The growth of 5G networks doesn't mean 4G is going away. Mobile carriers will use existing 4G LTE networks to provide their customers' cell service well into the next decade. 5G networks will work with 4G — not outright replace it. The upshot is that 5G-capable cell phones will still use 4G technology.
No, 4G LTE shutdown will not be happening for atleast a decade. Therefore, the thing to remember is that 4G will not be going away anytime soon, regardless of how fast the 5G network grows. The plan is for existing 4G LTE networks to be used by carriers well into 2030.
The Transition from 4G to 5G
DSS provides improved coverage for 5G devices and greater longevity for 4G LTE devices. The first 4G LTE sunset announcements are expected after 2030, which means that companies can safely invest in 4G-based IoT solutions today and for the foreseeable future.
Optus has approximately 6414 4G base stations in Australia. Telstra has approximately 5962 4G base stations in Australia. Vodafone has approximately 4750 4G base stations in Australia.
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
The main reason for network shutdowns is that the carriers have limited spectrum available for expansion. In order to provide a faster, more responsive network to their customers, they must repurpose the spectrum to support newer, more efficient cellular technology.
Is it OK to buy a 4G phone in 2023? 4G phones still work on 4G LTE networks for now, but eventually they will become obsolete. Consider how long you plan to keep your phone; if you plan to keep your phone for longer than a year or so, it might be a good idea to get a phone that is 5G compatible.
4G phone will work on 5G networks, but they won't receive the enhanced 5G speed. So, if you want to experience the full potential of the next-gen network, then it is a good idea to upgrade.
If you don't have a 5G phone, that's fine. You can still access super-fast and extensive 4G coverage on the Telstra network until you're ready for a new 5G device. The 3G network will be decommissioned in 2024.
Chances are your mobile phone will work in Australia, however, you have a few different options if you want to stay connected during your travels - activate your international roaming (or your mobile phone's data roaming plan), connect to local wifi, or purchase an Australian SIM card and join a local network.
Keep in mind that even if you're not yet covered by 5G, you'll still be able to use 5G-ready phones on your telco's 4G and 3G networks. Therefore, if you're eyeing a particular 5G phone, but don't live in an area that is covered by 5G yet, you can still use your device at 4G speeds.
While spending more money on a 5G phone or a 5G variant of the same device may seem like a good, future-proof idea, it will not be worth it if you don't have the coverage and budget for 5G plans. Note that while 5G data plans may be priced equal to 4G in the beginning, they can quickly climb up for the faster service.
5G can be significantly faster than 4G, delivering up to 20 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) peak data rates and 100+ Megabits-per-second (Mbps) average data rates. 5G has more capacity than 4G. 5G is designed to support a 100x increase in traffic capacity and network efficiency. 5G has lower latency than 4G.
Depending on where you are in Australia, 4G can offer you speeds of up to about 75Mbps on a typical download. While we all love what that means, it's nothing compared to 5G. The experts point to 5G download speeds of anywhere up to 20 Gbps, which stands for gigabits per second.
Of course, the 5G spectrum would be different than the 4G spectrum, even in 5G NSA. Thus, it could be possible that as consumers connect with the 5G NSA network of a particular telco, the load on its 4G network capacity reduces. Theoretically, the 4G speeds should improve as more customers shift to 5G.
So far, networks currently use four generations of technology, which include 2G, 3G, 4G and the latest, 5G. In December 2021, the government made an agreement with mobile network operators (MNOs) that 2G and 3G services would be phased out by 2033.
5G up to 100 times faster than 4G
In the right conditions 5G download speeds can reach 10 gigabits per second. That's up to 100 times faster than 4G – and certainly the level of performance needed for an increasingly connected society.
Within the U.S., it's reasonable to assume that by the end of 2022 there will not be a single major carrier supporting 2G. The same fate awaits 3G. 4G LTE operates under a different scenario, and we can confidently say that 4G will be around for at least another decade.
In Australia, 850MHz, 900MHz, and 2100Mhz are the common 3G frequencies. B1, B3, B5, B7, B7, and B28 are the main 4G bands. n78 is the main 5G band used in Australia, but we're now also seeing some coverage on n1, n5, n28, and n40.
On Android smartphones, go to settings > Network settings > mobile network. It should give you a dropdown menu of mobile standards such as 2G, 3G or LTE (4G). If you don't see 4G or LTE, then your smartphone doesn't support the standard. Scroll to and select Settings.
Future of 5G in Australia
As part of its T25 strategy, Telstra has a view to roll out its 5G mobile network to 95% of the Australian population by mid-2025, with other major telcos set to follow suit.
Today, Australia is ranked third in 5G-connected devices per capita (Source: The GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index, accessed 28 September 2022). By 2025, it is expected that 95% of Australians will have 5G coverage (Source: Telstra, T25 Strategy to cover 95% of the Australian population by 2025).
To turn off 5G on your Android phone, navigate to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks and select Network mode. You can now choose which 5G option you want or switch to LTE or 4G.
6G internet is expected to launch commercially in 2030. The technology makes greater use of the distributed radio access network (RAN) and the terahertz (THz) spectrum to increase capacity, lower latency and improve spectrum sharing.