Samsung phones on Verizon get meaningful 5G support
- Samsung phones on Verizon can finally take advantage of the carrier’s lower-band 5G network.
- The provider versions of the Galaxy S20, Note 20, A51 and A71 families are eligible to participate.
- You need at least the security patch from September 2020 to use 5G.
Samsung phones were among the first to support 5G in the US, but you may not have known about Verizon (Disclaimer: This author also writes for Verizon companies Engadget) when the vehicle’s millimeter wave technology limited the faster speeds to a handful of areas. You will finally get a chance to try it seriously SamMobile reports that some Samsung phones are finally gaining access to Verizon’s low-band 5G Nationwide service.
You need a relatively new device. The Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy A51 5G UW, and Galaxy A71 5G UW all support the wider frequency ranges. You may already have support by the time your phone received the September 2020 security update.
All of Verizon’s current phone plans include 5G access.
Continue reading: The best 5G plans in the US
This could easily be your first impression of 5G if you are a Samsung phone owner using the Verizon network, and it could be a bit faster than T-Mobile if you live in an area where the mid- Competitor’s Band-5G is not an option. AT&T is closer to Verizon as it uses both low-band coverage (which has been around for a while) and mmWave coverage.
Just don’t expect any difference between day and night. Low-band 5G may have speed and latency advantages over LTE, but you won’t see mmWave’s dramatic gigabit-plus performance. These early 5G devices can also degrade battery life if you have constant access to the newer network.
Still, this is a huge step forward in making 5G accessible in the US. Apple’s iPhone 12 will clearly help roll out 5G, but the company’s phones only make up about half of the country’s market share. There are still plenty of Android users waiting for 5G access, and Samsung’s support for Verizon is key to bridging that void.
