Counterclockwise: the story of 5G and the Gs that came before it

10 February 2019
Mobile phones started off on slow CSD, then Internet on the go became popular with 3G and ubiquitous with 4G.

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  • m
  • msrb21
  • EwD
  • 13 Feb 2019

This article is accurate. I hate it when people say HSPA is 4G.
AT&T is notorious for doing this with their fake 4G (HSPA) and now they claim that they have 5G! Marketing Strategy!!!!

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • tDR
    • 11 Feb 2019

    Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019What, isn't unlimited data pretty much everywhere by now? A... moreLel, I paid as expensive as $1/GB here, yes metered data.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • tDR
      • 11 Feb 2019

      naap51d, 11 Feb 2019Shoot, my city is so overloaded, during the day you are luc... moreI got lucky if I reached 5Mbps at noon

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        • AnonD-731363
        • SH3
        • 11 Feb 2019

        I rememb er those old ancient times when one hour of internet brownsing cost me about 1500 Slovak crowns in 90s era. In current money like 50 euros but if we count inflation and other things it could go up to like 100 euros maybe.
        Internet back was really suer expensive.
        Now here in Slovakia you can have in a cell phone unlimited data for just 8 euros on a cell phone with 100 free sms and minutes for any slovakian numbers and 100 minutes and sms for international numbers.
        At home unlimited internet cost from like 4-5 euros.

          Notchup, 11 Feb 2019I guess a lot of carriers choose between unlimited data+cap... moreYeah, and add to that the fact that the two network providers have their major cons. It's like in places where Globe isn't available, Smart is very strong, and vice versa.
          Now I'm forced to use two SIM Cards, which not only drains the battery even more, but also takes away the memory expandability of my phone (since my phone now has a hybrid SIM slot like most phones today).

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • uQ5
            • 11 Feb 2019

            dexdex27, 11 Feb 2019We have two of our three major carriers rolling out 5G towe... moreLet's wait and see. Thailand is already starting trial run, thanks to Huawei.

              Anonymous, 11 Feb 2019In terms of technology, Australia is not first world. We have two of our three major carriers rolling out 5G tower upgrades already, only waiting for handsets. And it's actual 5G not the at&t branded kind.

                Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019What, isn't unlimited data pretty much everywhere by now? A... moreI guess a lot of carriers choose between unlimited data+capped speed or limited data+uncapped speed. Here in my country (Philippines), Smart and Globe - the biggest telcom in the country - do not offer unlimited data anymore (unlike before) since the reception of 4G improved a lot. 4G is way faster than 3G in the Philippines but there are still a lot of times where we have shitty connection even with 4G+. The internet in the Philippines is slow but expensive af!

                  Ummm... what happen to 2G is there ever 2G connection ?

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                    • Anonymous
                    • 2Iq
                    • 11 Feb 2019

                    Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019Not sure what you mean by "everywhere". Australia is a fir... moreIn terms of technology, Australia is not first world.

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                      • Anonymous
                      • Fv4
                      • 11 Feb 2019

                      Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019Not sure what you mean by "everywhere". Australia is a fir... moreWe do, but they're $200 a month!

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                        • Anonymous
                        • sEG
                        • 11 Feb 2019

                        Yeti, 10 Feb 2019Data caps still exist here in Australia, I get 30GB/month ... moreIn short, asia pacific got data caps everywhere

                          Shoot, my city is so overloaded, during the day you are lucky to get 20meg down.

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                            • Anon
                            • NPZ
                            • 10 Feb 2019

                            Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019Not sure what you mean by "everywhere". Australia is a fir... moreAustralia does have unlimited mobile data plans. However they are speed throttled upon reaching a nominated limit and priced according to that limit.

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                              • Yeti
                              • bJC
                              • 10 Feb 2019

                              Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019What, isn't unlimited data pretty much everywhere by now? A... moreData caps still exist here in Australia, I get 30GB/month which is more than ample. (Although I only get this as when I renewed my sim only/BYOD plan they were offering double data, so normally it would be 15GB/month.) And I know my family back in New Zealand have data caps as well.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 3Z%
                                • 10 Feb 2019

                                Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019Not sure what you mean by "everywhere". Australia is a fir... moreI legitimately thought there was a worldwide thing with unlimited data, that's all... Okay then, I thought wrong. I personally really can't remember when was the last time my plan did not include unlimited data too, so I assumed it'd be a normal thing by now.

                                  I don't care much about 5G. It would be enough for me to have stable 4G speed and better coverage. I live in city and if I go to the center, the network is really struggling to handle stable connecting. Instead of new and incomplete coverage 5G, I would prefer to have proper network on 4G.... I don't watch 4k movies on mobiles, or even HD on YouTube..

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • LEi
                                    • 10 Feb 2019

                                    Anonymous, 10 Feb 2019What, isn't unlimited data pretty much everywhere by now? A... moreNot sure what you mean by "everywhere".
                                    Australia is a first world country and it still doesn't have any unlimited data plans. Same here in Colombia.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 3b1
                                      • 10 Feb 2019

                                      When many devices use it its 8000 ping, slow.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • 3Z%
                                        • 10 Feb 2019

                                        chester, 10 Feb 2019Great article GSMArena... what about 5G which starts at 5Gb... moreWhat, isn't unlimited data pretty much everywhere by now? At least in Finland, a limited data plan hasn't really been a thing for years now. Even the most basic plans seem to offer unlimited data, only with capped speed... Like it should be.