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Don't just look at the indicator on your phone though. Providers are free to scheme with those. Some honestly show the icon when you are on 5G. Others use the o

Don't just look at the indicator on your phone though. Providers are free to scheme with those. Some honestly show the icon when you are on 5G. Others use the option of showing it when you are on 4G (not even 5G NSA) but the network offers 5G on the cell. The marketing guys got involved with this indicator and completely ruined its trustworthiness.

VorpalWay 22d ago
It has been going between 4G and 5G today while hiking, so if they lie it isn't all the time at least. But what do you suggest instead (on Android, a Pixel specifically)?
- wolvoleo 22d ago
  It depends on the provider. They can choose what the logo means. Ps I looked it up, it can show it if the cell has 5G even if you're not connected to that at the moment, not if the network has it somewhere. But each provider makes different choices. They have like 4 options to choose from. You can use a network monitor app (or the built in one but it's a bit technical) to see what you're really connected to.
numpad0 22d ago
I've been away from Twitter phone nerds scene for quite a while, what do they use now for those details? Is it still ##service## or something else entirely?
- wolvoleo 22d ago
  There's apps for that but yes the built in one is also still there. I think it's not so much a nerd thing rather than a false advertising one though.
prmoustache 22d ago
Isn't the icon decided by the operating system?
- kccqzy 21d ago
  The operating system vendor can be bribed. AT&T for example asked Apple to show a 5GE icon when an “advanced” LTE network is in use.
  - prmoustache 21d ago
    That must be a US specific thing. Most phones here in europe aren't bound to a specific provider. As a matter of fact, the only phone I ever got with a mobile plan was my first mobile phone, a Motorola RAZR flip phone more than 2 decades ago.
- wolvoleo 19d ago
  No for 4G/5G the line gets a bit blurry there unfortunately.

VorpalWay 22d ago

It has been going between 4G and 5G today while hiking, so if they lie it isn't all the time at least. But what do you suggest instead (on Android, a Pixel specifically)?

wolvoleo 22d ago
It depends on the provider. They can choose what the logo means. Ps I looked it up, it can show it if the cell has 5G even if you're not connected to that at the moment, not if the network has it somewhere. But each provider makes different choices. They have like 4 options to choose from. You can use a network monitor app (or the built in one but it's a bit technical) to see what you're really connected to.

numpad0 22d ago

I've been away from Twitter phone nerds scene for quite a while, what do they use now for those details? Is it still ##service## or something else entirely?

wolvoleo 22d ago
There's apps for that but yes the built in one is also still there. I think it's not so much a nerd thing rather than a false advertising one though.

prmoustache 22d ago

Isn't the icon decided by the operating system?

kccqzy 21d ago
The operating system vendor can be bribed. AT&T for example asked Apple to show a 5GE icon when an “advanced” LTE network is in use.
- prmoustache 21d ago
  That must be a US specific thing. Most phones here in europe aren't bound to a specific provider. As a matter of fact, the only phone I ever got with a mobile plan was my first mobile phone, a Motorola RAZR flip phone more than 2 decades ago.
wolvoleo 19d ago
No for 4G/5G the line gets a bit blurry there unfortunately.