On more than one occasion we have already helped you understand the information that your mobile phone shows you. When you look at the upper right corner of your phone, you will see different coverage icons, but after updating to Android 11 or iOS 14, you will also find new symbols related to the 5G connectivity of your phone.
The most normal thing is that you will find the icons “5G”, “5G +”, “5G UW” or “5G E” if you are connected to the correct network. But what exactly do these symbols mean? They not only indicate if a 5G network is being used, but also what type it is connected to, since there are multiple frequency ranges to provide this type of signal to telephones and that operators could implement this new standard quickly and less expensive.
Unfortunately, these frequencies provide a different experience in 5G, resulting in multiple icons.
Types of 5G
5G SA and NSA, Sub-6, nmWave… Before knowing what the icons on your mobile mean, the right thing to do is to know which are the types of Network to which current devices can be connected.
5G NSA
The 5G NSA is short for 5G non-standalone, a type of deployment of these new networks that relies on radio spectrum destined for 5G but employs the 4G infrastructure to function properly. A 5G tower of these characteristics transmits on the same frequency that was once used for television transmissions, allowing to serve customers within a certain extension, and also covers more rural locations.
It is approximately 20% faster than 4G LTE networks.
5G SA
Abbreviation of 5G standalone that already presents the complete characteristics of this type of networks. It is up to six times faster than a 4G LTE connection, and it is more available in the main metropolitan areas of Spain. This “mid-band” 5G offers service in smaller areas compared to the 5G NSA because operators can allocate more resources in it. This makes data speeds higher than for low-band 5G.
5G mmWave
Signal characterized by extremely low latency and a speed approximately 10 times higher than that offered by 4G LTE networks. The 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) allows messages to be transmitted almost immediately, but requires close proximity to a tower. Because 5G networks operate on a higher mm wave frequency with a wider spectrum bandwidth, they allow for greater capacity to transfer data. And the broader the spectrum, the more devices can be linked and operated at a faster rate.
5G Sub-6
This is where all the mobiles capable of working with frequencies that are below 6 GHz, generally used by DTT, enter. They are not as fast as the previous one but offer a greater range of coverage by being able to cross obstacles more easily. All smartphones compatible with 5G SA networks can work on these networks.
Meaning of the mobile 5G icons
Once we have located the different types of networks in which our mobile can operate, we can start knowing what each of the symbols that appear on the screen next to the coverage icon means.
- 5G: Standard 5G or sub-6GHz is available and the mobile phone is connected to such a network. Bands in this range provide better coverage but slower speeds. The higher the frequency, the faster the download speed. For this reason, this is the icon that is most common to find on the phone. Unfortunately, this icon will not tell you if it is connected to low-band (less than 1 GHz) or mid-band (1–7.125 GHz) 5G, but a speed test will give you a rough idea.
- 5G +: 5G + connections are faster than standard 5G connections, but currently they are not very numerous in Spain, If you are living next to a 5G Network and have a mobile compatible with this network, you may be lucky to see this icon in screen. 5G + indicates that you are connected to a short-range mmWave tower offering download speeds of 1 to 3 Gbps
- 5G UW: The fastest 5G frequency although not as fast as the Sub-6GHz 5G standard. Rare to see in our country.
- 5GE : If you see this icon it means that you are connected to a “fake” network. Let’s explain: This symbol is fake 5G and, in fact, indicates it is connected to an LTE Advanced network. You might see faster speeds than a typical 4G network, but it doesn’t come close to 5G or, of course, 5G +.
What if no icon appears?
If you have a 5G smartphone and you do not see an icon on your smartphone that refers to it, it is probably because the 5G connection is not available. that is, your mobile is not able to connect to it. This may be due to a problem with the network provider, which will be the first thing you should find out, or with your mobile.
By default our smartphone is able to connect to 5G networks but it is possible that due to a configuration error this is not the case. Access the Settings app> SIM and networks and select preferred network type. Check that the 5G network is preset automatically so you don’t have to be connecting manually.
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