5G road test: a glimpse into a faster future

By Joe Hanlon

Tech aficionado and Whistle Out publisher, Joe Hanlon has been testing 5G Home on the Optus 5G network to get a taste of today’s 5G benefits.

There's a lot of hype around new 5G mobile networks. You might have heard that 5G will be faster than the fixed-line internet in your house, and that it may be a viable alternative to the other internet solutions. This is a big claim and one we looked forward to putting to the test.

The WhistleOut team has had a chance to road test the Optus 5G network, both at home with a wireless modem and out on the streets with several 5G handsets, and we’re happy to report that the future looks fast.

The first thing to say about Optus 5G Home Broadband is that the setup is as simple as plugging it into the wall. Anyone who has struggled with a long-winded installation will know what a big deal this is.  

As for the promise of improved speeds? We found our connection regularly tested faster than usual, sometimes significantly quicker than a Premium speed 4G connection. Even when speeds fluctuated, as tends to happen with all mobile signals, we didn’t see the download speed drop anything below super quick.

To put this speed in context, we connected the Optus Home Broadband modem to a Google Nest mesh network and used it to download game patches to an Xbox game console. Big game updates are a gamer’s worst nightmare, and though the patches in question were about 1GB in size, we downloaded each in just over a minute.

With the patches downloaded, we then launched fast-paced online games, like Overwatch to see whether 5G could keep up. Online games like this require a fast back-and-forth of data so that all players have the same experience. Players on slower networks tend to be left behind on the leader boards. Happily, we could play on the Optus 5G network without any noticeable lag or performance hiccups.

To get a decent signal with the 5G Home modem, we followed recommendations from Optus and positioned the box next to a large window in the living room. This tip proved essential, as the modem struggled for a stable connection elsewhere through the apartment.

Taking our trial to the streets, we had similar success testing for speed on several 5G smartphones on the Optus network, like the new Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (try saying that five times fast.). As with home broadband, it can be tricky finding a 5G signal as coverage is only available in select suburbs, but the speeds are fast when you make the connection.

Our best test was recorded immediately under a mobile tower in the Sydney suburb of Naremburn, where we saw record speeds.

In general, the result of our speed tests yielded really great results and though it wasn’t always as fast as the 1Gbps current network maximum, it was significantly faster than the speeds we tend to see on a 4G connection.

Another major advantage of 5G networks is low latency. This measures how long it takes between when you send a command, like clicking on a link on a webpage, and when your computer starts downloading the data you need.

As we ran the numerous speed tests during our 5G trials, we recorded really decent latency on connections. This made our connection  fast enough to play online games, as mentioned earlier, but we understand that the latency will be faster still when the network develops. We’ve seen demonstrations where latency on 5G connections is 5ms or less.

When you're browsing the web, low latency makes for a more pleasant experience but is difficult to notice otherwise. But in the near future, low latency will be essential to make sure self-driving cars can communicate with each other and avoid collisions. The fast response time of 5G networks will make it so that a surgeon performing an operation remotely will have real-time feedback and can perform delicate, intricate procedures.

The combination of fast speeds and low latency will encourage app developers to explore new territory. Just as 4G networks were necessary for the boom of popular streaming video services, like Netflix, you can expect 5G to bring about brand new ways for us to work, connect, and entertain ourselves.

Our trial of the new network has us looking forward to what comes next. Given our experience with Optus 5G Home Broadband, it’s clear that 5G will be a viable alternative to a fixed-line NBN connection as the availability of 5G increases over the next year or two. For some people, 5G will be their best bet for home internet.

But the impact of 5G will go beyond just replacing existing technologies; it will open the door to other big tech advancements. We’ve only had a glimpse of this future, but already we’re excited.

Note:  Optus 5G is available in selected areas where we have coverage. Check your serviceability here.