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So we are in mid 2022 now. What's your take on 5G?

  • I'm on it. I need the latest tech

    Votes: 27 37.0%
  • I would use it, but because I have to (eg 4G congestion)

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • I don't need it/I turn it off. 4G still works fine for me

    Votes: 36 49.3%
  • 5G? I barely even get 4G.

    Votes: 8 11.0%

  • Total voters
    73

Jim Lahey

macrumors 68030
Apr 8, 2014
2,638
5,411
What I’ve always wondered is, just how much speed can our device actually process anyway?

I think that’s the real question.

The bigger question might be: are “they” really investing hundreds of billions of dollars erecting eyesores all over town for the benefit of consumers who were already happy with their smartphone, or is it more likely for the benefit of the IoT control grid? 🤔😳🤓

 

gary77

macrumors regular
Sep 23, 2017
157
59
London England
None of the UK major networks offer 5G in my area and when i have been able to get 5G the speeds are about the same maybe a little better than what i'd get for 4G currently
 

ian87w

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 22, 2020
8,704
12,636
Indonesia
The bigger question might be: are “they” really investing hundreds of billions of dollars erecting eyesores all over town for the benefit of consumers who were already happy with their smartphone, or is it more likely for the benefit of the IoT control grid? 🤔😳🤓
5G imo is more about capacity. We went from few people owning celphones that use data into almost everyone having smartphones, including every little devices out there from tablets, pos systems to security cameras connecting to the cellular network.
 

unrigestered

Suspended
Jun 17, 2022
879
840
i don't need the latest tech, but i'm on it...
not noticing incredible improvements over 4G though, but that's ok as it doesn't cost me more
 

theriddler

macrumors regular
Dec 6, 2011
110
42
UK
I have 5G on my pay monthly SIM on my iPad Mini 6. I hardly use the data as I don’t take it out of the house. For my main mobile plan, I’m pay-as-you-go and 5G isn’t available on pay-as-you-go. Since most phones support eSIM now, I could use a 2nd SIM for additional data and 5G.
 

Baby12

macrumors regular
Aug 27, 2015
121
107
Stavanger
My record 5G speed from last year in Poland. I think they were testing new sub gHz bands. It blowed my mind. Now the average is around 500 mbps down and around 70mbps up
IMG_2735.png
 
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Sorinut

macrumors 68000
Feb 26, 2015
1,670
4,557
Yawn.

My local tower on LTE: 70mbit. Cell company upgraded it to 5G: 70mbit. Now it's 5G-UC: 70mbit. AT&T and T-Mobile are on the same tower and they have the exact same speeds. No Verizon signal here.
 
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SkyBell

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2006
6,603
219
Texas, unfortunately.
My 12 mini has always had an issue since I bought it where periodically on 5G it just refuses to load anything data-related. Sooooo I just have it turned off. I honestly don't see the point in it anyway, I can't tell the difference in speed; it feels like other parts of the hardware are the bottleneck.
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,230
29,349
Seattle WA
Great for me on T-Mobile in Seattle for 14PM and cellular Mini 6 - I see download speeds in the 500-800Mbps range. Good coverage and connectivity.
 

magicman32

macrumors 6502
Dec 25, 2007
411
739
Great for me on T-Mobile in Seattle for 14PM and cellular Mini 6 - I see download speeds in the 500-800Mbps range. Good coverage and connectivity.
2023... 5G... still crickets for me.. Don't even get me started on the joke that is mm wave 5G. And I do have solid 5G coverage where I roam.

I've had 2 5G phones and I've turned it off on both of them. It adds nothing I need - but wasting battery life - when LTE is more than I'll ever need for how I use my phone.

That and high refresh rates on tiny (relatively speaking) phone screens are just 2 things I have zero use for. My last 2 phones have had both and neither are on right now. Just adds nothing for me.

Now home internet 5G so I (we?) can lose the piece of crap that are cable companies that monopolize local areas, now that is a different ballgame altogether. Now that is something I can get behind.
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,230
29,349
Seattle WA
2023... 5G... still crickets for me.. Don't even get me started on the joke that is mm wave 5G. And I do have solid 5G coverage where I roam.

I've had 2 5G phones and I've turned it off on both of them. It adds nothing I need - but wasting battery life - when LTE is more than I'll ever need for how I use my phone.

That and high refresh rates on tiny (relatively speaking) phone screens are just 2 things I have zero use for. My last 2 phones have had both and neither are on right now. Just adds nothing for me.

Real handy when my wired Internet is down and I can hotspot. And phone is one thing, cellular iPad quite another (or even a hot-spotted iPad over 5G).
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,531
24,281
Wales, United Kingdom
There is no 5G where I live but I use it whenever I’m in major cities. It’s still very patchy in the UK but so is 4G after all these years. I’m in Chester at the moment which is classed as a city and all I’m getting is 3G. Not particularly bothered though, if I’m getting a good enough signal then that’s all that matters.
 

Ac1d 8urn

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2020
320
752
Wisconsin
5G has been a solid MEH for me. When it's not horribly congested it's great, butttt it's rare for it to not be horribly congested. I've tested it all the way from Oklahoma to Wisconsin on both T-mo and Verizon and I consistently have to roll back to LTE to get my data working again. My phone will show full signal & data but be slower than edge, or it just won't connect at all.

I'm pretty irked to have been through multiple generations of 5G phones now(12, 13, 14, SE 2022) and still have to turn off the 5G that every carrier has spent years juicing their jeans over to get a reliable data connection. Get it together, carriers.
 

StaceyMJ86

macrumors demi-goddess
Sep 22, 2015
8,158
14,518
Washington, DC
5G has been great for me! It works everywhere I go, even when I go out of town. I have no complaints. I even get to use 5GUWB with Verizon outside of a stadium, airport, etc.
 

JamesMcFlyJR

macrumors 6502
May 12, 2016
285
554
My record 5G speed from last year in Poland. I think they were testing new sub gHz bands. It blowed my mind. Now the average is around 500 mbps down and around 70mbps up

Insane speeds. I see you have Orange. What do you pay for service over there? (You can give it in PLN) Are there carriers in Poland/EU that give out free iPhones with trade in or 2 year contracts?
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,531
24,281
Wales, United Kingdom
Insane speeds. I see you have Orange. What do you pay for service over there? (You can give it in PLN) Are there carriers in Poland/EU that give out free iPhones with trade in or 2 year contracts?

You certainly don’t get free iPhones or good trade in prices over here in Europe. You’d be very lucky to get £500 trade in for a year old Pro iPhone with Apple. I regularly see American members here sharing their deals and it’s a very different experience here. We do seem to pay a lot less for our call and data plans though from what I have seen.
 
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Helmsley

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2017
698
336
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
5G on my mobile network operator (Three UK) is hit-and-miss. Their 4G service is mostly fine for what I need, although network congestion can be an issue at times.

I guess until 5G coverage has improved, I'll leave it switched off on my iPhone 13.
 
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