Happy Holidays from 5Gstore!

From our family to yours, we’d like to wish everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday! We’d also like to remind everyone that our store will be closed in observance of Christmas on Friday 12/24. We’ll return Monday 12/27 to assist you with any needs. Thanks, from the 5Gstore team!

Get the Most Out of Your Data this Holiday Season!

Data Usage can add up quickly, especially streaming all those videos around the holidays.  Monitoring data usage and tracking it can be done in a couple ways, but you can also get a general idea of usage before you even start. This can be important for ensuring you don’t go over any usage limits or reach your allotted high speed data before the month is over. 

We only covered some of the most popular streaming services. If you don’t see yours listed, we also offer a handy data usage calculator you can use at our website. Check it out here

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon has no public information for streaming data usage at this time. Based on research from users online, here’s what we can surmise from an hour episode: 

  • SD: About 0.14 GB per hour
  • HD: About 1.82GB per hour 

Disney+

Disney+ automatically detects your system’s capabilities and internet connection speed and delivers the highest quality experience possible as a default setting. They also give you the choice to change your data usage settings on all devices. With the Auto option, you can stream in the highest quality, up to what your device supports. 

For example; 

  • 4K: 7.7GB per hour
  • HD: Up to 2GB per hour 
  • SD: 0.7GB per hour

HBO Max

There’s no specific data on this, but the application automatically adjusts the video quality based on your network bandwidth and connection speed. Most shows and movies are available in high definition (HD). Manual video quality settings are not currently available.

Hulu

HD video streaming will use about 650MB per hour. Data usage controls are NOT available, nor is an official data chart, but this data was confirmed from users on their forums. Hulu does however have quality control settings, which can help with data usage. 

Netflix

  • Standard-definition (SD) video streaming on Netflix uses 1 GB of data each hour.
  • High-definition streaming will consume 3 GB of bandwidth per hour.
  • 4K videos use 7 GB of data every hour.

For comparison, Netflix offers the following video settings:

  • Low: 0.3 GB per hour per device
  • Medium: SD: 0.7 GB per hour per device
  • High: Best video quality, up to 3 GB per hour per device for HD, and 7 GB per hour per device for Ultra HD
  • Auto: Adjusts automatically to deliver the highest possible quality, based on your current internet connection speed

Paramount+

Per their Help guide – mobile data use will fluctuate based on the quality of your Internet connection and varies from 74 MB per hour for the lowest connection speed, up to 800 MB per hour for the highest quality video stream.

YouTube

  • 480p: 264 MB per hour
  • 720p: 870 MB per hour
  • 1080p: 1.65 GB per hour
  • 4K: 2.7 GB per hour

Happy Streaming!

Boeing and Airbus Urge Biden Administration to Delay C-Band Rollout

Boeing and Airbus, two of the largest commercial airplane manufacturers, have joined the conversation about possible interference to aircraft tools from 5G’s C-Band spectrum. Like the FAA, they’re urging the Biden Administration to delay the rollout of service next month. 

Statements from the manufacturing companies were sent in the form of a letter to the Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, to say the January 5 rollout could cause interference that could “adversely affect the ability of aircraft to safely operate.”

The CEOs presented the idea of a new proposal – limit the power of 5G transmissions near airports, and call on the Biden administration to work with the FCC to adopt such a plan. 

Indications were made that amongst the trouble caused by the pandemic, it is not worth the risk of deploying the service without restrictions. Such as the new rule the FAA announced earlier this month. It forbids pilots from using auto-landing and other certain flight systems at low altitudes where 5G wireless signals could interfere with onboard instruments that measure a plane’s distance to the ground. 

The rule was characterized as urgent, so the FAA bypassed the typical public feedback process in issuing the restrictions. It is that important, as it affects more than 6,800 US airplanes and dozens of aircraft manufacturers, and could lead to disruptions in some flight routes involving low-visibility conditions, which obviously poses potential risks. 

Verizon’s sneak peek of pre-commercial C-band in LA

Amidst the concerns over 5G’s C-Band spectrum, and cold weather, journalists and analysts went to the streets to test. They received a sneak peek of Verizon’s pre-commercial C-band 5G service in downtown Los Angeles, complete with handsets tuned to the C-band. 

