9 ms·

Okay sure, but what can you _do_ with that extra throughput is what OP is asking. You're making the classic IT-guy failure of talking about the technical featu

Okay sure, but what can you _do_ with that extra throughput is what OP is asking. You're making the classic IT-guy failure of talking about the technical feature rather than the user outcome (I have had to train myself out of this in recent years so I'm not having a go at you).

renaudg 8y ago
The fact that the almost exact same conversations happened with the advent of broadband, mobile data, 3G, 3G+, 4G should give you a hint.
- jackvalentine 8y ago
  Perhaps you could just come out and say it?
  - arcticbull 8y ago
    We did. Many times. Each time there's a generational shift in wireless technology some people come out and say it's good enough, we're done here, nothing new to make, why do you bother with all this effort. Then we do. And life improves, our experience with technology improves, and we get used to it. Then the cycle repeats itself. Grab an iPhone 3G and use it for a few days. That's what going back from 5G to 4G will be 5 years from now. Just as it is going back from 4G to 3G today. You've just gotten used to how good things are.
    - jackvalentine 8y ago
      I see you're getting frustrated with me because I'm not willing to accept that because it happened in the past, it will always happen in the future. I just set my phone to 3G, where I'm getting a speed test of 15mbps about 1/10th what I get on 4G typically. Everything seems to work the same way it did on 4G. Actually I'm surprised by that because I thought 4G had been a bigger improvement.
AaronFriel 8y ago
I'm confused, he's talking about the user outcome - improved battery life while consuming content. The technical reason is that the modem spends less time active for the same amount of bandwidth.
- hanspeter 8y ago
  If given that most people charge their phone once a day and doesn't actually need more battery efficiency, and battery efficiency is the only benefit, are there then no actual benefit from 5G?
  - arcticbull 8y ago
    Unless one day you could charge your phone once every two days? Or once a week! Like back in the day of the 3310, which had 22 hours of talk time and 31 days of standby. Or you could make the phone smaller/lighter/faster with the extra efficiency. I'm having trouble believing someone here on HN is arguing against improving technology. I sometimes forget to plug my phone in, maybe after traveling, maybe after drinking haha. I'm already super glad my phone will make it through a second day. Back in the iPhone 3G days? Not so much.
    - thatcat 8y ago
      Smaller/lighter/faster phones and battery banks are already available, without 5g. Why do you need 5g specifically? It's value has to exceed the value it destroys. Not all tech developments are net improvements.
      - arcticbull 8y ago
        Because they'll be even smaller/lighter/faster. That's what efficiency gets you. 5G is more efficient. There's really nothing else to say.
        jackvalentine 8y ago
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
arcticbull 8y ago
The same thing you do now but more efficient.
- jackvalentine 8y ago
  Define efficient? Nothing I currently do now reaches the limits of even half of my current connection.
  - arcticbull 8y ago
    From a power and network utilization perspective. It feels like you're not really trying.
    - jackvalentine 8y ago
      So I'm using the network more efficiently... how does that improve my life?
simonh 8y ago
Demand for wireless broadband services isn’t static, it’s rapidly growing. It’s not just that 5G will let us do things 4G can’t. It’s that it will let us do the same things but a lot more of it, before the networks become too congested and demand outstrips supply.
- jackvalentine 8y ago
  You are the first person to actually nail it - well done! That's a sale-able outcome: more and more people are using the spectrum so if we don't upgrade to a more efficient use then the outcomes you currently enjoy (video chat, gaming, virtual desktops whatever it is you do and value) will stop working because of the traffic.
- agumonkey 8y ago
  > a lot more of it avidity I say
- gsich 8y ago
  Like what?

renaudg 8y ago

The fact that the almost exact same conversations happened with the advent of broadband, mobile data, 3G, 3G+, 4G should give you a hint.

jackvalentine 8y ago
Perhaps you could just come out and say it?
- arcticbull 8y ago
  We did. Many times. Each time there's a generational shift in wireless technology some people come out and say it's good enough, we're done here, nothing new to make, why do you bother with all this effort. Then we do. And life improves, our experience with technology improves, and we get used to it. Then the cycle repeats itself. Grab an iPhone 3G and use it for a few days. That's what going back from 5G to 4G will be 5 years from now. Just as it is going back from 4G to 3G today. You've just gotten used to how good things are.
  - jackvalentine 8y ago
    I see you're getting frustrated with me because I'm not willing to accept that because it happened in the past, it will always happen in the future. I just set my phone to 3G, where I'm getting a speed test of 15mbps about 1/10th what I get on 4G typically. Everything seems to work the same way it did on 4G. Actually I'm surprised by that because I thought 4G had been a bigger improvement.

AaronFriel 8y ago

I'm confused, he's talking about the user outcome - improved battery life while consuming content. The technical reason is that the modem spends less time active for the same amount of bandwidth.

hanspeter 8y ago
If given that most people charge their phone once a day and doesn't actually need more battery efficiency, and battery efficiency is the only benefit, are there then no actual benefit from 5G?
- arcticbull 8y ago
  Unless one day you could charge your phone once every two days? Or once a week! Like back in the day of the 3310, which had 22 hours of talk time and 31 days of standby. Or you could make the phone smaller/lighter/faster with the extra efficiency. I'm having trouble believing someone here on HN is arguing against improving technology. I sometimes forget to plug my phone in, maybe after traveling, maybe after drinking haha. I'm already super glad my phone will make it through a second day. Back in the iPhone 3G days? Not so much.
  - thatcat 8y ago
    Smaller/lighter/faster phones and battery banks are already available, without 5g. Why do you need 5g specifically? It's value has to exceed the value it destroys. Not all tech developments are net improvements.
    - arcticbull 8y ago
      Because they'll be even smaller/lighter/faster. That's what efficiency gets you. 5G is more efficient. There's really nothing else to say.
      - jackvalentine 8y ago

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

arcticbull 8y ago

The same thing you do now but more efficient.

jackvalentine 8y ago
Define efficient? Nothing I currently do now reaches the limits of even half of my current connection.
- arcticbull 8y ago
  From a power and network utilization perspective. It feels like you're not really trying.
  - jackvalentine 8y ago
    So I'm using the network more efficiently... how does that improve my life?

simonh 8y ago

Demand for wireless broadband services isn’t static, it’s rapidly growing. It’s not just that 5G will let us do things 4G can’t. It’s that it will let us do the same things but a lot more of it, before the networks become too congested and demand outstrips supply.

jackvalentine 8y ago
You are the first person to actually nail it - well done! That's a sale-able outcome: more and more people are using the spectrum so if we don't upgrade to a more efficient use then the outcomes you currently enjoy (video chat, gaming, virtual desktops whatever it is you do and value) will stop working because of the traffic.
agumonkey 8y ago
> a lot more of it avidity I say
gsich 8y ago
Like what?