Quote:5G has the potential to offer speeds up to 40 times faster than 4G -- fast enough to stream "8K" video in 3-D or download a 3-D movie in about 6 seconds (on 4G, it would take 6 minutes).

Unfortunately for consumers, there's a difference between lab experiments and reality. Peak speeds are fun to dream about, but in the real world, actual speeds are much slower than promised.

Nokia (NOK), one of the biggest 5G players, believes that its 5G technology will allow for real-world speeds of about 100 Megabits per second when the network is most congested -- that's about four times faster than 4G's top speed.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/04/technolo...index.html

The next generation wireless networks will have the speed to compete directly with DSL.

5G won't be in the marketplace until 2019 or 2020. In the meantime consuming data will be more cost effective by splitting carriers for the best available deal over sourcing all data needs with one provider.

EDIT: Sprint is offering LTE Plus with speeds up to 100 Mbps at this moment. Its also allowing existing T-Mobile, AT&T & Verizon customers to join its network at 50% data plan costs.

A 18 GB plan on Verizon with 1 phone and 1 mobile internet device was $130 but moving to Sprint that cost drops to $65. This might be the price tier needed to drive DSL out of the market.

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases...-plans.htm

You'd be better off just to wait for LiFi.... Suppose to have speeds up to 100x faster then what we have now. Just google it, pretty awesome!

I am perfectly happy with 3G speeds, but I don't use many apps or any games on my phone.

in somewhat related news, article today says that broadband subscriptions in the home reached a plateau in 2013 and a growing number of internet users are getting their data on their smart phone only.

(12-22-2015 11:58 AM)goofus Wrote:  in somewhat related news, article today says that broadband subscriptions in the home reached a plateau in 2013 and a growing number of internet users are getting their data on their smart phone only.

Makes sense. Purchase a large amount of monthly data from a mobile phone carrier, use that data for both "home computers" and smart phones; that is probably less expensive than paying for both broadband and mobile phone service.

(12-22-2015 12:34 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(12-22-2015 11:58 AM)goofus Wrote:  in somewhat related news, article today says that broadband subscriptions in the home reached a plateau in 2013 and a growing number of internet users are getting their data on their smart phone only.

Makes sense. Purchase a large amount of monthly data from a mobile phone carrier, use that data for both "home computers" and smart phones; that is probably less expensive than paying for both broadband and mobile phone service.

... if you don't use more than the amount of data you purchased!

5G is nice and fine.

The problem will continue to be, as it is now, the cost per GB. Who cares if you can download 100Mbit/sec on your phone when you've only paid for 10GB of data a month? (for $100, no less)

(12-23-2015 03:29 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  5G is nice and fine.

The problem will continue to be, as it is now, the cost per GB. Who cares if you can download 100Mbit/sec on your phone when you've only paid for 10GB of data a month? (for $100, no less)

If you are an existing AT&T user, Sprint will give you 15 GB for 50 dollars.

Prices on data are coming down. Speeds are coming up. The question is are we there yet for the consumers and like you are stating there is plenty of evidence we are not.

(12-23-2015 03:57 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(12-23-2015 03:29 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  5G is nice and fine.

The problem will continue to be, as it is now, the cost per GB. Who cares if you can download 100Mbit/sec on your phone when you've only paid for 10GB of data a month? (for $100, no less)

If you are an existing AT&T user, Sprint will give you 15 GB for 50 dollars.

Prices on data are coming down. Speeds are coming up. The question is are we there yet for the consumers and like you are stating there is plenty of evidence we are not.

And the problem on the technology side, once cost/GB comes down fast enough (speed is already there for most people): antenna capacity to service all this additional traffic.

Antennas and towers ain't cheap to build or run, either.

I wish cheaper Sprint prices were an option, but where I live, Sprint sucks. ATT and Verizon are the only really dependable networks in the areas surrounding Wichita.

(12-28-2015 03:13 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  I wish cheaper Sprint prices were an option, but where I live, Sprint sucks. ATT and Verizon are the only really dependable networks in the areas surrounding Wichita.

Yup this is the case in NYC and NJ... Sprint is by far the worst service in the area, and T-Mobile is actually the fastest, with Verizon being the most dependable and T-Mobile now better than AT&T in reliability. I just switched over and its an incredible difference.

I was over at the Sprint store today and their is catch about their pricing.

To get the pricing you have to purchase a new phone. Adding mobile broadband to the plan would only be permitted if a phone was purchased first AND would require the purchase of a Sprint mobile internet device.

An example of the quote a sales clerk provided me (for existing AT&T/Cricket users):

15 GB Data ($50 dollars)
1 Phone Line ($7.50 dollars)
New Smartphone ($15 dollars)
1 Mobile Internet Device ($10 dollars)
New Mobile Internet Device ($5 dollars)

Total Price: $87.50 (not including fees/taxes)

At the moment I have 2 GB data with Cricket Smartphone and 3 GB data with T-Mobile. This is for 82 dollars. If I could pay 5 dollars more I could bump my data to 6 GB and qualify for free unlimited Netflix, Sling and Hulu streaming.

2 GB Cricket Smartphone Plan ($45 dollars)
6 GB T-Mobile Internet Device w/ Streaming ($42 dollars)

Total Price: $87.00 (Including fees/taxes)

Then if you go with the Sprint plan you're looking at paying the full $20 dollars plus taxes. If you accept the T-Mobile offer Sling is only $14 dollars. Its less then to go with T-Mobile Binge Now than a high data plan at a reduced rate with AT&T. T-Mobile is also more flexible where you can scale your data usage up and down while Sprint requires you to stick with the original data allotment from the 50% discount plus commit 2 years to phones and mobile internet devices.

The T-Mobile route is safer if you don't want to step away from your DSL but you want to ditch cable. Basic cable packed into my DSL is only $10 dollars extra but doesn't include ESPN/ESPN2 so a sling subscription through T-Mobile is comparable.

Now if you want to take your smartphone to Boost Mobile where there is no activation fees or hidden charges its possible to get 2GB for $30 dollars for the smartphone. Then it frees up money in the budget to bump up the T-Mobile data allocation. 14 GB would go a lot further if you aren't streaming from it.

2 GB Boost Mobile Smartphone Plan ($30 dollars)
14 GB T-Mobile Internet Device w/ Streaming ($73 dollars)
Internet TV Streaming w/Sling ($14 dollars)

Total Price: $117.00 (Including fees/taxes)

This compares to $82 + $79 = $161 for Internet, Smartphone & Cable a savings of $44 dollars a month (528 a year after taxes). It might be possible to get away with 10 GB for 15 dollars less if you be careful about your home downloads for another $180 dollars of savings a year.

If Sprint didn't require that you had to buy 2 year commitment devices it would be worth considering but not when you do. With the quality of smartphones these days even on the low end new models aren't enough of an upgrade to get excited over. There is the hassle of getting accustomed to a new phone and the chance it could be defective.

It makes more sense these days to go as long as possible with a payment free phone and then pick up another low end smartphone for under $200 dollars as a replacement, IMO.

I'm assuming you mean that a new smartphone is $15 ... per month, on a 2-year contract ($15 * 24 = $360 total).