These days, words like “5G” and “Wi-Fi 6” are floating around in the world of IT. It’s a known fact that both of these technologies are the future of the world. But to effectively use them, CIOs and IT managers of IT companies need to know exactly how they’re different from one another. In this article, we answer common questions that are asked about 5G and Wi-Fi 6 and show you how they’re different.

What are 5G and Wi-Fi 6?

5G and Wi-Fi 6 are both state-of-the-art cellular technologies that are currently in the nascent stage of development. They can help users by offering:

·      Faster loading times.

·      Higher capacity.

·      Improved efficiency.

·      Better internet usage experience.

·      Increased cellular security.

How large will the 5G and Wi-Fi 6 markets be?

Forecasts indicate that the global 5G market will exceed $13.2 trillion by 2035. The Wi-Fi6 market is expected to $590 billion by 2030. So, they’re both almost neck-and-neck and will yield exceptional benefits to IT companies who embrace these technologies.

What are the differences between 5G and Wi-Fi 6?

Peak speeds

The peak speed of 5G is around 20 Gigabits-per-second. The peak speed of wi-fi6 is 9.6 Gigabits-per-second. However, wi-fi6 can perform much faster if the local carrier has superior technology to support this.

Types available

Depending on who you ask, there are 3 or 5 types of 5G. This includes:

• ·      5G – This will range from 600 MHz to 4.2 GHz bands.
• ·      5G+ - This will operate on the 28 GHz to 39 GHz bands.
• ·      5G–/4G+ - This will be on the 200Mbps to 400 Mbps bands.
• ·      5G fixed wireless access – This will be on the 1 GHz to 6 GHz and be available for the residential broadband market.
• ·      5G Industrial/IIOT – This is still a work-in-progress. IT companies and 5G experts estimate that the industrial 5G support will need to include a mix of LAA, CBRS, LTE, wi-fi6 and enterprise networks.

As for Wi-Fi 6, there are two types:

• ·      Wi-Fi6 – This will operate from the 5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz range.
• ·      Wi-Fi6E (Extended) – This will provide an additional spectrum to the Wi-Fi6 and will operate up to 9.6 Gbps.

What is the cost of procuring these technologies?

This is where the stark difference between 5G and Wi-Fi 6 actually comes in. At the end of the day, Wi-Fi6 is an upgraded type of Wi-Fi service. So it will be easily accessible – and the preferred network choice – for residential buyers. It may be a tad more expensive than the current Wi-Fi setup we have, but it won’t be tremendously expensive. You can expect to see Wi-Fi6 routers between the $130 to $400+ range.

5G, on the other hand, is a licensed spectrum that costs millions of dollars for companies to buy. IT companies need to bid on the 5G range and the bidding price can cost anywhere between $250,000 to $1.2 million.

Should you invest in 5G and Wi-Fi 6?

CIOs should realize that both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are the future of the network and cellular technology. Getting their IT companies into the mix for ownership of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 bandwidth can help their IT companies make great headway in the market.