Unlocked and 5G and 5G speeds vs. LTE

[anon(40376)]

I have an unlocked S22U and the disable 5G option is not available. It appears since I am using a Tracfone, an MVNO that runs on Verizon towers (and they are also owned by Verizon), somehow they prevent me from disabling 5G since Verizon wants you usuing 5G if available vs. LTE.

However, downloaded a Samsung app from the Play store; "Samsung Band Selector" that allows me to turn off 5G and run only on LTE.

So, for those who have a phone locked to 5G, this helps to dump it if not needed. And from the speed tests I ran today, I sure don't need it.

Where I live, I can only get LTE; someday in my dreams (or nightmares) I may get 5G service, but not sure I want it after doing some speed tests.

LTE speed test from my house...

The nearest town is Driggs, they do not have 5G; so I went further south to Victor (having 5G there surprised me); however, the 5G is actually slower than my 4G LTE. (Next time I run into a big city (over 50K people) like Idaho Falls or possibly Jackson WY, I'll give 5G another shot.)

And they want to force me to use a slower speed system? If Verizon wasn't the only provider of service where I live, I would drop Tracfone and head to a MVNO that runs T-mobile.

 

[Mike Dee]

I have an unlocked S22U and the disable 5G option is not available. It appears since I am using a Tracfone, an MVNO that runs on Verizon towers (and they are also owned by Verizon), somehow they prevent me from disabling 5G since Verizon wants you usuing 5G if available vs. LTE.

However, downloaded a Samsung app from the Play store; "Samsung Band Selector" that allows me to turn off 5G and run only on LTE.

So, for those who have a phone locked to 5G, this helps to dump it if not needed. And from the speed tests I ran today, I sure don't need it.

Where I live, I can only get LTE; someday in my dreams (or nightmares) I may get 5G service, but not sure I want it after doing some speed tests.

LTE speed test from my house...

https://i.imgur.com/LQtC0lU.jpg

The nearest town is Driggs, they do not have 5G; so I went further south to Victor (having 5G there surprised me); however, the 5G is actually slower than my 4G LTE. (Next time I run into a big city (over 50K people) like Idaho Falls or possibly Jackson WY, I'll give 5G another shot.)

https://i.imgur.com/rW2bwFA.jpg

And they want to force me to use a slower speed system? If Verizon wasn't the only provider of service where I live, I would drop Tracfone and head to a MVNO that runs T-mobile.

Thats not 5G Ultra Wideband which is much faster. Thats the Natiowude 5G which reach runs off their LTE network and increases their coverage area. In some cases its slightly faster but in most its slower. So the only realistic advantage is better coverage.

 

[anon(40376)]

I knew it wasn't the mmWave 5G. I would have to drive to Salt Lake City to test the mmWave and that is not going to happen for months; if even in months. And the mmWave from friends in some states east of the Rockies are hitting, on average 700 mbps speeds; a lot faster than the common 5G. Now if Verizon ever gets the C-band system running in my area, that would make the 5G a lot faster than the LTE. But that is really a dream.

However, I do know that the crews are out in decent weather working on the cell towers around here every time I drive by the two towers near me and they have increased the LTE speeds and distance considerably in the past half a year. Guess they might also be working on 5G too. I'll have to check next time I head into town.

As for better coverage...that's why Verizon pushes people to use 5G, more can be on than on LTE as explained by some who know more than I do in regards to these systems.

 

[KPMcClave]

I knew it wasn't the mmWave 5G. I would have to drive to Salt Lake City to test the mmWave and that is not going to happen for months; if even in months. And the mmWave from friends in some states east of the Rockies are hitting, on average 700 mbps speeds; a lot faster than the common 5G. Now if Verizon ever gets the C-band system running in my area, that would make the 5G a lot faster than the LTE. But that is really a dream.

Just to make sure everyone knows, if the info hasn't crossed your radar, Verizon considers both mmWave and C-band as Ultra Wideband now (which of course means it costs more than the all-but-useless "nationwide 5G" that's included in all plans).

 

[Laura Knotek]

Here's mine with ultra wideband on Verizon.

 

[msm0511]

Here's mine with ultra wideband on Verizon. View attachment 343206

Do you see UW regularly, or do you have to go to an area specifically to test?

