In the last few years, we’ve been hearing about 5G more and more. This should come as little shock. After all, the latter is the latest in mobile technology. Three years ago, it was relatively obscure. 5G phones were selling for fifteen hundred dollars here. Even with a forty percent discount, owning that smartphone meant shelling out nine hundred bucks. As the technology grew more prevalent, 5G enabled phones became cheaper. Nowadays, it’s possible to purchase such mid range mobiles for over three hundred bucks. Of course, there are still premium Android phones that will break the bank. On the whole though, 5G models are more affordable.

Two-headed monster

So far, I’ve bought two 5G phones. The first one cost me $429 at JB Hifi. It had 8gb of ram, a 120hz display. Additionally, it had 128 gb of storage and a 30w fast charger. My previous mobile, a budget Oppo phone, only had an 18w charger. The former came in an azure colour way. I used a Vodafone SIM for the Realme. The latter’s 5G network wasn’t as widespread as its competitors. I only took advantage of their 5G when I was outdoors. Even then, it wasn’t always 5G-covered. Good luck with trying them in our area.

The next phone (my current one) was purchased at Big W. I took home another Oppo. This time, it was 5G enabled. Initially, I tried out Lebara. They utilised the Vodafone wholesale network. Sadly, I couldn’t make the most of the 5G as it wasn’t yet available in the areas that I frequented.

I met up with a friend who had a similar looking Oppo phone.

‘What’s your phone’s model?’

‘Uh. Oppo something something,’ he replied.

‘It looks like an Oppo A74 5G,’ I said.

‘Yeah, sounds right,’ he retorted.

Our new phones also has 128gb of storage, but just 6gb of ram. Furthermore, it has a 90 hz display with an 18watts charger. The battery is the same at 5000mah. I got the black colour, as I didn’t realise that there was another shade.

5G areas

I stayed about a month with my Aunt in Mount Colah. Interestingly, Vodafone had 5G in her area. It seemed odd that the inner city was still dreaming while the boondocks was hi-tech. I wasn’t able to take advantage of their 5G as my aunt utilised a 4g connection.

I have since ditched Lebara in favour of Aldi. The latter utilises the Telstra wholesale network, which supposedly covers 98.5 percent of Oz. They have a few prepaid plans. I’ve used them before, with my old iPhone 8 Plus. As expected, their 5G coverage is broader than Lebara. If I’m not mistaken, Telstra was the first provider to offer 5G. For a while, it was only the three big telcos who featured the new frequency. In the past years, other smaller providers had gotten in on the act.

In order to get the full 5G experience, you’ll need three things. Firstly, your must have a 5G enabled device. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve used two 5G smartphones. Last year, I had considered getting the latest iPad mini, which featured the novel frequency. However, most stores had ran out of stock. Secondly, you’ll need a 5G plan. Thirdly, 5G coverage in your area is essential as well.

3 + 4G

3G was a big thing when it came out aeons ago. Everybody thought the new iPhone 3G was the galaxy’s best phone. The maximum storage for this was 32gb, which is less than the minimum for most smartphones nowadays. A few years later, 4G came along. My old iPad as well as an iPad mini included 4G support. Moreover, a Motorola was my first 4g phone. In 2014 or so, 4GX was unveiled, supposedly much speedier than 4G. Meanwhile, Optus had 4G Plus.

Which leaves us to 5G. This frequency has become the norm with iPhones starting with the iPhone 12. You don’t have to stick with the iPhone ecosystem though. There are plenty of Android phones which offer good value at a fraction of the cost. Just like some items, you’re merely paying for the brand name. The telcos have 5g home plans that come with the appropriate modem. Meanwhile, the NBN is ubiquitous in homes around the nation. It promises exceptional speeds with lesser latency. 5G is seen as a viable alternative to the national broadband network. Whether it’s the latter or the former, mobile technology has come a long way since the iPhone’s advent.