4G and 5G mobile data

4G and 5G are both mobile telephony connection standards. 4G was designed primarily for phones to provide voice and data services and was/is starting to reach its limits in terms of usage and growth. 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-Advanced standards are the current main technology for UK mobile networks with over 93% of the UK landmass and 99% of the population having coverage from at least one operator.

5G is the latest mobile standard and is designed to connect many more devices at far higher speeds with lower latency than 4G, amongst other benefits. However, the rollout of 5G services is still underway and at the time of writing 5G coverage is not as widely available as 4G. 

Antenna

Fixed wireless 4G/5G access will usually require antennae mounted outside that point directly to your service provider’s mast. External antennae, that is directional and of larger size will mean that you will get a stronger and more consistent signal than using a 4G/5G device within your building, such as your phone/dongle. Dedicated internal antennae are also available and may, in some circumstances, be effective. The antenna will be connected to a router within your building, which in turn could be connected to your internal network, via Wi-Fi or cabling. 

Current solutions

Consideration should be given to the proposed solution as 5G, as a technology, is still being rolled out on nationwide basis, especially in the higher frequency ranges to allow for higher data rates. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of the solution can help save any provider disputes further down the line. 

The distance to the mast will also determine the speeds you can expect. The closer you are to a mast the stronger the signal. In general, about 4 to 5 miles for 4G and 3 to 4 miles for current 5G is considered to be the maximum distance to achieve usable data speeds. 

It is worth noting that when the higher frequencies (mmWave) for 5G are released to providers (date yet to be confirmed) this distance may become significantly less as the higher the frequency the less distance it can travel. It is possible that for high frequencies that maximum distances of less than half a mile may be suggested as optimal. 

To check how far you are from a mast you can use the coverage maps at Ofcom. 

Speed

When talking about speeds there are theoretical maximum speeds, expected peak speeds and average speeds.