Dissecting 5G in the Wild: Performance, Coverage, and Support for Next-Gen Applications

5G, officially rolled out in 2019, has been rapidly deployed by major mobile network operators across the globe. Key advancements in 5G such as higher-order modulation, massive MIMO, wider channels, and higher operating frequencies, have set high expectations over the predecessor technology LTE, especially for enabling high-bandwidth and latency-sensitive applications such as Mixed Reality (XR), Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs), and 360° video streaming — often referred to as 5G "killer" apps. While 5G's technical promises have fueled widespread excitement, understanding its true impact requires a closer look at the real-world performance delivered to end users.