New Delhi: Telecom companies are starting to grow 5G services with select users in metro cities, common street users are inundated with queries whether their smartphones will be able to run 5G data packs or not in the near future.
Reliance Jio said on Tuesday that invited ‘Jio Welcome Offer’ users in four cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi – will be automatically upgraded to Jio True 5G service “without the need to change their existing Jio SIM or 5G handset “. This confirmed that the SIM upgrade process is from the back end.
Users just need a 5G-compatible phone to enjoy high-speed internet to stream movies or play games.
“At the SIM level, there may be no need for change as of now as telcos will upgrade the SIM from the back end to enable it for 5G services. 4G SIM can certainly work in 5G powered phones,” Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak told IANS.
However, a 5G-enabled smartphone is a must to avail high-speed internet and other services.
Jio said it is also working with all phone brands to enable their 5G phones to work seamlessly with Jio True 5G services so that customers have the most comprehensive range of 5G devices to choose from.
This also means that more than 500 million smartphone users in India will have to buy 5G-ready phones in the future.
India will soon have close to 100 million 5G smartphone users.
In any case, millions of these users will have to wait until late 2023 or early 2024 to enjoy 5G on their devices, but they need 5G-capable devices.
According to Airtel, the 4G SIM can work in 5G powered phones. However, you should also keep in mind that you won’t be able to make the most of 5G.
“To enjoy the maximum potential of the 5G network, you will need to have a 5G SIM with a 5G phone. Despite all this, your 4G SIM will certainly provide you with better connectivity and transmission when used with 5G phones,” according to the company.
You must have a device that is compatible with 5G networks. Today, as 5G services are about to be rolled out, most phone companies have already launched 5G-enabled smartphones with modems and built-in hardware to support 5G technology.
Will a 5G SIM work on a 4G smartphone?
The answer is yes. However, there is a catch.
“Although the 5G SIM card can be used in 4G mobile devices, it will still provide you with 4G networks as one of the main requirements for using 5G technology is having a 5G powered device,” according to Airtel’s FAQ. In simple words, a smartphone must have a 5G-enabled chipset to support 5G services.
If your phone doesn’t support 5G, it won’t be able to access 5G networks and therefore you won’t be able to enjoy the lightning-fast speed and connectivity of the 5G network.
(With image credits)