What are the advantages of 5G compared to Wi-Fi?

First of all, there is no need to choose between Wi-Fi and 5G. The two technologies will continue to co-exist and both will evolve. It comes down to choosing the most appropriate solution for each case. Will we soon be using 5G in the office to connect our laptops? No, for that Wi-Fi is suitable but 5G can, for example, serve as a backup solution. Will we be controlling drones via Wi-Fi? No, because 5G does that much better.

The main differences between the two are in terms of range and latency. Wi-Fi has a limited range. The range and capacity to send a lot of data simultaneously is much greater with 5G. However, the main difference lies in the guarantee that 5G can offer in terms of connectivity. 5G offers 99.999% reliability. With Wi-Fi, that percentage is much lower. In daily life, this is usually not a problem.

If your mailbox has no Wi-Fi connection for ten seconds, that is not a big deal. But for new technologies, think self-driving vehicles, robotic surgery and virtual reality, a permanent connection and low latency are crucial. That is what 5G guarantees.

5G also offers an advantage in terms of penetration rate. Buildings made from concrete, super-insulated glass or similar sometimes have problems with mobile indoor coverage. 5G could be the solution here because, following the auction, 5G will be rolled out on a 700Mhz band. That is a low frequency band and lower frequencies allow of better penetration.