As the backbone of modern connectivity, 4G brought us reliable mobile internet, enabling high-definition video streaming and real-time navigation. Now, 5G Technology is unlocking even faster speeds, near-instant response times, and the capacity to support billions of devices from smart homes to automated factories. As India rolls out 5G Technology, understanding the difference between 4G and 5G is essential for businesses, service providers, and consumers. Accordingly, businesses can design services that take full advantage of low-latency networks, consumers can choose the right plans for seamless experiences, and service providers can plan infrastructure investments that meet future demands.
This guide explores the technical difference between 4G and 5G, compares 5G versus 4G across key metrics, highlights the advantages of 5G over 4G, and outlines real-world impacts. You’ll also find answers to common questions about device compatibility, pricing, and network behaviour.
What is 4G?
4G (Fourth Generation) is the mobile network standard that delivered consistent high-speed internet across India starting around 2012. It introduced:
- Peak speeds up to 1 Gbps under ideal conditions
- Latency as low as 50 milliseconds, enabling smooth video calls
- Support for VoLTE, allowing voice calls over data networks
4G made HD streaming and ride-sharing apps commonplace in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Yet as data demand surged, thanks to smartphones, IoT devices, and remote work, network congestion and capacity limits became clear.
What is 5G?
The fifth generation (5G) is more than an incremental upgrade. So, how does 5G work? It uses:
- Millimetre-wave bands (24 GHz–100 GHz) for ultra-high bandwidth
- Massive MIMO antennas that serve dozens of users simultaneously
- Network slicing, which creates virtual networks tailored to specific needs
Trials by Indian carriers have shown peak speeds above 10 Gbps and latency under 10 ms. This jump enables applications like real-time translation, remote medical diagnostics, and autonomous vehicle coordination.
Technical Difference Between 4G and 5G
When you examine the technical difference between 4G and 5G, several areas stand out:
Latency
- 4G: Typically operates at 30–50 ms in most networks, sufficient for standard video calls but still causing noticeable lag in fast-paced online gaming.
- 5G: Achieves 1–10 ms, making interactions feel virtually instant and enabling mission-critical applications like remote robotic surgery or real-time industrial control with minimal delay.
Potential Download Speed
- 4G: Commercially available speeds up to 100 Mbps in ideal conditions, delivering HD streaming and web browsing with sub‑50 ms latency over LTE Advanced networks.
- 5G: Peak theoretical rates of 1–10 Gbps in labs, enabling 4K/8K streaming, real‑time VR, and ultra‑low latency under 10 ms, with typical global real‑world averages ranging 200–300 Mbps.
Spectrum Bands
- 4G: Uses primarily sub-6 GHz bands (700 MHz–3.5 GHz), which offer reliable coverage and good building penetration but limited peak capacity.
- 5G: Combines sub-6 GHz for wide-area coverage and millimetre-wave (24 GHz–71 GHz) for ultra-high throughput in dense urban hotspots, switching dynamically based on demand.
Base Stations
- 4G: Relies on macro towers spaced kilometres apart (2–4 miles/3–6 km), covering large areas but struggling with capacity in crowded environments.
- 5G: Deploys small cells every few hundred metres (10 m–200 m range) to densify the network, boost capacity, and fill coverage gaps indoors and on busy streets.
OFDM Encoding
- 4G & 5G: Both use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, but
- 5G: Adapts sub-carrier spacing (15 kHz up to 960 kHz) flexibly across different bands, reducing interference, lowering latency, and optimising performance for diverse scenarios.
Cell Density
- 4G: Can support roughly 100,000 devices per km², adequate for typical urban use but prone to congestion at large events.
- 5G: Scales to 1 million devices per km², enabling massive IoT deployments, think smart cities with millions of sensors, without compromising individual device performance.
Together, these changes explain why the technical difference between 4G and 5G translates into real benefits for users and industries alike.
