“5G” is a general term covering modern fifth-generation cellular wireless network technologies. All major carriers and phones support 5G connections, which can provide faster data speeds than older technologies such as 4G LTE or 3G.
Essentially there are three types of 5G: Millimeter waves (mmWave), which can be fast but has limited range; low frequency 5G, which has slower speeds but operates over a wider range; And middle lanewhich is a balance between the two that is faster than low frequency but also covers a larger range than millimeter waves. Mid range also includes C-bandspectrum lot auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission in 2021.
Your phone's 5G connection depends on the type of coverage in the area you're in, as well as other factors such as population density and infrastructure. For example, mmWave is very fast, but its signals can be interfered with by buildings, glass or leaves, or if you are inside a structure.
When your device is connected to a 5G network, it may appear in several options, such as 5G, 5G Plus, 5G UW, or others, depending on the carrier. Here is a list of the main service icons you see at the top of the phone:
AT&T: 5GE (in fact, this is not 5G, but a clever marketing name for 4G LTE), 5G (low range), 5G Plus (mmwave, mid range)
Verizon: 5G (low band, also called “Nationwide 5G”), 5G UWB/5G UWB (mid-band and mmWave, also called “ultra-wideband 5G”)
T-Mobile: 5G (low range), 5G UC (mid-band and mmWave, also called “Ultra Capacity 5G”)
There is also reduced-capacity 5G (5G RedCap), which is a lower-power, lower-capacity branch of 5G used by devices such as smartwatches and wearable medical devices; For example, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 connects via 5G RedCap.
5G Advanced is just around the corner, promising much faster speeds through carrier aggregation or combining multiple spectrums.