Among these testers was Bill Ho, a principal analyst at 556 Ventures. He later posted on Twitter that he was able to get download speeds of 649 Mbps, with upload of 63 Mbps.

The tests were conducted at an ice-rink within the LA Live entertainment district of downtown and detailed in this article. This is a well trafficked area of LA, a few blocks wide, where they set up a few devices to access the network.

Infrastructure in the area was supplied by Ericsson, and only available to these supplied devices (i.e. Samsung S21, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13).  C-band nodes were often a half a mile away from the test area and still provided broadband speed and performance. Some reporters also used their own phones which would have had access to LTE and mmWave, but not C-band.

Verizon’s intent was to show off the unique power of C-band – specifically on 60Mhz – where on an unencumbered network with few users the speed and capacity are compatible with millimeter wave (mmWave). Though the 3.7 GHz C-band has much farther range. 

Verizon hasn’t provided an exact time for when the commercial C-band service will launch, but reiterated its commitment to cover 100 million people by the end of March. “We’re confident we’ll do that,” a spokesperson said on Friday. 

Now, the real question is whether Verizon can catch up to T-Mobile in mid-band 5G in a way that’s fast enough, and effective enough, so that T-Mobile’s advantage doesn’t significantly hurt Verizon’s business. 

“T-Mobile is building out simply because they’ve got it and they know that they want to extend the competitive gap,” Ho said. From Verizon’s standpoint, they’re moving very fast – and from AT&T’s standpoint, “they’re doing it too, but maybe not as telegraphed as much as Verizon – and that is to limit the gap, or minimize the gap” that T-Mobile has created.

That, in part, is because “in my opinion, everybody is going after enterprise,” Ho added. That said, there are a lot of 5G growth sectors, such as fixed wireless access (FWA) and enterprise, both areas where T-Mobile intends to grow. Verizon has a huge enterprise base, so they need to bring that up to show and minimize any competitive gaps. T-Mobile says they’re two years ahead,” and that’s a snapshot in time.

Once Verizon turns on that C-band, “they kind of minimize that whole argument,” leading to questions as to whether or not T-Mobile’s head-start is indeed two years, Ho added. “It’s really the marketing message that T-Mobile has been saying for a while,” he said. “If Verizon gets it done fast, then they can minimize that marketing message totally.”

Log4j Vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) – Does it Affect My Device?

The “Log4j” vulnerability was reported late last week. It is a Java-based software that many large organizations use to configure their applications. According to cybersecurity experts, Log4j is one of the most popular logging libraries used online. It gives software developers a way to build a record of activity to be used for a variety of purposes (e.g. troubleshooting, auditing, data tracking). Since it is both open-source and free, the library essentially touches every part of the internet.

Many of you have been asking if this affects your 5Gstore hardware. Here’s an outline of what we found:

  • 5Gstore.com – Not affected.
    •  “We do not use Java and thus our services are unaffected.” 
  • PeplinkNot affected
    • “Peplink has verified and confirmed that none of our products, including InControl 2 and InControl Appliance, are using the Log4j software. Peplink is therefore not affected by this vulnerability.”
  • CradlepointProducts Affected: NCM (patched 12/11/2021), NCP (patch in progress). 
    • Cradlepoint identified one vulnerability within NetCloud Perimeter (NCP). They are in the process of upgrading Log4j within NCP, and NCM (as a precaution) to the latest version. 
  • Sierra WirelessAM/ AMM Servers affected
    • Patches have been made available.
  • DigiNot affected.
    • “Our products and not affected by this vulnerability.” 
  • Inseego – Not affected.
    • “At Inseego, the security of our products and services is a top priority. Inseego is taking appropriate measures to address the vulnerability reported in the Apache Log4j 2 Java library (also known as Log4Shell). At this time, there have been no successful exploits observed in Inseego products, solutions or in the Inseego environment. We are continually monitoring our products and systems and taking steps to continue to protect our critical applications. Inseego will continue to assess and remediate threats posed by the Log4j vulnerability. Please contact customer support if you have any specific questions or concerns.”
  • NetComm – Not affected. 
    • “We aren’t using any java applications on any of the modems, so they are not affected by this vulnerability.”
  • Switch Always On – Not affected. 
    • “Fortunately, none of our services has the log4j package installed. Some of the external services linked to our system announce it, but those services didn’t cause functional issues.”
  • Remote Power IP Switch – Not affected.
    • “Thankfully, we don’t use Apache Log4j on any of our products.”

