5G networks are almost upon us. Will you be an early adopter?
CNET Asks: The fifth generation of cellular mobile communications is almost upon us. Will you get your hands on it as fast as you can?
5G is the fifth generation of cellular technology and with it comes a promise of increased speed, coverage and responsiveness of wireless networks. Proponents of 5G claim that this upgrade doesn't only come with big speed boosts to your cellular device, but will also greatly benefit other areas of tech such as self-driving cars, virtual and augmented reality as well as telemedicine devices.
You can check out our article here for a comprehensive list of what all the hype is about.
As of right now AT&T and Verizon have launched their 5G networks in a very small-scale level, and they have run into their fair share of snags, which you can read about here. This is all part of the troubleshooting process, though, so don't be alarmed.
While there is undoubtedly a ton of excitement over 5G, there are also naysayers who believe all the hype to be a bit preemptive. Their reasons for doubt range from it being too early to care, to the fact that these upgrades will likely come with a price increase, even to concerns of radiation sickness. Many are also worried that if they live in rural areas they will never see the benefits of a 5G network. Take a look below at some of the concerns and negative reactions by CNET readers.
It is beginning to sound more and more like 5G is more hype than bite and a way for the wireless industry to charge more money, for less reliability for a product that won't deliver on its promises. -- woodmeister50
Wait, you have to pay an additional $10 monthly with Verizon just to use 5G?? That's insane. I'll stick with my $45 Unlimited High Speed plan from Cricket (not the 8Mbps limited unlimited either!). -- Wiz-Minion
5G? Oh please! If you don't live in a mega-city you'll never see it. I live in a metro of about 120,000 in Iowa and still don't have consistent 3G!!! Write and dream all you want about 5G, but for most of the US it's just baloney. -- cole169
In addition to our site's readers, CNET's Facebook page has a ton of reactions to this topic. Their reactions reflect the general sentiments, varying from they are very excited, to it not working well enough yet, to the price not being worth it. Take a look at what a few of them had to say:
If you're in a metropolitan area like LA and you can get a good deal on the S10 5G I would do it. It's pretty amazing. If you're in a rural area don't waste your money because you'll be the last to get it. -- Cameron A.
I'll wait until the 5g phones are WAY cheaper..might be a while but so what..prices will eventually drop -- Ian C.
In some places, users would be quite content to see their networks begin to deliver consistent adherence to the subscribed to 4G standard. -- Ashwani S.
With all this being said, we want to know how you feel about the 5G network. Will you be getting 5G as soon as it's available to you? Do you have have similar concerns as other readers? Vote in the poll below and let your opinion be known!
Originally published April 13, 2019 and updated as the conversation continues.