T-Mobile subscribers with an iPhone running iOS 16.4 or later need to make sure their 5G Standalone toggle is turned on.
When 5G first became available in the U.S., most carriers continued to use networks running a 4G LTE core with 5G capabilities built on top. A 5G Standalone (SA) network is one with a 5G core and since it isn’t built over LTE, 5G SA networks deliver faster download data speeds and lower latency. AT&T reportedly is waiting for phone manufacturers since constant use of 5G SA could sharply reduce the battery life of a subscriber’s handset. Verizon is supposedly planning to launch its 5G SA service sometime this year.
Faster 3Gbps download speeds available with 5G Standalone service require the use of Carrier Aggregation which combines multiple channels of 5G spectrum. To imagine how Carrier Aggregation works, imagine a sleepy two-way roadway adding additional lanes going in both directions allowing more cars to be on the highway driving at faster speeds.