 

[KPMcClave]

Do you see UW regularly, or do you have to go to an area specifically to test?

I'm thinking 822 Mbps must be mmWave, which means he has to stand on a street corner right under the tower. C-band won't get that fast, right?

 

[Laura Knotek]

Do you see UW regularly, or do you have to go to an area specifically to test?

It's common in the city of Cleveland, but not common in the suburbs.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I'm thinking 822 Mbps must be mmWave, which means he has to stand on a street corner right under the tower. C-band won't get that fast, right?

I wasn't standing under a tower. I was in a city area where there are mostly businesses, not houses.

 

[msm0511]

It's common in the city of Cleveland, but not common in the suburbs.

Ah, ok. Sounds like Verizon is really expanding it then. Good on them. Was just curious.

 

[msm0511]

I'm thinking 822 Mbps must be mmWave, which means he has to stand on a street corner right under the tower. C-band won't get that fast, right?

I average about half that on TMo, but only on my Ultra. My other phones aren't as fast on the same network.

 

[anon(40376)]

Yes, UW on a phone using verizon's system means both C-band and mmWave. C-band should and is hitting around 400 mbps, with mmWave usually over 800 mbps; however, those speeds will vary but talking general figures no exact.

The S22U (and probably the S22+) in the USA can get the mmWave if you pay for it, and are close enough to the towers. You do not have to be standing under the tower to get it. In fact directly under the tower you might not receive it since the signals radiate out from the towers, not directly down. Be a good experiment to give it a try.

Verizons's nationwide 5G speeds will be increasing without C-band as newer equipment is supplied.

I had a discussion with a local person today and where I live, in about three months, I will have 5G. (It was around six months ago that I was actually able to get 4G where I live.) But the newer equipment they placed on one tower as well as the new equipment they placed on the new tower that gave me 4G is also capable of 5G not just turned on for this area yet (so they say).

Honestly, for standard surfing the net, the 4G is fast enough for me. No hesitation in scrolling, jumping into a website is as fast as I can imagine.

My original post was more to state that even an unlocked phone can have the capability to turn off 5G when operating, even via an MVNO, turned off. They do it in the firmware programmed into the phone by the manufacture, at the requires of Verizon and ATT. Reason is to force people to use 5G to take the load off 4G. More 4G phones, more people using them can cause problems; forcing them onto 5G takes the load off 4G.

On an unlocked phone, when the firmware sees a SIM card from Verzon, ATT or an MVNO running their towers it is able to disable the function to kill 5G and run only on LTE; it that particular SIM is programmed to disable the function. (I guess not all will do it. In my case; Tracfone, being owned by Verizon it is a yes; disable.) All this was told to me this AM from a Vterizon field engineer; a friend of a friend who lives in Pocatello ID. Would have liked to learn more, but he had places to go, and I had to head back home in another frigging blizzard.

But I was also letting anyone with a locked phone than was being forced to use 5G and did not have the capability to run only on LTE, that there is an App and that App works. And it's a free app.

 

[KPMcClave]

I wasn't standing under a tower. I was in a city area where there are mostly businesses, not houses.

First, sorry I referred to you as "he," Laura.

I was exaggerating to make the point that while mmWave 5G is very fast, it isn't very useful overall. It's very hard to find, doesn't travel very far, etc.

 

[KPMcClave]

I average about half that on TMo, but only on my Ultra. My other phones aren't as fast on the same network.

I think half that is probably where the more widespread C-band 5G verizon has would probably top out. I don't think C-band (the flavor they flipped the switch on late last year) can get up to 822 Mbps.

 

[KPMcClave]

The S22U (and probably the S22+) in the USA can get the mmWave if you pay for it, and are close enough to the towers. You do not have to be standing under the tower to get it. In fact directly under the tower you might not receive it since the signals radiate out from the towers, not directly down. Be a good experiment to give it a try.

I wasn't being literal in my under the tower comment. I was exaggerating to point out you need to be close and unobstructed (as in outdoors) by most accounts in order to use mmWave.

We have mmWave where I live, and it hasn't crossed my path once.

 

[Aaron Cherrington]

My best is 1.1gbs and that is 5GUC not mmwave. Unlocked s22U on T-mo

 

[anon(40376)]

Hell, I don't even get that on my wired internet at my house; and I paid a few thousand to get it installed.