Will Your Car Be Affected by the 3G Shut Down?

In case you missed it, the 3G cellular network will be shut down by 2022. Here’s a brief overview from the FCC:

  • AT&T announced that it will finish shutting down its 3G network by February 2022.
  • Verizon announced that it will finish shutting down its 3G network by December 31, 2022.
  • T-Mobile announced that it will finish shutting down Sprint’s 3G CDMA network by March 31, 2022 and Sprint’s 4G LTE network by June 30, 2022. It also announced it will shut down T-Mobile’s 3G UMTS network by July 1, 2022, but has not yet announced a shutdown date for its 2G network.

While the shutdown won’t affect most of the devices we use today, there are some car companies that still rely on the older technology. Many modern cars, especially luxury vehicles, use 3G networks for things like owner apps, emergency call services, infotainment and navigation-system functions, and of course logging data. 

The folks over at The Drive have created a great resource to help you figure out what to do – check it out here.

Here’s a list for quick reference. This rundown includes “every car that’s going to be impacted by the sunsetting of the AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon 3G networks in 2022, with links to the official OEM pages listing which services will be discontinued or altered.”

If your car is on here, contact a local dealership and see what they can do for you.

  • Acura
    • MDX (2014-2017)
    • ILX (2016-2017)
    • RDX (2016-2017)
    • RDX (2019-2021)
    • RLX (2014-2016)
    • TLX (2015-2017)
    • NSX (2017)
  • Audi
    • A3 e-Tron (2016-2018)
    • A4/Allroad (2013-2018)
    • A5 (2013-2018)
    • A6 (2012-2015)
    • A7 (2012-2015)
    • A8 (2012-2018)
    • RS 5 (2019)
    • Q3 (2015-2018)
    • Q5 (2013-2018)
    • Q7 (2012-2018)
  • Bentley
    • Certain models produced prior to 2020
  • BMW
    • Certain models produced prior to 2019
  • General Motors
  • Honda
    • Accord (Touring trim, 2018-2020)
    • Odyssey (Touring and Elite trims, 2018-2020)
    • Insight (Touring trim, 2019-2020)
    • Passport (Touring and Elite trims, 2019-2021)
    • Pilot (Touring, Slite, and Black Edition trims, 2019-2022)
  • Lexus
    • All Models (2010-2017)
    • GX (2018)
  • Mazda
    • CX-3 (2016-2019)
    • CX-5 (2016-2020)
    • CX-9 (2016-2020)
    • Mazda3 (2016-2018)
    • Mazda6 (2016-2019)
  • Mitsubishi
    • Eclipse Cross (All, telematics-equipped)
    • Outlander (All, telematics-equipped)
  • Porsche
    • 911 (2017-2019)
    • 918 Spyder (2014)
    • 718 (2017-2021)
    • Cayenne (2015-2019)
    • Macan (2017-2018)
    • Panamera (2014-2018)
  • Stellantis
    • Stellantis acknowledged that some models across its fleet will be affected, but it did not break down which specific vehicles across its various sub-brands of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram.
  • Subaru
    • Crosstrek (2016-2019)
    • Forester (2016-2018)
    • Legacy (2016-2018)
    • Impreza (2016-2018)
    • WRX (2017-2018)
    • WRX STI (2017-2018)
    • Outback (2016-2018)
  • Tesla*
    • Model S (Built before June 2015)
  • Toyota
    • 4Runner (2010-2019)
    • Avalon (2013-2018)
    • Camry (2013-2017)
    • Highlander (2014-2018)
    • Land Cruiser (2011-2017)
    • Mirai (2016-2017)
    • Prius (2010-2016)
    • Prius Plug-in (2012-2015)
    • Prius V (2012-2016)
    • RAV4 EV (2012-2014)
    • Sienna (2011-2017)
  • Volkswagen
    • Atlas (2018-2019)
    • Arteon (2018-2019)
    • Beetle (2014-2019)
    • CC (2014-2018)
    • Eos (2014-2017)
    • Golf/Golf R/eGolf/Golf Sportwagen/Golf GTI (2014-2019)
    • Jetta (2014-2019)
    • Passat (2014-2019)
    • Tiguan (2014-2019)
  • Volvo
    • S60 (2015.5-2018
    • V60 (2015.5-2018)
    • V60 Cross Country (2015.5-2018)
    • XC60 (2015.5-2017)
    • XC70 (2015.5-2016)
    • XC90 (2016)

