The next generation of cell-phone service is coming to Connecticut, bringing unprecedented speed, coverage, and reliability along with it,

“5G” cells will soon be popping up around the state.

5G stands for the “fifth generation” of cellular network technology, following the naming convention that is responsible for 3G and 4G (LTE) cellular technology that is currently in use.

According to American telecommunications corporation Qualcomm, 5G is the next step in cellular technology.

1G delivered analog voice, 2G introduced digital voice, 3G introduced mobile data, and 4G LTE introduced fast mobile internet.

Introduced in 2018, 5G offers benefits for current cellular service but also incorporates opportunities to innovate what cellular networks are used for.

According to Qualcomm, “5G will elevate the mobile network to not only interconnect people, but also interconnect and control machines, objects, and devices”.

This could include 5G being integrated with common devices forming the “internet of things” as well as future technology like autonomous vehicles and transportation.

In other words, 5G technology will make our cellular infrastructure ready to handle future developments in technology.

In terms of cell service, however, 5G brings many benefits.

5G will offer peak data rates up to 20 Gigabits per second.

This is an astronomical improvement over the current standard 4G LTE which offers max data rates of 60 Megabits per second. For reference, there are 1000 megabits in a gigabit.

In addition to these fast speeds, 5G will also totally change the way the networks operate, allowing for a much quicker response even when users are moving around.

5G also contains more capacity than 4G. This means that more people can use the network at the same time.

Allowing for fast data speeds even in cities with large numbers of connected devices.

What this all means is that we will get much quicker data transfer rates for our cell phones.

Browsing Instagram, YouTube, texting, and video-chatting will all become extremely fast on cellular data.

WTNH reports that 5G will be coming to Connecticut in the near future.

It won’t be a change we’ll see overnight, but “small cells” will soon pop up around the state. Speaking to WTNH, Norm Neddleman, Co-chair of the Energy and Tech. the committee says that this will “help move us into the 21st century in terms of data”.

Governor Lamont proposed legislation to accelerate the deployment of this technology this summer. The legislation (House Bill 7152) passed both chambers of the CT general assembly and received final approval.

“Access to ultra-fast internet speeds is critical to our economic future and the pursuit of good-paying jobs for the residents of our state”, Lamont said in a press release.

5G technology has already been implemented around the world, mainly in large cities.

5G networks have popped up in the United States in cities like Boston, New York, and DC, and will soon be in Connecticut.

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