AT&T begins rolling out tide-shifting 5G Technology
AT&T just announced that it will start to use DSS or dynamic spectrum sharing. This technology allows users to use the same channel for both 4G and 5G “dynamically” or simultaneously.
AT&T senior vice president Igal Elbaz, the technology will be first used “in parts of our network in North Texas.”
The launch came a bit earlier than what Igal Elbaz cited last month. The executive said that the company will introduce the DSS technology in the second half of 2020.
What is DSS?
Due to a shortage of U.S availability of empty mid-band radio spectrum for 5G network, American mobile service providers opted to use dynamic spectrum sharing or DSS. It is a critical alternative that enables carriers to split their present 4G spectrum into 4G or 5G segments.
AT&T is known as one of the largest cellular carriers in the United States. But the development of its 5G network proved to be harder than the others. The telecommunications giant arrived late on the battle for 5G dominance after shifting its earlier efforts on enterprises. Businesses interested in using AT&T’s 5G had to choose between using high-speed 5G hotspots or slower 5G phones. Additionally, these options have a limited-service availability to narrow geographic areas.
By using DSS, AT&T can now enable users to see 5G performance closer to its competitors’ mid-band network. This can be achieved by sharing the 4G radio spectrum between the lowest and highest band holdings. Although the actual speeds will still depend on the number of 4G and 5G users accessing the DSS-capable tower at a given point of time.
A major step towards 5G coverage
The way things are progressing, telecommunications might see a bigger number of clients transition from 4G to 5G in the near future. Although the technology of AT&T is still limited compared to others, it signifies a huge step forward in terms of communication advancement. It means a faster, stronger, and more reliable means of connection to the world.
Though many see 5G as an improvement, there are still those who see 5G as a threat. With the advent of the said technology, many believed a conspiracy theory that the network causes countless diseases and sickness. Some even linked the network with the current Covid-19 pandemic, with reports of damaging at least 77 mobile towers in the U.K. last month.
As foolish as it may sound, these very people will soon use the technology themselves. This is particularly true once the network will become more available to the public.
Conclusion
As of now, AT&T’s DSS is supported by a number of 5G-capable handsets: LG’s V60 thinQ 5G and Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup, and the Galaxy Note 10+. The company said that more devices will follow in the nearest possible time.
It is still unclear at this point at what AT&T’s normal and peak 5G speed with the use of DSS.
With this announcement, another milestone has been reached for AT&T. This certainly moves the technology forward for global wireless communication for all of humanity to partake.