Should I wait to buy a 5G handset?
It’s an unfortunate fact that early adopters always have to pay a high price for being among the first to benefit from new technologies.
In many cases, that price is a literal one. Cutting-edge tech generally gains economies-of-scale affordability as it enters the mainstream and becomes easier to mass produce.
Then there’s the risk of a new technology eventually failing. History is littered with examples, from Prestel and ITV Digital to HD-DVD and Google Glass.
Another common issue involves a lack of support for available hardware. 8K will be the dominant picture format one day, but an 8K TV is pointless today, since there’s no content.
It could be argued that similar sentiments currently apply to the fifth generation of mobile cellular connectivity, launched with much fanfare by EE in May 2019.
Although the number of consumers buying a 5G handset in the intervening nine months has been below industry expectations, many people have still acquired a 5G phone.
The question is, have they made the jump too quickly?
Five (barely) alive
The rollout of 5G across the UK has been extremely patchy.
This is due to various factors, not least Ofcom’s decision to only auction off one sliver of the vast 5G wireless network to the big four mobile networks.
The ensuing consumer experience has been sadly inevitable – dropped connections, high prices and connection speeds far below those excitedly predicted in media reports last year.
Of course, 5G upload and download speeds will increase over time. We’ll undoubtedly reach a point where 4G looks as anachronistic as dial-up modems in today’s broadband age.
But we’re not there yet, posing an interesting question about whether it’s worth buying a 5G handset here in early 2020.
The answer is probably no. And here’s why.
Drawbacks to buying a 5G handset
- Cost. Until the early-adopter premium dissipates, 5G handsets are considerably more expensive. This gap may actually widen at first, as 4G-only handsets drop in price.
In the fullness of time, 5G will become the default connection method, but for now, you’ll pay significantly more to own a handset with 5G.
- Performance. Anyone expecting blisteringly fast download speeds will be disappointed, since the solitary 3.4GHz frequency is often barely faster than a strong 4G connection.
And while 5G will be far faster once Ofcom auctions off more frequencies, devices competing over limited bandwidth cause sluggishness (ironically) reminiscent of 4G.
- Network availability. Every month seems to bring a new rollout of 5G connectivity by one of the big four mobile networks, but only in selected towns and cities.
Vodafone is proud of the fact its 5G services are available in 40 UK locations, while O2’s equivalent figure is just 21. The vast majority of the country has no 5G coverage at all.
- Device availability. Unfortunately, manufacturer smartphone line-ups are still packed with handsets unable to support 5G.
You’ll need special (ie. more expensive) versions of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and OnePlus 7 Pro to receive 5G signals, while there are no compatible iPhones on the market yet.
Few people dispute that 5G is going to transform mobile communications. Its speed, dependability and support for wireless IoT devices will be revolutionary – one day.
But for the next year or two, you’re arguably better off saving money by sticking with a 4G handset.