AT&T now rolling out not-really-5G icon on Android phones

AT&T seems to be taking the same approach to 5G that it did with 4G LTE when it was introduced. The wireless carrier is bringing the fake 5G icon to Android headsets, including LG's V30 and Samsung Galaxy S8 Active.

Upon seeing the update on your device and installing it, you will begin to notice a “5G E” (5G Evolution) indicator on your headset. This will replace the “LTE” symbol that you're used to seeing. A limited number of Android devices are seeing this new cellular icon and more will see it as spring moves forward, so be on the lookout.

This move from AT&T shouldn't really come as a surprise, though. First, AT&T isn't really upgrading anyone with eligible devices to their 5G service. Instead, you will still be using 4G LTE service, but with a mix of technologies (4×4 MIMO antennas, 256 QAM and carrier aggregation) that could potentially provide faster speeds.

This is again the same strategy AT&T used when it labeled its HSPA+ as LTE. More than anything, this is a marketing approach for the network as opposed to providing useful information for the consumer.

Hamza Khalid


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