5G is always faster than 4G
5G encompasses three distinct frequency bands with radically different performance characteristics. High-band mmWave 5G achieves multi-gigabit speeds but has very limited coverage, while low-band 5G may offer only marginally better speeds than 4G LTE with better indoor coverage in some cases.
What we know
The term '5G' covers three frequency bands with fundamentally different properties. High-band millimeter wave (mmWave, 24-100 GHz) 5G achieves peak speeds of 4-10 Gbps but has a range of only a few hundred meters and cannot penetrate walls or foliage. Mid-band 5G (1-6 GHz) delivers speeds of 100-900 Mbps with better coverage. Low-band 5G (below 1 GHz) offers speeds of 50-100 Mbps, only marginally faster than 4G LTE which typically delivers 30-100 Mbps.
In practice, most 5G deployments in suburban and rural areas use low-band or mid-band frequencies. A user connected to low-band 5G in a city fringe area may experience slower real-world speeds than a user on a robust 4G LTE connection in a city center because 4G infrastructure is more mature and dense. Indoor 5G coverage can also be inferior to 4G because higher frequencies are more attenuated by building materials.
Europe's aviation regulator EASA approved 5G connectivity on aircraft in 2023, and the EU allowed 5G to be operated at ground level without previous restrictions. These policy developments reflect genuine deployment but do not override the physics that determine speed and coverage at any given location.
Common claims
- Connecting to 5G always means faster download speedsFalse. Low-band 5G is only marginally faster than 4G LTE, and network congestion can make real speeds slower.
- 5G provides gigabit speeds everywhereFalse. Gigabit speeds (mmWave) are available only in dense urban areas with direct line-of-sight to towers.
- 5G indoor coverage is better than 4GOften false. Higher 5G frequencies are more attenuated by walls, making indoor coverage worse in many deployments.