A device in 5g vs one out of the list - average speeds

[Tom_2107181]

Hi

I have switched provisionally to S believing I would get unlimited 5g but it turned out there is 'small print' for that, with a list of 5g devices which actually do receive 5g. unfortunately, my pixel 5 is not listed, and is not getting 5g. The speeds at home are in the ballpark of 4Mbps DL and UL, so I think it is a lower extreme for 4g actually. 

Have had some bad experiences with ee (same phone) where apart from roughly the same speeds, internet would go dead for minutes - very annoying when on msteams with a client.

To cut to the core, will there be perceived difference if I buy a device from the list of 5g tested ones? I would have thought 5g meant 30Mbps on average, or else it should be called 4g. I know th 4g-5g distinction is about the technology of transmission but still, when I switched from 3g to 4g back in continental europe 15 years ago, I was getting speeds better and more consistent than now with "5g".

Has anyone compared devices in and out of the list? What speeds did you get?
Thanks

[WelshPaul]

30Mbps on average, 5G? Never gone below 240Mbps on SMARTY.

[JJP2]

 I have an Asus Zenfone 9, which is also not on Smarty's list of "approved devices"....

...I switched to Smarty on Friday 2nd June, so just over a week ago, and great speeds 😀

My Asus Zenfone 9 is running the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, whilst your Pixel 5 runs the older Snapdragon 765 chipset. 

Its not always just about the network, proximity to masts, etc, which of course help, when determining the speeds you can expect / get, it also very much depends on the capability of the device(s) that you are using.

EDIT : Having just read your second paragraph, if you are using the Pixel 5 for work / business, with MS Teams, I would respectfully suggest you look at buying another phone, both the Google Pixel 6 series and Google Pixel 7 series are available, and some great deals can be hand, which you can partially offset by selling your Pixel 5 to "Music Magpie".

I also have to give a shout out to my Asus Zenfone 9, which is a great phone.

Reviews of the Zenfone 9 and both the Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 7 series' are available on YouTube, Chris Barraclough, AKA "Tech Spurt" on YouTube does very comprehensive reviews on phones. It was his review of the Zenfone 9 that convinced me to get the Zenfone 9.

[MSF]

@Tom_2107181  Just to mention that there will be no point in taking up the issue with Smarty as they do point out that the service is not permitted for commercial use.

[Tom_2107181]

Thanks for the replies and the tips on business and magpie. 

Anyone with xperia iv? Battery life feels the most important but then, it is not on the smarty5g list.

Samsung a21s is but strangely, several sources consider it 4g..

Any recommendations on the golden mean being exceptional battery life and smarty 5g compatibility will be much appreciated. 

Zenfone nice but too pricey. Business is just starting with other investments in the pipeline, so 250 pounds new or amazon-grade used is my max. At this price pixel 6a occasionally appears used but given p5's battery life, I think it might be too much of a performer (processor, I guess)

[JJP2]

If you are only looking at lower priced phones, you will only get lower spec performance.

You will not get the performance of a ferrari whilst buying a reliant robin ...

Also, as @MSF said, Smarty isnt allowed for commercial use.

Loathe to recommend it, as Smarty works great for myself and others, but with the Pixel 6A available for around £16 - £18 a month on contract, which you could of course put through the business, then maybe, at the current time, you would be better off looking at other networks and taking out a cheap monthly contract.

[Tom_2107181]

Indeed, specs are secondary to battery and reliable Sim speeds.ee as mentioned is much worse now than last year, so i want to try the 5g option here.

Considering galaxy s20 plus vs s20fe both 5g, if anyone has experiences to share.

Still trying to sort that out because when tried three on pixel 5, it showed persistently as 4g. Not sure how come three publish on 5g list and smarty piggyingback does.

[Tom_2107181]

Figure out, that is 🙂

[MSF]

@Tom_2107181 You say that you were receiving a 4G signal rather than 5G. Is that possibly because 5G was not available in that area? I do notice reception fluctuating depending upon where I am. The other thing to consider is whether it really makes all that much difference depending upon what you are doing on the device at the time.

[Tom_2107181]

You have touched on a black box. 4g at proper level would suffice but not when it oscillates in the lower bracket of 4g and below. If that doesn't get sorted out, I will seek elsewhere.

By the coverage map, 4g is available both indoors and outdoors. Whether some access to 5g using a listed phone lying on the window sill will help, I don't know.

Rather than subscribe to  mobile calls and broadband, I would prefer to invest in a better phone, but I am aware this may not work. 

I'll check pixel's connectivity across the town as I move around. If I manage to catch 5g, the problem is the home or location. It not, it might be either.

[Tom_2107181]

Looks like I have solved this puzzle 

To use mmWave technology, you need to be within about a block of a 5G tower, which isn't feasible in suburban and rural areas. mmWave spectrum is also blocked and obscured by doors, windows, trees, and walls, further limiting its available range, and because it requires so many towers for coverage, it's expensive for carriers to deploy.

So no matter how advanced and equipped a 5g phone is, if it is mmwave, it's due for replacement - move near the mast or forget about 5g.

That's why regardless of how liberal ee are about 5g phones, there they are just being quiet about something as clearcut.

I did take a stroll around the town, with mobile showing as 5g and speed tests showing 1.5Mbps.

Thanks for the inspirations. I think we have nailed it. 

[JJP2]

mmwave is not yet available in the UK...

See here : 

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/365532575/UK-regulator-gives-green-light-to-5G-mmWave-developmen...

That article is three months old.

mmwave offers fantastic speeds, but only over very short distances, so would need a larger dense network of smaller masts than we are currently used to here in the UK.

Your third paragraph gives the impression that mmwave, which is available in the USA, is old technology, when it will very much be part of the future.

What is mmwave ? 

You are confused about the current incarnation of 5G and next incoming wave, mmwave, which will work side by side with the current 5G networks, not replace them.

[Tom_2107181]

Okay. So why this white list by smarty? 

[ramble]

I didn't know there was a list, I had a look in the help section but can't find it. Can you post the link?

[MSF]

@ramble  From the Support section of website:   https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/5871549-which-devices-are-compatible-with-5g

[ramble]

Thanks, good to know. Needs an update - Samsung S23 series doesn't feature on the list (I confirm it works). 

[MSF]

@ramble @Tom_2107181  The 'white list' on Smarty seems to be a rather strange beastie.

Just because a phone isn't on it, doesn't seem to mean it won't work on 5G. I'm not sure if the corollary is true!

I think that it is meant as a general indication, but not set in stone and also not updated all that frequently maybe.

[Tom_2107181]

Thanks @MSF 

[MarkyPancake]

I had been with 3 for many years and a few months ago I moved from a OnePlus 3T to a Pixel 4a 5G and could finally access 3's 5G on the Pixel 4a 5G. I then moved to Smarty and despite operating on 3's network, they don't support 5G on this device.

Not a huge issue, as I don't use data heavy apps when I'm relying on mobile data, but a little disappointing to not have the option.

[Tom_2107181]

This clearly demonstrates how the theory is the people have managed to come up with might not be quite accurate.

I'm getting Samsung S20 f e soon so we'll be able to check whether a listed device is getting proper connectivity.

Naturally I will walk across the town.