Which 5G service am I getting?

[ODog2323]

I'm on an unlocked Note 20 Ultra on AT&T in the US, and just yesterday noticed the 5G signal indicator appear, where it used to say LTE. I haven't updated my plan, so I'm assuming they're not comping me that upgrade to get true 5G. How can I confirm that I'm still getting their fake marketing "5G" and not the real thing? Thanks!

 

[donm527]

I would check your carrier. They may have just opened/upgraded 5G to your existing plan.

Interesting... Because I have had AT&T for a long time and don't ever remember AT&T labeling it LTE. Even my Note 8 I believe 4G or 5Ge.

I only upgraded my plan after I got my daughter her iPhone 12 Pro and it would say 5G when mine still said 5Ge I realized there was some setting issue that phone support fixed and I am all good now.

I have an iPhone XR I added a Red Pocket Mobile AT&T network GSM chip... and that is the only time I've seen a phone on an AT&T network say LTE.

 

[Cletis169_1]

I just saw the 5G on my N20U unlocked for the first time the other day. It usually say LTE which is upsetting because I upgraded to unlimited plan for 5G and have only seen it one time now.

 

[ODog2323]

I didn't upgrade my plan or anything, so I'm thinking I'm just getting that re-branded LTE Advanced that they like to call 5G. I am getting 100mb+ down pretty consistantly, so not complaining.

 

[joeldf]

That's the real 5G.

AT&T labels the LTE-Advanced fake 5G as "5G-E", with a very small "E" subscript after the "5G". You don't have that, so you're getting the real thing.

On all my Samsungs (S8, S9, and current S20 FE), LTE is shown as "4G LTE". On my old BlackBerry Z10, it showed just "LTE". When the Z10 dropped out of LTE, it would show just "4G", which is really HSPA+, or 3G Advanced.

My wife and I both recently upgraded to 5G phones, my S20 FE, and she got the iPhone 12 Mini. Unfortunately we never changed our actual plan, so we both still get just LTE, and the occasional 5G-E if we ever drive in certain parts of town. We'll get around to updating our plan eventually. Or maybe AT&T will change it for us. It seems that's what they did for you.

 

[ODog2323]

Interesting, since I haven't changed anything on my plan. My bill better not change!

 

[joeldf]

Interesting, since I haven't changed anything on my plan. My bill better not change!

My understanding is that AT&T isn't charging more.

Yet.

 

[mustang7757]

I'm on an unlocked Note 20 Ultra on AT&T in the US, and just yesterday noticed the 5G signal indicator appear, where it used to say LTE. I haven't updated my plan, so I'm assuming they're not comping me that upgrade to get true 5G. How can I confirm that I'm still getting their fake marketing "5G" and not the real thing? Thanks! View attachment 333638

Thats how mine looks 5g symbol if it was fake it would be 5ge

 

[ODog2323]

My understanding is that AT&T isn't charging more.

Yet.

Is that a recent change? Last time I checked 5G access was like a 5 or 10 dollar upgrade, so I didn't bother.

 

[joeldf]

Is that a recent change? Last time I checked 5G access was like a 5 or 10 dollar upgrade, so I didn't bother.

I haven't personally checked, but if I recall, ot depends on the plan, and that the unlimited plans don't cost more moving to 5G. I think it's the lower tier plans that have price increases.