A: 5G stands for “5th Generation of cellular standards.” The eagerly anticipated arrival of the 5G network revolves around its performance enhancements over 4G LTE. With a data speed of 20Gbps peak / 1 Gbps average, 5G will provide fiber-like speed over a cellular connection, lower latency for the real-time response necessary for AI and VR applications, and the connection density to meet the massive demand for the IoT.

A: In order to introduce a true 5G booster to the market, two main objectives must be completed. First and foremost, regulatory approval. As of today, consumer signal boosters are only allowed to operate on certain existing sets of frequency or bands. FCC approval is needed before our boosters can operate on the new FR1 and FR2 bands specified for 5G service. Fortunately, Wilson Electronics had anticipated this need back in 2016 and has led the industry by petitioning the FCC for new frequency bands. Today, we continue to work diligently with the FCC—as well as other industry stakeholders and network operators—to determine which new bands we can use, complete any necessary impact studies, and finalize specification details.

In addition to regulatory approvals, IP needs to be developed. We are currently working on this IP in parallel with the completing the regulatory process. Once the FCC approves a true 5G booster for use in the consumer market, we will be among the first to offer it.

A: In a competitive environment, it’s only natural for carriers to want to be first to market. Some will stretch the boundaries in order to make that claim. An example of this is the “5Ge” icon being featured in AT&T’s marketing. The actual definition of 5Ge is “5G evolution”, meaning every enhancement in their network’s overall performance is considered an evolution towards 5G. Yet, it’s not true 5G as per industry specifications.

To improve performance on the existing 4G LTE network, several operators perform what is called “carrier aggregation.” This means combining up to three separate bands all at once in an effort to provide faster data rates. Additionally, some are deploying higher capacity antenna arrays on base stations (referred to as massive MIMO) and going to higher orders of modulation (more bits per MHz). Many will claim these service improvements qualify as 5G, but they’re just enhancements to existing 4G LTE network.

A: Since mobile carriers are planning to use the existing 4G LTE networks to carry the majority of cell service to consumers well into 2030, our current boosters will continue to work for years to come. The 5G network is being built alongside today’s 4G LTE network and will rely on the 4G LTE network as part of its failover or redundancy plan. The first priority of 5G will be for its use as a replacement for fixed wireline service.