The following automakers say that its U.S. vehicles are unaffected by the end of 3G:

  • Ferrari
  • McLaren

The following automakers did not provide information by publication time:

  • Bugatti
  • Ford
  • Hyundai
  • Infiniti
  • Jaguar
  • Kia
  • Lamborghini
  • Land Rover
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Nissan
  • Rolls-Royce

What is difference between eSIM and iSIM?

An iSIM is an integrated SIM built into a system-on-chip (SoC) and is expected to replace the nano-SIM and eSIM found in most modern-day devices. While both an iSIM and eSIM have similar functions, and benefits, there are some notable differences.

Most phones still have at least one physical SIM card slot for a nano-sized SIM card. The nano-SIM card has existed for years and is an evolution of the Mini-SIM and Micro-SIM card. The eSIM was released years later. It’s a smaller chip than the nano-SIM and is soldered onto the printed circuit board. It works no differently than the nano-SIM in how it connects the device to the mobile network. The difference though is that the eSIM uses multiple profiles it has saved to verify the mobile network, allowing it to connect to any network operator in minutes. 

Unfortunately, the adoption of the eSIM has been very slow. Several manufacturers still make phones that don’t have support for an eSIM and those that do limit it to their high-end models. There are also a lot of mobile operators who have not even adopted the eSIM method. The area where the eSIM is most popular is in the wearable space, such as smartwatches like the Apple Watches. 

Enter the iSIM, which was announced in 2018 by Arm as a secure identity solution that replaces a physical SIM card and an eSIM. An iSIM is supposed to make it easier to connect a wider variety of devices to the internet. Its ease of use and implementation eliminates not only the cost of issuing physical SIMs, but the cost of deploying them and the need for physical access when there is a need to change the mobile network operator. 

With an iSIM, it is also easier to connect IoT devices with a smaller footprint that don’t have space for a physical SIM card. While an eSIM takes up less space than a nano-SIM, an iSIM is much smaller since it is integrated into the device’s processor. This allows manufacturers to use the additional space that would have been occupied by a SIM tray or eSIM for other components. Furthermore, without the need for a physical SIM card, a device with an iSIM (or eSIM) can be easily designed to be water-resistant.

The iSIM brings the benefits associated with an eSIM, but has a significant difference from an eSIM, which can also be termed its biggest advantage – its security. By integrating the SIM with the system-on-chip (SoC), the SIM is protected from being tampered with as it runs on a secure enclave built into the chipset. Also, since an iSIM can’t be removed, it makes it harder to steal a mobile device that has one.

iSIMs are mainly designed for IoT devices as it allows manufacturers to add cellular connectivity to these devices, but as we can see, smartphones can benefit from the advantages it brings. Unfortunately, Qualcomm’s new mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 appears to be the only mobile platform with support for an iSIM, so the adoption rate may even be slower than that of the eSIM.

Verizon hits 5G site target, turns focus to C-band deployment

Verizon says it’s exceeded its 2021 target for building out its 5G Ultra Wideband cells. Now, amongst FAA concerns over C-Band, Verizon is turning its investment attention to rapidly expanding its C-band airwaves deployment.

