different cellular changes for consumers, businesses and more. We have seen 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G LTE and since 2018 we now have 5G technology. When you see 5G appear on your phone this can show you how close you are to a 5G cellular tower. In areas that you are further away from the tower or near a 4th generation tower your phone will show a “4G” or “LTE”, versus when you are closer to a 5th generation tower it will display a “5G”. According to Digital Trends “reports have suggested that average 5G speeds are plateauing at the 200 Mbps mark” depending on your proximity to the cellular tower. With this phone technology upgrade, it allows for consumers to utilize higher speeds, bandwidth, more availability and lower the amount of latency. For the best phone usage and plans, you should make sure your phone has 5G coverage.

Examine the Differences with 5G Wi-Fi

Next, we are going to take a look at 5G Wi-Fi. To better explain 5G Wi-Fi, it is best to think of your home office’s Wi-Fi. When you go to set up your router, there are normally two Wi-Fi networks you can join 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz) and 5 Gigahertz (GHz). Hertz are referred to as cycles per second. In this situation, the 5G Wi-Fi refers to the network’s frequency of 5 GHz. According to Data Alliance, “The full 5 GHz range spans frequencies from 5.15 GHz to 5.85 GHz”, so the shortened version of this term is 5 GHz or 5G. According to Intel, “5 GHz can deliver up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).” In the coming years, residents will start to hear about the possibility and reality of Wi-Fi 7, the newest upgrade to Wi-Fi ability.

Why 5G Internet is Better

Finally, we have 5G Internet which refers to 5 Gigabit per second (Gbps) Internet speeds. Much of this advancement in technology stems from the evolving nature of fiber optic Internet. This direct connection allows for much quicker speeds with symmetrical upload and download abilities. 5 Gbps is equal to 5,000 Megabits per second (Mbps) or 5 billion bits per second. A bit is the smallest measurement for digital communication. This means that fiber optic Internet transfer very quickly to provide you will top-notch Internet accessibility. When judging Internet service provider’s speeds you will want to make sure you don’t purchase one that is too slow you might run into trouble with streaming, downloading movies, gaming and uploading files.  

Sometimes these Gigabits (Giga- bit) may also get confused with a Gigabyte (Giga- bite). The word “Gigabit” is used to measure Internet speeds which accounts for the uploading and downloading of information. A “Gigabyte” is to measure a file size, storage space or data usage. When you shop for your new phone, it will talk about your storage size being 64, 128, or 256 GB (Gigabyte) this is in reference to the amount of storage it has. This lets you know how many apps, images, and videos you can have on your phone.

Some Internet companies may also offer 5 GB per month for Internet. This gives you a data cap on how much Internet you can use. It is better in this case to look for a company that offers 5 Gbps (Gigabits) Internet speeds in addition to no data caps. This will keep all of the technology running smoothly without having to worry about running over your recommended usage.

Make the Switch Today!

As fiber-optic Internet has grown more accessible and affordable, many residential homes, businesses and apartment complexes are starting to switch over. For residential areas this speed is perfect for gamers, influencers, working from home and technology driven families. Technology can be used more quickly than ever before, so why not utilize it today. Pavlov Media is a fiber Internet company servicing many residential areas and businesses in Illinois, Florida and Texas. In many of these areas you can receive up to 8 Gbps of fiber Internet!


Check your availability for fiber Internet today by visiting:
https://pavlovmedia.com/home-solutions/

If you don’t see your location, make sure to sign up for our Interested List so that you will know as soon as we come to your area!

Technology Terminology Glossary:

  • Bits- the smallest measurement for computers
  • Mbps- Megabits per second. 1 Million bits = 1 Mbps
  • Gbps- Gigabits per second. 1 Billion bits = 1 Gbps
    • Abbreviations: “Gb” or “Gig"
  • Hertz- refers to cycles per second
  • Gigahertz- 1 Hz = 1 billion GHz
  • 5G Phone- 5th Generation Cellular Network
  • Gigabytes- Gigabytes are used for storage
    • Abbreviations: “GB"