5 ms·

Its a good point plus upgrading to 5g will require purchasing new smartphones so it can be quite a costly affair for the consumer.

by oneowl 8y ago

tapland 8y ago
They will discontinue all the older networks? I can run my new device from this year old good old 2G if I want to. I don't think you are correct in this.
- wtallis 8y ago
  Who still operates 2G networks? It's not at all profitable to use such spectrum-inefficient tech in any area that has enough density of customers to warrant running a cell tower in the first place. 3G networks are starting to be phased out already, because upgrading radios is cheaper than acquiring spectrum that's currently allocated to incumbent non-cellular uses—and holdouts running obsolete phones aren't numerous enough to worry carriers.
  - lstodd 8y ago
    Many new deployments in Africa, Asia and Oceania as we speak. 4G sucks at coverage and handset count is nowhere near enough to justify 4G hardware and power consumption in most places. 3G yes, it sort of fell through between 2G and 4G - smaller coverage compared to 2G, smaller data throughput compared to 4G.
- oneowl 8y ago
  Yes. Telephone companies can do this. You are correct about it. I don't have an answer to your question so I'm just speculating over here and it's quite possible that I'm wrong I think as soon as that happens (someone shuts off a network) someone else will set up new networks to provide the old service. Open source technologies exist to set up base stations right now [1] I think we're headed towards an open spectrum future. Soon most communication could take place on unliscenced networks [2]. Or more and more networks could become unliscenced. The G networks are not the only way to communicate. It is also important to note that the G networks are now simply internet enablers. I don't have any data on this but I'd love a comparision of telephony and data services on use today. How much data people use in calling vs using Facebook for example? Also consider that all telephony comapnies are betting big on IOT.How many IOT devices works on a G network? If you have a modern device all you need is WiFi. That however does not mean that telephone companies would cease to exist. Someone still has to provide infrastructure. They just won't have to spend so much on acquiring liscence s. Which also means more competition from unliscenced providers. Device manufacturers would be able to work on a common network technology stack. By the way I don't have anything against 5g. I also don't quite understand health implications so I'm unqalified to talk about it. But I don't like having to buy a new device just to use a new network. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS [2]https://www.weforum.org/projects/internet-for-all https://www.weforum.org/projects/internet-for-all
  - ignoramous 7y ago
    I do not quite grasp the telecom technology/infrastructure yet, but in terms of OpenBTS (which provides software-based base station) and Osmocomm (open source baseband), where does https://www.opennetworking.org https://www.opennetworking.org and https://telecominfraproject.com https://telecominfraproject.com stand in terms of open source infrastructure for 5G?
zamadatix 8y ago
It took over 15 years from first 3G phone to the start of shut down of 3G. It's looking even longer for 4G which may easily last 2 decades. I'm not sure which consumers you're worried about here but it's likely not any real consumers.

Its a good point plus upgrading to 5g will require purchasing new smartphones so it can be quite a costly affair for the consumer.

by oneowl 8y ago

Its a good point plus upgrading to 5g will require purchasing new smartphones so it can be quite a costly affair for the consumer.

tapland 8y ago

They will discontinue all the older networks? I can run my new device from this year old good old 2G if I want to. I don't think you are correct in this.

wtallis 8y ago
Who still operates 2G networks? It's not at all profitable to use such spectrum-inefficient tech in any area that has enough density of customers to warrant running a cell tower in the first place. 3G networks are starting to be phased out already, because upgrading radios is cheaper than acquiring spectrum that's currently allocated to incumbent non-cellular uses—and holdouts running obsolete phones aren't numerous enough to worry carriers.
- lstodd 8y ago
  Many new deployments in Africa, Asia and Oceania as we speak. 4G sucks at coverage and handset count is nowhere near enough to justify 4G hardware and power consumption in most places. 3G yes, it sort of fell through between 2G and 4G - smaller coverage compared to 2G, smaller data throughput compared to 4G.
oneowl 8y ago
Yes. Telephone companies can do this. You are correct about it. I don't have an answer to your question so I'm just speculating over here and it's quite possible that I'm wrong I think as soon as that happens (someone shuts off a network) someone else will set up new networks to provide the old service. Open source technologies exist to set up base stations right now [1] I think we're headed towards an open spectrum future. Soon most communication could take place on unliscenced networks [2]. Or more and more networks could become unliscenced. The G networks are not the only way to communicate. It is also important to note that the G networks are now simply internet enablers. I don't have any data on this but I'd love a comparision of telephony and data services on use today. How much data people use in calling vs using Facebook for example? Also consider that all telephony comapnies are betting big on IOT.How many IOT devices works on a G network? If you have a modern device all you need is WiFi. That however does not mean that telephone companies would cease to exist. Someone still has to provide infrastructure. They just won't have to spend so much on acquiring liscence s. Which also means more competition from unliscenced providers. Device manufacturers would be able to work on a common network technology stack. By the way I don't have anything against 5g. I also don't quite understand health implications so I'm unqalified to talk about it. But I don't like having to buy a new device just to use a new network. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS [2]https://www.weforum.org/projects/internet-for-all https://www.weforum.org/projects/internet-for-all
- ignoramous 7y ago
  I do not quite grasp the telecom technology/infrastructure yet, but in terms of OpenBTS (which provides software-based base station) and Osmocomm (open source baseband), where does https://www.opennetworking.org https://www.opennetworking.org and https://telecominfraproject.com https://telecominfraproject.com stand in terms of open source infrastructure for 5G?

zamadatix 8y ago

It took over 15 years from first 3G phone to the start of shut down of 3G. It's looking even longer for 4G which may easily last 2 decades. I'm not sure which consumers you're worried about here but it's likely not any real consumers.