LG Wing and Pixel 5 owners have something to look forward to: the Federal Communications Commission has approved these devices to use faster C-band 5G frequencies, according to a PCMag tipster. The two phones have joined an exclusive company consisting of the first devices approved to use the new frequencies. Samsung’s Galaxy S21 phones and the iPhone 12 series are the only others currently offering support for these frequencies in the US.
C-band will deliver a much-needed speed boost for 5G in the US, especially for Verizon and AT&T customers. Currently, their nationwide networks mostly rely on slower low-band spectrum. This range of so-called mid-band frequencies was put up for auction at the end of 2020, and US airlines offered a record $ 80.9 billion to secure spectrum blocks for their use.
These frequencies will only be available in late 2021 / early 2022, but it looks like LG and Google are running out the door. With this FCC approval, the companies can offer software updates to enable the use of C-band frequencies on these specific devices.
As things stand now, not every 5G phone works with every kind of 5G frequency. Some devices, especially budget models, only support low and mid band. Others are also compatible with high-band like Verizon’s Ultra Wideband, which indicates the carrier by selling certain models marked “UW”. C-band will make things even more difficult; manufacturers must obtain FCC approval to add their existing devices retroactively so that they can use the new spectrum.
C-band will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to 5G networks in the US, but this is one more thing to note if you are planning to buy a new phone this year. T-Mobile customers do not have to worry so much, as the airline’s network already uses other mid-range frequencies. But if you’ve used Verizon or AT&T and plan to hang up your phone for a few years, it’s worth getting a device that supports C-band now or will be in the future.