So you’re thinking about taking the plunge into the world of 5G? Presumably you have a handset in mind, but perhaps aren’t sure about finding the right data plan or carrier? That’s no easy task, especially in the early stages of a next-gen network deployment, where coverage and 5G plan choices are much more limited than with 4G LTE.
Our guide aims to take you through a few essential piece of knowledge that will help you make the most out of your new 5G plan, phone, and carrier.
Key considerations for your 5G plan
Getting the most out of 5G isn’t necessarily the seamless experience we’re used to. Different regional carriers and handsets support slightly different network technologies, which could impact 5G availability, coverage, and data speeds.
If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick checklist to keep an eye on:
- 5G is expensive, so make sure you can use it. Check in with your preferred carrier that you actually have 5G coverage in your area. Or that you’re at least on the roll-out road map.
- Double check that your phone supports the 5G network bands used by your carrier.
- Consider how much data you need each month and if 5G is really worth the extra cost.
- Compare those prices.
Check local 5G availability
Your first port of call should be to make sure that you can actually benefit from 5G speeds by checking local availability. After all, there’s no point spending extra money on a 5G phone and data-plan if you can’t use it immediately or in the near future.
All major carriers publish their list of supported regions. At the moment, deployment is mostly limited to cities, so you’ll have to read through some increasingly long lists to check you’re covered. There are also some national and regional websites that showcase which networks currently offer 5G in your area, which can be worth checking out.
If you’re lucky, your carrier may also offer an interactive 5G coverage map so you can see exactly how complete or spotty local coverage is. After all, 5G isn’t much good if it only works on your street. Not every carrier provides a 5G map at the moment, but the UK’s EE has one as do T-Mobile and Sprint in the US. Although it’s not clear if some of these maps really show exactly where you’ll benefit from 5G speeds.
Even if your local area isn’t currently on the 5G grid, don’t despair. If you’re living in a major city with 5G rollouts already underway, you’re likely to see coverage in the next two years. Keep an eye on carrier announcements and future plans for their 5G rollouts. You can often find a list of towns and cities with upcoming 5G deployments on your carrier’s website.
Bringing your own phone? Check those bands
Buying a 5G phone directly from a carrier is a surefire way to ensure the handset plays nicely with the carrier’s unique 5G technology. You see, carriers in different countries use unique frequency bands for their 5G networks. Your phone needs to support the same frequency bands as your carrier in order to use their 5G network.
Broadly speaking, networks are split into two types of 5G technology – sub6GHz and mmWave. You need a phone that specifically supports mmWave to use 5G networks such as Verizon. Sub-6GHz is more widely supported, particularly outside the US. Sub-6GHz bands have names ranging from n1 to n95, while mmWave is named from n257 to n261.
It’s always worth checking compatibility between phone and network bands to ensure you get the most out of any network. Especially if you’re bringing your own phone. This information can be found on your smartphone’s official spec page and carriers often list this information on their websites too. Failing that, there are lots of third party websites tracking 5G frequency bands for networks around the world.
Consider your data needs
Before stumping up the cash for your 5G phone and plan, reconsider whether or not you really need to make the leap to 5G just yet. You’re likely to pay a premium for 5G’s faster data speeds. Verizon, for example, charges $10 more per month for 5G data versus 4G. Even if that’s not the case, many of plans fall into the most expensive unlimited data tier.
A 5G package makes sense if you’re downloading tens of gigabytes (GB) of high resolution media on the go each month. However, if you’re currently using just a couple of GB mostly browsing the web and checking in on Facebook, you’ll be paying more for no tangible benefit with 5G.
A few carriers are beginning to offer more affordable 5G SIMs and plans with smaller data allowances. It is worth checking out these packages if you’re not a heavy data consumer. You won’t automatically use more data thanks to 5G’s faster download speeds. However, it’s worth considering if having access to faster data on the go will change the way you use your phone. You may end up wanting a bigger, more expensive data allowance than before to make the most use of 5G.
Finally, remember that 5G smartphones also cost significantly more than last generation 4G handsets. If you’re buying on contract, this price might be disguised as just a little more each month, but it adds up substantially over the course of a contract. This isn’t to put you off 5G forever, but for some consumers waiting for prices to fall is a better fit for their data consumption habits.
Compare prices
Once you’ve checked carrier and device compatibility, coverage, and your 5G data needs, the last thing to do is compare packages to find the best price. As a good starting point, be sure to check out price, phone, and coverage rundowns for major 5G carriers:
- Verizon 5G: Coverage, phones, plans and more
- T-Mobile 5G: Service and 5G-capable devices
- AT&T 5G has arrived – here’s what you can expect
- Sprint 5G: Everything you need to know
- 5G UK: Plans, phones, coverage, and everything else
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