As discussed in the Wireless Technologies section above, “generational” shifts in network standards allow for newer and better services to be offered, primarily through the increased bandwidth provided. The fifth-generation (5G) standard of broadband cellular networks is currently enabling a vastly increased number of wireless devices in our world, with smartphones being only one type of device to connect to these networks. Telecommunications providers started rolling out 5G in 2019, and by 2020, most major cities in the world, including Edmonton and Calgary, had 5G services available84. Figure 15 shows the deployment of 5G enabled cell towers in Alberta, as of March 202185.
Figure 15. 5G enabled cell tower deployments in Alberta in March 2021. The blue dots represent multiple tower locations and are mostly found in higher population centres. Source: Ookla Speedtest.
5G, like its predecessors, will not achieve its highest expected performance levels immediately. Its rollout began with lower frequency radios, similar to those used by 4G, before ramping up to higher frequencies in the years ahead.
Different levels of radio frequencies offer advantages and disadvantages. The lower the frequency, the farther it will reach and the more easily it can pass through objects. The higher the frequency, the more data it can transmit per second, but its range is limited and it is more easily blocked by walls and windows. The 600-800 Megahertz (MHz) frequency, considered the low-band solution, gives 5G download speeds slightly better than 4G, allowing 30-250 Mbps.
Mid-band 5G, at 2.5 – 3.7 Gigahertz (GHz), can achieve download speeds from 100-900 Mbps. This is the level of service most widely deployed now, and some service providers are bypassing low-band entirely to start deploying at this level. High-band 5G solutions are in the 25-39GHz range, also known as millimeter wave frequencies, and can provide up to 10 Gbps download speeds.
All of these ranges and speeds are based on tests done in 2020. It is likely that, as the standard evolves over the next several years, combined with the use of higher band frequencies and/or improved technologies, even greater bandwidth speeds will be achieved.
Since high frequency, high bandwidth 5G solutions require more radios spaced closer together, it is much more expensive for service providers to deploy this solution. It is therefore more likely that the highest levels of service solutions will only be deployed in densely populated urban areas and where crowds of people congregate, such as sports stadiums and convention centres.
References
84Wikipedia. 5G - Wikipedia. Accessed 07 March 2021.
85Ookla Speedtest. Ookla 5G Map - Tracking 5G Network Rollouts Around the World (speedtest.net). Accessed 02 March 2021.