Why Cable Industry Should Worry About 5G Mobile Broadband
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| Photo by Chris F from Pexels |
There is no doubt about the fact that the cable industry has a stronghold in the telecom market. Ever since its origin, cable technology has enjoyed vast popularity among American consumers. Even now, more than 90% of the households in the US can tap into cheap but sturdy copper cable lines and receive the highest satisfaction from the service experience. Cable carriers mainly relay three kinds of services to their customers. There is high-speed internet, entertainment-rich television, and crystal-clear landline – all three services that shape the modern lifestyle.
What’s more, cable providers often roll out these services in form of irresistible double-play and triple-play bundles. For instance, you can easily pair your RCN cable TV with internet and phone to unlock extra savings and premium perks, while paying for all three services on a single, hassle-free bill. By bundling services and topping it all off with promotions, the cable industry has maintained its dominant position in the market, way above its competitors.
However, it’s high time that the cable industry should be worried about losing its throne. 5G has finally entered the arena with its promising features, superb performance, and lower costs. 5G stands for the fifth-generation mobile network and succeeds 4G in the line, which is already in use on a large scale globally. Since 5G is a wireless standard, it diametrically opposes cable technology, which is essentially wired.
The world is all about wireless connectivity now, and researchers argue that cable might not be able to handle tons of wireless devices in homes and around the cities as well as 5G can. So, is this the end of the cable industry? Should we cut the cord and give up on cable companies altogether? Does cable TV have any reason to worry about 5G mobile broadband? Let’s discuss the top possible threats to the cable industry from 5G’s rise to power below.
5G is Wireless
5G mobile broadband challenges the cable industry by providing a wireless network to homes in contrast to a wired one. This is not just any wireless network, but a next-gen, hyper-fast one. 5G utilizes small cellular towers in the vicinity to individually power each wireless device with internet data via the sophisticated ‘beamforming’ technology. By getting 5G, you don’t have to pay for hefty installations or equipment rentals. All you need is a 5G-compatible device and an antenna to enjoy a futuristic connectivity experience.
Cable services, on the other hand, require you to run wires throughout your home, and even though they support routers, the whole system creates clutter and is prone to wear and tear over time.
5G is Faster
The demand for internet speed has grown monumentally over the past few years. People don’t have time to wait around for a lagging connection to load, which is what they often have to face with cable service. Cable providers on average deliver 100 Mbps download speed. This is enough to support multi-device streaming, gaming, or browsing. Some of the top cable carriers go the extra mile and pair their coaxial network with fiber lines to offer up to 1 Gigabit speed, which does show potential.
Nevertheless, 5G is faster. It can transfer your data at a speed of 20 Gbps. This standard gives way to rocket-fast connectivity and results in next-to-no latency. Just think of what you can achieve with a 20 Gigabits per second wireless network at home!
5G is More Capable
It is estimated that by the year 2025, the number of smart home devices and IoT gadgets in households will exceed 13 billion. Each user will have several devices under his or her control, which will require an exceptionally capable internet connection to work together in a seamless network environment. 5G can provide that. How? 5G uses mmWave technology to transmit data signals over high-powered frequencies. It sends data over the less crowded RF bands on the spectrum, i.e. sub-6 GHz, resulting in zero interference. This makes sure that each device in the 5G network gets the right dose of bandwidth and performs up to its full potential.
On the other hand, cable internet is a ‘shared’ connection. It keeps the devices combating each other for their fair share of bandwidth. If one user streams Netflix in one room, the other user faces lag while loading World of Warcraft. This peak time blockage creates more frustration for the users.
5G Powers Internet TV
5G is a direct threat to cable television’s rule. It gives the perfect data allowance to wireless devices at more affordable rates. You can subscribe to streaming TV and watch TV shows without worrying about paying the expensive cable TV bills, which go over $100 a month with taxes, surcharges, and fees included, in contrast to 5G home broadband plans, which hover within $50 - $70 range. Since 5G powers internet TV with unbelievable speeds and savings, it renders cable TV ancient.
Should Cable Industry be Worried?
5G is promising, for sure, but it is yet to be implemented on a worldwide scale. So, cable giants aren’t too worried right now. Instead, they are working on delivering an even faster array of internet speeds, amounting to 10 Gbps in a short time to beat 5G and retain its customers. Let’s see what the future holds!
