American carrier, T-Mobile has launched a new ‘5G UC’ icon which will appear on the status bar of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. The icon is introduced to notify the users of areas with strong 5G network coverage.
5G network supports two bands: lower-tier sub-6GHz and higher-tier mmWave. The sub-6GHz band is faster than LTE or 4G network but slower the faster 5G mmWave. iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series support model bands but iPhone models supporting 5G mmWave connectivity are only offered in the United States while lower-tier sub-6GHz 5G iPhone models are for other parts of the world.
#iPhone13 and #iPhone13Pro will let @TMobile customers know when they are in an area with⚡️💪 fast speeds with Ultra Capacity 5G!
Just keep an eye out for the below icon. 📱 users will see it more and more as we continue to rapidly roll out this 🔥🔥spectrum combo. pic.twitter.com/EirfCk8pjl
— Neville (@NevilleRay) September 14, 2021
The new ‘5G UC’ icon will be available on more devices in an upcoming update
The ‘5G UC’ icon will appear in areas with ‘Ultra capacity’ which means that T-Mobile users are connected to the mid-high mmWave network. The company’s support Twitter account @T-Mobile Help has confirmed that the feature will be expanded to other devices in a “future” software update.
Hi there! The 5G UC icon will first be available on iPhone models 12 and up and will come to more devices in the future through a software update. To see the 5G UC icon on your device you’ll need to be in an area with Ultra Capacity 5G and have a compatible device. ^JennaLundh
— T-Mobile Help (@TMobileHelp) September 17, 2021
Although the smartphone manufacturers have transitioned to the 5G network from 4G, the infrastructure to support the 5G coverage in most areas is still underdeveloped. Therefore, users will get strong 5G signals in few places at the moment. Having said that, an analyst at GlobalData predicts that iPhone 13 will boost the adaptation of 5G which would also push carriers to improve 5G coverage.
Apple’s new iPhone 13 will be a boost for 5G adoption. Unlike Android, iOS users lack a strong selection of 5G devices. The iPhone 13 family is a welcome addition for consumers looking to upgrade. Rival Samsung has a robust selection of 5G phones across price tiers and is top of mind at operators that are aggressively pushing 5G services – especially in the US.
With massive promotions offering the phones for $0 to $100, the iPhone 13 will continue the 5G supercycle that started with the iPhone 12.”
