5G Standalone

[swebb]

I noticed the other day that I'm getting a 5G standalone connection on my 9Pro. I'm on Mint Mobile, This is the first time I've noticed it. Never saw this on my previous P8. So is this because of improved hardware on the P9 or a network improvement by TMo? I'm leaning towards the phone hardware because I'm not seeing this on a P7a, also on Mint Mobile. I'm asking because I've never read anything about 5G standalone being dependent on hardware or software. I'm getting the SA connection on both the 600mhz and 2600mhz bands.

 

[Stanley Kubrick]

I noticed the other day that I'm getting a 5G standalone connection on my 9Pro. I'm on Mint Mobile, This is the first time I've noticed it. Never saw this on my previous P8. So is this because of improved hardware on the P9 or a network improvement by TMo? I'm leaning towards the phone hardware because I'm not seeing this on a P7a, also on Mint Mobile. I'm asking because I've never read anything about 5G standalone being dependent on hardware or software. I'm getting the SA connection on both the 600mhz and 2600mhz bands.

May I ask please how you are able to know this? I have the 9 Pro XL and use Mint also. This is a sincere question. TY

 

[swebb]

Settings--About Phone--Sim(Active) Status

Mobile Voice Network Type and/or Mobile Data Network (if not connected via WI-FI) show "NR SA", which means standalone 5G.

Prior to this, I would get "NR NSA" for the Mobile Data Network and "LTE" for the voice network. NSA means non-standalone.

 

[Stanley Kubrick]

Settings--About Phone--Sim(Active) Status

Mobile Voice Network Type and/or Mobile Data Network (if not connected via WI-FI) show "NR SA", which means standalone 5G.

Prior to this, I would get "NR NSA" for the Mobile Data Network and "LTE" for the voice network. NSA means non-standalone.

That's what I thought you were doing. Mine is still NSA. I use Mint also. I wonder if it has to do with location?

 

[swebb]

Likely that location makes a difference. I believe I read that SA requires some tower tweaks, that weren't there at the initial 5G rollout. Also read that the SIM card could make a difference, though that is debatable based on some Reddit posts. Neither TMo or Mint mention anything about NA or NSA on their coverage maps.

FWIW, I live in the northern OH area and have the Mint Mobile eSim, with the stock APN that is installed with the SIM. I haven't been away from the area since my initial discovery, so don't know how widespread the SA signal is.

 

[steffi]

5G NSA is in a great improvement from 4G LTE

 

[swebb]

So I remembered to check my signal when I was away from home the other day. There were at least 2 areas where I did not have a SA signal. So standalone 5G absolutely depends on location, as I suspected. TMobile does not break this out on their coverage map, nor have I found any details on their rollout.

 

[ziddey]

Pixel9 non-pro here. Standalone works with metro/helium, but mint esim refuses to connect (DENIED_EM). What's your carrier settings version?

I tried forcing the regular tmobile_us carrier settings instead of ultra, but it didn't help.

 

[swebb]

ultra_us settings dated 8/29/2024. Default settings from the eSim.

 

[ziddey]

ah thanks. That's the same one.