Along the way, it’s launching 5G Business Internet service today in: 

  • Athens, GA
  • Knoxville, TN 
  • Tacoma, WA

The company passed its year-end target of 14,000 new Ultra Wideband sites, which feed its phone service, 5G Home internet and 5G Business Internet. That’s provided a 750% increase in 5G Ultra Wideband data use ahead of commercial deployment of the C-band spectrum that it won in last January’s auction.

Verizon says it’s securing agreements with tower partners and installing equipment to pursue its promise of providing Ultra Wideband to 100 million people using C-band airwaves by the end of the first quarter.

Overall, in an accelerated broadband rollout, 5G Home is available in five times the markets compared to 2020, 5G Business Internet in nearly three times the number of cities.

EU Extends the Free Mobile Roaming Policy Until 2032

According to the European Commission, mobile “roaming” will remain free within the European Union until 2032. 

In a press release announcing the agreement to extend the free roaming policy, the European Commission said:

Citizens will be able to call, text and use mobile data while traveling within the EU at no extra costs and with the same quality they experience at home; they will have improved access to emergency communications regardless of where they are in Europe; and, they will have the right to clear information when a service they use while roaming might cause inadvertent extra charges. The regulation will enter into force on July 1st 2022.

Prior to 2017, when roaming charges were abolished in the EU, travelers across Europe would often get hit with excessive phone bills upon returning home, with network operators charging exorbitant fees for calls, text, and data used abroad. Years of campaigning saw that the practice was stopped. 

Given that the United Kingdom has formally exited the European Union, UK residents won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of free roaming when they use their phones abroad. Originally, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone –  the largest mobile operators in the UK – stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges after Brexit, but all have since announced changes, some under a “fair use” clause.

US Aviation Restrictions and 5G C-Band Interference

Concerns over the 5G C-Band (3.7-3.98 GHz) and aviation safety are still a hot topic. While there have been no reports of any issues, these concerns are quite valid. If you’re not already familiar with this story, the FAA alerts say that 5G can interfere with radar or radio altimeter signals. These tools measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground. Data from these devices are then fed to the cockpit safety system. This helps pilots gauge the air safety metrics and prevent mid-air collision, avoid crashes and ensure a safe landing.

In order to avert any potential disruption in essential safety sensors, the FAA issued flight restrictions that would prevent pilots from operating the automatic landing option and other cockpit systems during inclement weather conditions. These directives are primarily intended to make 5G expansion and aviation coexist without compromising passenger safety. However, some airline industry groups have voiced concern because this can impact flights when they need these tools and systems the most.

Along with the FCC, the FAA has been conducting safety studies to help move things forward, as the telecom industry continues to argue the concerns are invalid. Specifically in the spotlight, Verizon and AT&T have cited data from several countries where the C-Band has been safely coexisting with the aviation industry. Despite these arguments, the two telecom companies have voluntarily suspended the rollout of the C-Band until January 2022. The carriers have also agreed to minimize the power consumption of C-Band base stations around airports till July 6, 2022. In the meantime, they continue to work together to resolve the issue. 

Both Verizon and AT&T have a lot in stake with C-Band. The C-Band offers significant bandwidth with better propagation characteristics for optimum coverage in both rural and urban areas than mmWave, which has a short range and requires a high density of sites to achieve coverage. Consequently, it is deemed a prized asset for carriers like Verizon and AT&T that lack considerable mid-band spectrum holdings. Verizon was the largest bidder with $45.5 billion worth of bids in the FCC-led C-Band auction for mid-band airwaves that generated about $81.2 billion in gross proceeds, followed by AT&T at $23.4 billion. The auction offered 280 MHz of spectrum for potential 5G deployments over the next few years. While Verizon secured 3,511 of the 5,684 licenses up for grabs, AT&T claimed 1,621.

On the other side, leading U.S. House Democrats have urged the FCC to consider the gravity of the issue raised by the FAA. They’ve sought an immediate restraining order for the deployment of the C-Band for wireless use until a thorough risk assessment is conducted. Although the FCC did not comment, a coalition of industry trade groups has pointed out that further delay in the rollout of 5G technology would likely hamper the country’s economic growth.