If there is one thing that 5G does not need, it's an extra layer of confusion to be added from handset makers.
For the layperson that has heard about the next fastest phone generation -- and hopefully doesn't believe it spreads coronavirus[1] -- there is plenty to digest, and pitfalls at every turn.
There are various forms of 5G -- which are definitely under the 5G umbrella, but do not provide the blazing fast speeds the next generation is touted to provide -- and then there's a form that will have to be called something like "Full 5G" that actually can deliver over 1Gbps reliably.
The confusion really kicked off when AT&T decided to label[2] its LTE Advanced network as "5GE".
Then there are the actual 5G definitions, such as using 5G radios with a 4G core, labelled non-standalone 5G, and then replacing the core with a 5G one, called standalone 5G.
Following that, if John Q Citizen wants a new phone, they will also need to know about sub-6Ghz 5G, which is when you use 5G protocols on low and mid-band spectrum that are also used for LTE, which is still proper 5G but just not the blazing fast type.
Above the low and mid-band is the millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum; this is where the top speeds live. Recent testing has shown Verizon's network in the US is a global leader[3], offering just shy of 500Mbps in real-world tests. The problem with millimetre wave, however, is that its coverage footprint is tiny, so in order to take advantage of it, you currently need to track down a small cell and stand under it.
The other problem with mmWave is