5G: Surf Faster Than Ever Before

Newer, faster, better – 5G is conquering the industry and now also your smartphone. With Digital Republic Flat 2000, you can now surf the 5G network at maximum speed. Find out everything you need to know about the new mobile communications standard below.

5G is the new mobile communications standard. Introduced in Switzerland in 2019, it will provide faster and more reliable internet. Although the new generation of mobile communications is based on the conventional LTE standard (Long Term Evolution), new, so-called “adaptive antennas” are used for 5G. These can transmit information to users in such a targeted manner that they receive the best possible transmission rate. In this way, surfing is now possible at a speed of 2 Gbit/s, and in the future even at 10 Gbit/s. 5G is therefore two to ten times faster than the 4G we are familiar with!

However, this does not mean that 5G will completely replace the previous mobile standards. Rather, 5G is to be understood as a further development of existing technologies that will enable higher data transmission capacities in the future through joint use. With 5G, you’ll surf with lower energy consumption, be affected by less network interference, and Internet applications will respond faster. If you’re interested in technical details, more on that later!

Of course, surfing faster than ever sounds tempting. But wait…, in order for you to exploit the full potential of 5G, a few conditions should be met.

First, your device has to be 5G-capable. Not all manufacturers have adopted the standard yet, but most new devices from manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Google or Huawei can already surf on the 5G network. Digitec provides you with a suitable overview of the compatible devices. This way, you can quickly find out whether your smartphone or tablet can receive 5G. Please note that not all 5G devices – especially those purchased abroad – are currently approved for use in Switzerland.

You also need to be near a 5G antenna to receive a connection. Check out a coverage map to find out if 5G is available in your location. Please note that the map refers to outdoor coverage. If you are inside a building, you have to expect possible impairments, for example due to the insulation of the building.

To find out whether 5G is worthwhile for you, you should first check whether all the necessary conditions are met. If you can tick all the boxes, then nothing can prevent you from enjoying unrestricted surfing with 5G.

The Flat 2000 can now be activated on your existing SIM card in the customer portal. The tariff costs CHF 40 per month and offers you a maximum download speed of 2 Gbit/s and an upload speed of 300 Mbit/s. If you are not satisfied, you can change your subscription to the next month as usual.

You wondered why 5G is even necessary and attracts so much public attention? Both companies and individual consumers are consuming more and more data. Conventional technologies are reaching their limits and network operators are facing increasing challenges. 5G, as the newest and fastest mobile communications standard, can better cope with the increasing data traffic worldwide.

Not only does 5G enable higher Internet speeds of 2 or 10 Gbit/s, but the new generation also allows an increase in capacity so that multiple devices can transmit more data simultaneously. In addition, 5G also allows surfing with lower latency. Websites respond faster and communication in general becomes more lag-free.

Probably the greatest innovation of the new mobile communications standard, however, is the “network slicing” mechanism. The network is divided into several layers (slices), each of which has specific characteristics and thus meets different requirements. In this way, individual applications can be allocated network capacity flexibly and on a demand-driven basis. This enables customer-specific solutions and improved customer experiences.

Accordingly, 5G has potential for new areas of application, especially in the IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M (communication between two devices) sectors. Devices can be networked smarter than ever and supplied with bandwidth as needed.