Many T-Mobile subscribers in the U.S. are unlikely to be deceived by a misleading 5G icon on their phones. An application called Signal Tracker shows that just because a phone displays a 5G connection doesn’t guarantee that it is genuinely connected to a 5G network. In fact, data suggests that in the UK, 38% of the time a phone indicates it is using 5G, it is actually connected to a 4G signal.
The discrepancy arises because most wireless providers will label a connection as 5G if their base station has the necessary equipment, even if the actual signal is still 4G. Signal Tracker conducted tests in Central London, marking true 5G connections in red and false 5G connections in blue on their map, illustrating the prevalence of this issue. In the UK, results varied across different carriers.
Subscribers of Three were reasonably confident about their 5G connections, with a 94% accuracy rate. Vodafone users had a 93% chance of receiving true 5G speeds, while O2’s users experienced reliable 5G only 66% of the time. Those with EE experienced significant misleading information, as only 32% truly connected to 5G.
Martin Sims, Managing Director of Policy Tracker, emphasizes the lack of clear communication about 5G connections. He asserts that while achieving widespread 5G service may be challenging, consumers deserve transparency regarding what they are actually receiving. In contrast, many U.S. T-Mobile subscribers are less likely to experience this issue.
T-Mobile uses a standalone 5G network that is built from the ground up to support 5G without relying on 4G infrastructure. Other U.S. carriers, like Dish Network and UScellular, are also developing standalone networks, with Verizon and AT&T planning similar transitions in the near future.