Got a 5G icon on your phone screen? You might not actually be using 5G

Many telecom operators' 5G networks rely on core technology of the previous generation.

At the top right corner of your smartphone, next to the bars showing the strength of your internet connection, there should be a number that typically indicates which network generation you're currently using.

If your device supports 5G technology and you have a 5G plan, you may have noticed the 5G icon in the top corner of your device’s screen.

However, there is a decent chance that your phone is not actually using 5G even though you see the 5G icon. The icon may just mean that the 5G network is available somewhere nearby.

Whether or not that’s the case may depend on your phone carrier.

When replying to a Washington Post inquiry, AT&T said its “5G” indicators on phones align with a telecom standards organization that established the icon to mean 5G networks are available somewhere nearby. T-Mobile said that for most of its cellphone network, a phone accurately reflects whether you’re on 5G.

And if you are using a telecom provider service in Europe, the 5G icon probably shows the nearby availability of 5G.

Two types of 5G network architecture

Ramūnas Mikalauskas, head of Radio Access Network at Telia Lithuania, part of the Sweden-based Telia Company, explains that many operators worldwide are currently using the 5G non-standalone (NSA) network, which utilizes the core network of the 4G, also called LTE.

“5G NSA is actually a small evolutionary step of 4G (LTE) because it primarily relies on the existing 4G infrastructure. For voice calls, 5G NSA uses 4G, while 5G serves as an additional carrier that connects to 4G, enhancing capacity and performance. However, all signaling and core network functions of NSA are still managed by the legacy 4G architecture,” Mikalauskas explained to Cybernews.

Non-standalone, as the name suggests, is a network that can not operate alone on 5G infrastructure.

Meanwhile, 5G Standalone (SA) is the next phase of 5G that fully utilizes 5G infrastructure. 5G SA offers several key advantages over NSA, including ultra-low latency, faster speeds, and improved security.

As Miklauaskas points out, 5G SA also enables so-called network slicing, which allows telecom operators to create multiple virtual networks designed for a particular service.

For example, a network can be optimized for extremely low latency or bandwidth, which could be used for various applications, such as industrial, IoT services, autonomous vehicles, and other scenarios.

The main issue for a wider 5G SA adoption is price.

“The new technology is very complex and expensive, and its capabilities are too advanced for the needs of average consumers,” Mikalauskas says.

“Big industrial companies are more likely to utilize the SA capabilities, but when you look at how much it costs to build 5G SA and how much of those capabilities you can actually use, there isn’t always a business case.”

The fact that average consumers and many businesses can not yet utilize 5G's capabilities will result in slower 5G development compared to the leap telecom operators made from 3G to 4G.

Miklalauskas expects 5G SA to be rolled out more widely in 2026-2027.

Then, finally, the 5G icon in the right corner will mean that your smartphone is indeed using the 5G network.