Verizon s low-band nationwide 5G network delivers slower speeds on an iPhone 12 than the carrier s 4G LTE network, according to new testing.
Credit: Andrew O Hara, AppleInsider
The carrier launched its nationwide 5G network in October. But the system is based on dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), which reuses 4G channels for 5G and may actually be slower than straight 4G LTE.
PC Mag, Verizon s DSS 5G is frequently slower than 4G, and rarely faster.
That s in stark contrast to Verizon s other offerings. Its 4G LTE network often delivers faster speeds than the low-band 5G networks from either T-Mobile and AT&T. The carrier s UltraWideband 5G network is top-tier, but has extremely limited coverage.
Verizon s nationwide 5G may be seriously slowing down your new iPhone, a problem that also affects other new 5G phones such as the Google Pixel 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The fix? Turning off 5G if you can.
When 5G Is Slower Than 4G
Verizon has America s fastest mobile network based on two systems: a 4G LTE network that gets faster every year, and a blazing-fast, high-capacity millimeter-wave ultra wideband (UWB) 5G network. Verizon s 4G LTE is often faster than T-Mobile s and AT&T s low-band 5G. But Verizon s UWB 5G network has extremely limited coverage, potentially giving Verizon phones a 4G icon in cities where its competitors have 5G and when you re choosing a carrier, you re more likely to want that little 5G icon than to dig into the nuances of network speeds.
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