Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Together Wi-Fi 6 and 5G Will Bring a Huge Wave of Innovation

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

There hasn't really been a really big failure in the internet age. Sure, there have been some things, like the Pentium that did math incorrectly, or the exploding Galaxy Note, but there has never been a really big failure, like a whole network technology not working. I dn't know about WiFi6, but I'm wonderting whether 5G might not be the first big network failure. Sure, it's fast. But 5G uses millimeter waves, instead of microwaves. This means that they have a limited range, and have trouble passing through buildings. You need a *lot* of base stations to make 5G work. They cost more than 4G/LTE and thy use a lot more power. None of this is insurmountable, but it does raise questions in my mind about the viability of these networks outside densely populated communities, which means that most of the world won't be on 5G. More.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: May 03, 2024 1:11 p.m.

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