Though quite a few iPhone models and cellular carriers support 5G, not all support the 5G Standalone spec. Here’s what the expanded support means.
Instead, users can take advantage of C-Band 5G, which is the most common and most reliable form of 5G. C-Band 5G operates in a mid-range frequency that provides better speed than 4G and LTE with comparable coverage areas.
But there’s been a catch throughout the 5G rollout so far – the 5G network on the most popular carriers in North America has been based on the existing LTE infrastructure. 5G Standalone has been the default option for networking in the China mainland since iOS 14.6, according to Apple, but U.S.
support lagged behind. Since North American carriers have rolled out 5G on the older LTE infrastructure, current 5G speeds are limited by the outdated equipment. With iOS 16.4, Apple is expected to introduce 5G Standalone to more users and carriers in North American markets, as first spotted by 9to5Mac.
5G Standalone Actualizes Promised Speeds
While Non-standalone 5G networks still provide speeds superior to 4G LTE, they can’t deliver on some of the other promises that came with the emergence of 5G. This includes Internet of Things applications, low-latency connectivity, and device-to-device networking.
The transition from Non-standalone 5G to Standalone 5G will be a years-long process, but some users can take advantage of the shift soon. iOS 16.4 brings Standalone 5G to T-Mobile customers in the U.S., but no other carriers in the country have been confirmed to support the standard. The update also adds Standalone 5G support to Brazilian carriers Vivo, TIM Brasil, and Claro.
Users can navigate to Settings, go to ‘Cellular’ and then ‘Cellular Data Options.’ Next, tap ‘Voice & Data’ to view the 5G Standalone option. If the standard isn’t supported, the toggle will be grayed out with the text ‘your current SIM does not support 5G Standalone’ displayed. iPhone users will be able to access Standalone 5G once updated to iOS 16.4, provided their carrier supports it.