5G
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Telecom
| Stands for | Fifth generation of mobile telephony |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
5G stands for Fifth generation of mobile telephony, a telecom abbreviation.
Current cellular standard designed for much higher speeds, lower latency and many more connected devices than 4G, using low-band, mid-band and millimeter-wave spectrum. It supports phones, fixed wireless home internet and industrial applications.
Example: The phone shows 5G downtown, and the speed test hit 800 Mbit/s.
Usage notes
3GPP finalized the first 5G specifications in Release 15 (2018), and South Korean operators and Verizon launched commercial smartphone service in April 2019. The ITU's IMT-2020 targets include 20 Gbit/s peak downloads and 1 ms latency. Real-world speeds vary widely by band: mid-band "C-band" spectrum, auctioned in the US for about 81 billion dollars in 2021, delivers the main gains. Unfounded claims linking 5G to COVID-19 led to arson attacks on masts in 2020.
Related abbreviations
More telecom abbreviations
- 10DLC – 10-digit long code
- 1G – First generation of mobile telephony
- 2G – Second generation of mobile telephony
- 3G – Third generation of mobile telephony
- 3GPP – 3rd Generation Partnership Project
- 4G – Fourth generation of mobile telephony
- 6G – Sixth generation of mobile telephony
- 802.11ac – IEEE 802.11ac (Very High Throughput Wi-Fi)
- 802.11ax – IEEE 802.11ax (High Efficiency Wi-Fi)
- 802.11be – IEEE 802.11be (Extremely High Throughput Wi-Fi)
- 802.11n – IEEE 802.11n (High Throughput Wi-Fi)
- A2P – Application-to-person