By now, you may have heard a little bit about Wi-Fi 6, which, in a nutshell, is the next generation of wireless technology. You may also have heard a lot of buzz around 5G. The fact is: these two technologies are already providing millions of people with wireless home internet.
So, how do these technologies work together to deliver connectivity to homes across the nation? First let's clear up some basic terminology—then we'll take a closer look at Wi-Fi 6 and 5G to get a better understanding of how it all works together.
Wi-Fi vs. Internet
Putting it simply, Wi-Fi is a way to connect to the internet wirelessly, while the internet itself is the huge network with all the information and services you want access through that connection. At home, we usually pay for internet service so all of our favorite wireless devices (like laptops, gaming consoles, phones, doorbells, and more) can have internet access.
What is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of Wi-Fi. But what does that mean for your home exactly? Back in the day, when people first started using Wi-Fi, the connection was only supporting one, maybe two devices—and it was pretty dicey. These days, thanks to things like smart appliances, garage door openers, home assistants, security cameras and doorbells, the average American home has more than two dozen connected devices—and every single one of them (that connects to Wi-Fi) takes up bandwidth. That's why each new generation of Wi-Fi that rolls out (like Wi-Fi 6) needs to handle higher volumes of traffic.
What is 5G?
5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology. Broadly speaking, this technology enables high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity for mobile devices, including everything from driverless vehicles to all those connected home devices we discussed earlier. 5G technology can also help power things like wireless gateways (router/modem combos) in our homes, which we'll discuss next.
Home Internet Powered by Wi-Fi 6 and 5G
Many connected devices already come with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G capabilities baked in—including newer home gateways that deliver wireless internet connectivity to homes nationwide. For example, T-Mobile utilizes a 100% wireless 5G Gateway that works in tandem with Wi-Fi 6 and is compatible with T-Mobile's 4G LTE and 5G networks. And as 5G becomes widely available, more and more people are able to enjoy wireless connectivity at home.
Right now, more than 50-million households are eligible for T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. Find out if it's available in your area now and take a test drive to see if it works for you.
Sources
https://comfyliving.net/smart-home-statistics/
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/wireless-network/5g-technology/5g-vs-wifi.html
https://www.engeniustech.com/wifi-6-vs-5g/
https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/report/wi-fi-6-market-12822
https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/compare-internet-provider-types
https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-revs-up-millimeter-wave-with-5g-standalone
https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/internet-connection-types-explained/