What is 5G?
5G is the transformational next generation of mobile technology providing faster data speeds, improved connections and better coverage.
The fifth generation of mobile technology will give you a more reliable mobile connection and the ability to instantly open apps and load websites, reliability when playing games online and the ability to connect with smart home devices.
Benefits of 5G
5G has a lower latency (the time it takes for a network to respond to information) so it will be a gamechanger for highly sensitive jobs that involve minute inputs and real-time feedback. In the future 5G will have the bandwidth to comfortably handle new augmented and virtual reality experiences too.
Faster and better quality
The unprecedented performance of 5G can take your favourite experiences to a whole new level – whether at home or on the move, for work or play.
5G will enable speeds like you’ve never seen before on your smartphone - up to 10 times faster than 4G. This means you’ll be able to reliably stream video at higher resolutions, enjoy higher quality video calls, play multiplayer games on the go, get real-time map information wherever you are and download content faster including downloading films in seconds rather than minutes. 5G will work at average speeds of 150-200Mbps and peak speeds will reach 1Gbps.
Instant connection
5G means that everything that should connect, can connect seamlessly which means:
- Flash loading is near instant as downloads that used to take minutes now take seconds, there is also no buffering or dropping out
- You will be able to stream 4K movies with virtually no buffering
- You will be able to do video chat in HD with near zero lag
- Responsive gaming - your online multi-player gaming is more responsive and you can play on the go
The digital future
It’s the more futuristic elements of 5G technology that are attracting headlines; smart healthcare, drone application and driverless cars have all captured the media’s interest and the public imagination. This new technology has the power to connect buildings, transport and services in ways we’ve never seen, completely revolutionising everything from the way traffic flows on our roads, to the way we receive health care. However, this first step in the 5G revolution will be far less headline-grabbing but far more impactful on our daily lives.
Fast, reliable, wireless connections will become the norm with 5G and, more importantly, those connections are going to be everywhere. 5G will provide multi-gigabit speeds as standard, so it will be like everyone has their own personal fibre broadband connection. Sure 5G will support more connections, more devices and more people on our network.
How does 5G work?
Faster
5G works on larger channels to carry higher speeds. Get faster mobile speeds than you’ve ever experienced before – play multiplayer action games on the go, get real time map information and download movies in seconds.
Greater network capacity
So you can be confidently connected in a crowd with reliable data and call connections.
Lower latency
The new technology used by 5G networks are designed to create less latency so less time for a network to respond to information.
Sure 5G Trial
Sure is conducting a trial which started in mid November 2019 in Vale and St Peter Port to assess how customers will use this transformational technology. The trial is already achieving never-before-seen mobile internet speeds on its network of 910Mbps. Sure 5G is expected to start to be available across the island in 2020. If you would like to use Sure 5G as soon as it is available, please register your details and we will be in touch when Sure 5G launches.
5G phones
Right now, all our 5G phones come on a 4G tariff with a 4G SIM because our 5G network is still to come. When we launch our 5G network customers will need to move to a 5G SIM on a new 5G tariff.
Read the latest news about the development of our 5G network.
5G Investment in Guernsey
Watch this video featuring our Chief Digital Officer, Justin Bellinger, talking about how he sees the future of 5G in Guernsey.
5G Frequently Asked Questions
Click on one of the 5G questions below and the answer will appear in the dropdown.
Today Jersey is very well served by fast 4G+ mobile technology and robust fibre broadband networks but technology and demands are changing rapidly and we need to continue to adapt for an increasingly digital future.
When 4G arrived it was revolutionary. It has shaped how people across the island communicate, watch, learn and share. 5G will build on that. It is predicted that the number of devices online will increase at least tenfold with the introduction of 5G and this will result in smarter societies in which technology is employed to make all of our lives easier and better. The internet of things is set to explode with everything and anything connected.
5G has the potential to give our customers 1Gbps speeds to their smartphones – that’s an incredible milestone to reach.
5G isn’t a replacement for 4G – it’s an addition to our existing rated best mobile network*. It will bring new and exciting developments and facilitate innovative ways of connecting our community.
*CICRA Telecoms Customer Satisfaction (conducted June/July 2018) – ‘Satisfaction with reception & network’: 82% Sure (128 customers), 79% JT (231), 65% Airtel (121).
Whether you’re making a call, sending a text, using an app or connecting to the internet, all wireless communications take place over radio frequencies. 5G uses frequencies that are faster and can carry more information. 5G will also support more devices being used at the same time.
A 5G network can also be ‘sliced’, which means operators like Sure can isolate parts of the network and dedicate them to specific tasks. For example, one part of the network can be used for phones connecting to the internet and another part could be used for driverless cars when that technology is available in the island.
Right now, all our 5G phones come on a 4G tariff with a 4G SIM because our 5G network is still to come. When we launch our 5G network customers will need to move to a 5G SIM on a new 5G tariff.
Sure is committed to safety and our current and future mobile networks will continue to meet the safety standards set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP) which are regulated and independently verified by CICRA in the Channel Islands.
For more information on CICRA’s responsibilities in relation to 5G please refer to: https://www.cicra.gg/mobile-phone-base-station-radio-waves-and-health-information/”
If you'd like to understand more about 5G terminology visit our Glossary page.
