In recent years, mobile phone manufacturers are racing in producing the most advanced smartphone as numerous countries like the U.S, Japan, China, Canada, India, the U.K, South Korea, and South Africa adopting the 5G technology. The 5G network vows to support faster data speeds of between 50Mbps and 1.8Gbps standard. So, is your phone 5G-ready?

As of 2020, out of hundreds of thousands of mobile phone models in the market, at least 77 5G-capable smartphones are now available commercially. These include mobile phone giants like Samsung, One plus, Xiaomi, TCL, Oppo, Huawei, Nokia, and just recently, Apple.

(Photo : James Yarema)Got a New Phone? How to Know if Your Phone Is 5G Ready

How to know if your phone is 5G ready

Aside from the brands' advertising the 5G capability, how can you confirm if the smartphone you bought supports 5G? Here's a simple guide on how to know if your phone is 5G ready.

A fast and easy way to check if your smartphone has 5G feature is to search its specs online. Just enter the smartphone model in the search bar in Google or any tech website that can provide the information you need.Check the specification and look for the Network field. It should list 5G bands.

The much easier method to check your smartphone's 5G capability is to check the phone settings. For Android, go to Settings and look for Network & internet. Under Mobile Network, a list of all technologies supported will show, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. Your phone supports 5G if it is listed.

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Before buying a 5G phone

Before spending much on a 5G smartphone, it is better to confirm first if your Mobile network provider offers 5G network because it will just be a redundant feature if it does not. Numerous telecom companies are rolling out their 5G network, but it is best to check if your provider already has it and what type of technology it supports.

(Photo : AT&T)Before buying a 5G phone, check your network first

Both AT&T and T-Mobile have a few mmWave deployments while majority of their network initially supports sub-6GHz technology. In contrast, Verizon focused on mmWave-based technology. This means if your network provider is Verizon, you must check if the 5G phone you are getting supports mmWave; otherwise, the phone's performance will not be as fast, although it covers a wider area.

According to OpenSignal's report on 5G network performance, Verizon may have the fastest 5G, but the poorest availability on 5G network. In contrast, T-Mobile has the most extensive 5G reach, but the speed is only slightly faster than LTE.

According to Toms Guide, aside from 5G networks, buyers must also consider the processor, screen size, cameras, and other specs, just like when buying a regular smartphone. However, since 5G can exhaust the phone's power much faster than regular smartphones, it is highly significant to get high performing battery.

Of course, price remains a vital concern, but there are a lot of lower-cost 5G smartphones that came out in 2020. While iPhone 12 series and Samsung Galaxy S20 may top the list on the best 5G phones, they are also too costly.

However, there are some great-performing budget 5G smartphones, which are only under $600. Some of them are Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, Samsung Galaxy A51 5G, Motorola One 5G, LG K92 5G, and Google Pixel 4a 5G.

While 2020 may be the year for 5G, let's see what the 2021 may offer in terms of the technology. Perhaps, more budget-friendly and more powerful 5G phones will reach the market in the near future.

Related article: Google Pixel 5 5G vs. iPhone 12 Camera: Which Takes the Better Photos? Specs, Features Compared

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Written by CJ Robles

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