5G promises relief to the rest of us

5 On Your Side’s Monica Laliberte took a look at the technology, and how it will help even 4G users.

5G, which stands for 5th generation cellular wireless, promises speed, and it delivers. Movies can be downloaded in seconds, and it can also handle more devices at once, alleviating concerns of bad service in crowded places.

While it hasn’t quite swept the nation, it is expanding by the month. All the major US carriers now have some form of it, and unless you already have a 5G-compatible phone, you will need a new one to take advantage.

Phones that support 5G include the US versions of Samsung’s newest flagship phones – Galaxy S20 models.

LG's V60 Thin Q, Motorola's Z4 and the OnePlus' 8 Pro are other 5G models.

Apple fans will have to wait, as the company has not yet announced plans for a 5G phone.

Multiple industry experts say they believe Apple will release 5G smartphones this fall, saying they can’t afford not to, since so many competitors are already in the game.

"Even if you don’t have a 5g phone, you’re still gonna reap some benefits from those 5g networks. it’s gonna free up space on 4g networks for you," said Bree Fowler with Consumer Reports.