Telecom operator Telia is transitioning tens of thousands of customers from expiring 4G plans to more expensive 5G subscriptions as contracts end. The automatic upgrades affect customers whose fixed-term agreements or promotional periods are concluding.
Professor Jukka Manner from Aalto University's network technology department questions whether ordinary consumers receive meaningful benefits from the switch. He states that most customers won't even notice the change when their 4G connection shifts to one with 5G capability.
For everyday mobile use, the data requirements remain minimal according to the professor. Normal applications function perfectly with speeds between 10-20 megabits per second. Basic phone activities like browsing, messaging, and casual video watching don't demand extensive bandwidth. Few users stream 4K video content on their mobile devices.
The professor compares 5G to a turbo boost for devices primarily operating on 4G networks. Telecom companies market 5G plans with promises of incredible speeds reaching hundreds of megabits per second. Yet typical mobile network users don't require such high performance for their daily activities.
5G technology faces significant coverage limitations that impact user experience. The signal struggles to penetrate building interiors effectively. Many users find 5G connectivity varies dramatically from room to room within their homes. This inconsistency causes phones to switch between different network connections frequently, leading to interrupted service.
The benefits of 5G networks appear most clearly in urban environments where infrastructure supports the technology properly. In rural areas, the required base stations aren't spaced closely enough to maintain reliable 5G connections. The high-frequency radio signals need towers within hundreds of meters of each other for optimal performance.
Professor Manner suggests that theoretical advantages might emerge in congested 4G areas where users could access greater network capacity through 5G. However, he emphasizes this remains highly situational rather than a consistent benefit.
When asked about practical differences, the professor noted that downloading a new application version might take 10 seconds instead of 20. That marginal time saving represents the primary noticeable improvement for most consumers.
The professor personally prefers connection plans that guarantee consistent moderate speeds everywhere rather than potential high speeds in limited areas. He acknowledges this preference doesn't align with telecom companies' cost-effective network management strategies.
This transition raises important questions about consumer value and transparency in telecom services. Customers facing automatic upgrades to more expensive plans deserve clear information about what benefits they're actually purchasing. The gap between marketing promises and real-world performance appears substantial for many mobile users.
Telecom companies continue expanding 5G infrastructure while phasing out older network technologies. Consumers should evaluate whether the premium prices for 5G services match their actual usage patterns and connectivity needs.